Chalk it up to todays “one-sport” mentality. I remember telling my daughter’s soccer coach that she was also going to be playing basketball. Practices overlapped a bit and thus, she’d miss a little bit of some of her soccer practice. The coach told me she needed to make a “commitment “. I looked at her and simply said - “she’s 6 years old.” Then walked away.
I coached girls hoops at all levels through varsity high school. Fact is, by the time a kid hits high school, with rare exceptions, if they aren’t “committed “ to one sport, they will be behind in each. Cause it’s now a year round endeavor. The exceptions are the truly gifted. We had a girl that played both (the seasons were at same time. ) She’d play a basketball game then go play in her soccer game. She split practices on a deal the coaches worked out. Both teams won the NCS. Had she concentrated on hoops, she would have been a Div 1 player. No question in my mind. As it was she was our 6th girl. Tough as hell. Great defender. Raw offensively, but no one got to the hoop quicker. And few wanted to challenge her when she put her head down and drove. As it was she played Div 1 soccer. Unbelievable athlete. Great kid to boot.
Club teams, travel teams, AAU carry the day. Kids play year round.
The biggest detriment to the one sport model - boys or girls - is health. You play, for example, basketball and baseball/softball you use different muscles for both Play just one and risk of injury goes way up.
I coached girls hoops at all levels through varsity high school. Fact is, by the time a kid hits high school, with rare exceptions, if they aren’t “committed “ to one sport, they will be behind in each. Cause it’s now a year round endeavor. The exceptions are the truly gifted. We had a girl that played both (the seasons were at same time. ) She’d play a basketball game then go play in her soccer game. She split practices on a deal the coaches worked out. Both teams won the NCS. Had she concentrated on hoops, she would have been a Div 1 player. No question in my mind. As it was she was our 6th girl. Tough as hell. Great defender. Raw offensively, but no one got to the hoop quicker. And few wanted to challenge her when she put her head down and drove. As it was she played Div 1 soccer. Unbelievable athlete. Great kid to boot.
Club teams, travel teams, AAU carry the day. Kids play year round.
The biggest detriment to the one sport model - boys or girls - is health. You play, for example, basketball and baseball/softball you use different muscles for both Play just one and risk of injury goes way up.