The Myth of the Multi-sport Athlete

We’ve all heard it by now:

Multi-sport athletes are better off. (To Learn More, Read this article: The Truth About Sports Specialization - before continuing).

Multi-Sport athletes get injured less, burn out less, and develop into more adaptable, resilient players.

I believe in that. Deeply.

My own daughters are proof.

One plays Division I soccer.

One is committed to a Division I beach volleyball program.

And both of them played a lot of sports growing up.

The played everything:

• ⚽️ Soccer, 🏀 basketball, 🏑 field hockey, 🏐 volleyball (indoor and beach), 🏊 swimming.
• They played in rec leagues, middle school teams, high school programs—and yes, club sports too.

But there’s a big difference between multi-sport and what I call multi-simultaneous sports.

And the second one? It can do more harm than good.

The Myth of “More is Better”

It’s tempting to think more activity = more progress.

That by playing two sports at once, our kids are becoming more well-rounded.

But when that overlap becomes constant—basketball after school, soccer at night, multi-sport weekend tournament we’re not building athleticism.

We’re just stacking physical load.

Multi-sport is a long-term strategy.

Multi-simultaneous is an injury waiting to happen.

Looking back, I absolutely think the variety of sports helped shape my daughters into stronger, smarter athletes. But the seasons where we had them doing two sports at once?

Their bodies paid the price.

Since it is so commonplace today - if there is no way to avoid it, at the very least, read this article to safeguard your child as much as possible. 

And all of this is backed by science and research:

• The rate of ACL injuries in youth athletes has increased by over 148% in the past decade.
  – American Academy of Pediatrics
• Kids who specialize in one sport before age 12 are at significantly higher risk of injury, burnout and quitting.
  – NATA
• Overuse injuries account for nearly 50% of all sports injuries in middle and high school students.
  – American Academy of Pediatrics
• The good news? Up to 70% of these injuries are preventable with proper rest, training, and diversified play.
  – STOP Sports Injuries Campaign

So What’s the Answer?

It’s not black and white. But it is about being intentional. Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. One Sport per Season
If your child wants to continue with multiple sports, great! Just don’t do them at the same time. Prioritize one per season. Let the others breathe. And find low-impact ways to stay connected—like:

• Pickup games
• Fun, unstructured play
• Occasional private lessons
• Family sessions in the backyard

This keeps skills sharp without compounding physical stress.

2. Accept the Tradeoffs
Sometimes you can’t do it all. If soccer season overlaps with volleyball tryouts, hard choices have to be made. It’s okay. Missing one opportunity now doesn’t close the door forever. Staying healthy and energized is the best long-term play.

3. Teach the Body to Adapt, Not Just Endure
The benefit of multi-sport isn’t about being busy—it’s about being diverse. Expose them to different movement patterns, different coaching styles, and different team dynamics. But give their joints, muscles, and minds time to adapt between them.

What About Club Sports?

Here’s where it gets tricky—and honestly, I don’t have a perfect answer.

Club teams want year-round commitment. Off-seasons are rare. And kids can get penalized or fall behind if they miss tournaments or team training blocks.

So how do we do this smartly?

Some ideas:

• Rotate sports year-to-year. Commit to soccer one club season, volleyball the next.
• Find clubs that value rest or multi-sport balance. They exist—but you have to ask hard questions upfront.
• Work with private coaches to build complementary training plans. If they’re only doing one sport, can we inject variety elsewhere?
• Insist your child pick one sport and then get them into as many multi-movement activities as possible

Or do what this small town in Canada did: the local clubs came together and made a radical choice—put the athlete first. What a concept. They coordinated across sports like hockey and soccer, including the athlete in every conversation and decision. Sure, this kind of model might only be possible in smaller communities, but there’s a bigger takeaway here: open communication, transparency, and giving parents a voice in their child’s journey. It challenges the status quo—and reminds us that when we operate from an athlete-first mindset, everyone wins. Read More about this here. 

At the end of the day, it’s not about doing more; it’s about doing it better. The goal isn’t to keep up with everyone else’s schedule. It’s to protect your child’s spark, their health and their long-term love for movement. Multi-sport participation can absolutely be a gift—but only when done with intention, boundaries, and rest. If we’re willing to zoom out, make hard choices and stop measuring success by how busy we are, we can build something better—not just for our kids’ performance, but for their well-being.

Asia Mape is a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, Sports Television Producer, former Division I athlete and the founder of I Love To Watch You Play, a platform dedicated to helping families navigate the youth sports journey with insight, honesty and heart. She’s worked for leading sports networks including Fox Sports, ESPN, TNT, NFL Network and NBC Sports, covering five Olympics, multiple NBA playoffs, and two Super Bowls. Now a mom to three daughters who’ve all played competitive sports, Asia blends her professional storytelling background and personal experience to support parents and spark meaningful change in youth sports.