The best advice we can offer young athletes is to be as versatile as possible. Simply put, the more positions and sports you play, the more interesting you’ll be in the eyes of coaches, scouts and analysts.
Some of the greatest athletes of all time thrived playing multiple sports, including Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders. Others, like Michael Jordan, dominated one sport but never really caught on in others. Still, it’s difficult to overstate the value of having a multi-sport background for any athlete.
In many cases, a skillset from one sport can easily translate to another. To name just a few examples, route running for a receiver can be refined by moving without the ball while playing hoops, throwing accurately from shortstop to first base can help quarterbacks and boxing out opponents for rebounds can help tight ends learn to high-point catches in the end zone. There’s also evidence to suggest that playing multiple sports could help reduce injuries related to overuse.
