Playing other sports?

Surf Zombie

Surf Zombie

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Curious if your kids are “specializing” in soccer or playing other sports as well? A few of the kids on my DD’s club team only play soccer while most play multiple sports.

My 2007 daughter plays soccer 4x week, 10 months a year. In addition has a tennis lesson 1 hour a week year round, flag football (1 day week) in the fall & lacrosse in the spring (2-3 days week).

My 2009 son plays soccer 2-3x week, 10 months a year. In addition has karate (1-2x a week) year round, flag football (1 day week) in the fall & lacrosse in the spring (2 days week).
 
Mine does dance, but not competitively. And a few activities through the school, but also pretty mellow in terms of time. Our soccer practice schedule has shifted throughout the year and it would be tough to schedule other sports.

For the 4x/week your dd does, is some of that private training?
 
For the 4x/week your dd does, is some of that private training?[/QUOTE]

No, they practice 3x week as a team and have club league games on sundays. In the fall and spring she also has town travel games on Saturdays. Where we live (Boston area) all the kids play on their town travel teams. Her town team has a couple of her club team mates plus girls from three other clubs.
 
Yes, its very important to play different sports, tennis , volleyball, basketball....they all help with movement, keeping their eyes up and allows them to play with different friends. Obviously Soccer is #1 but changing it up is good for my kids..
 
My DD did baseball, basketball, swimming and dance on top of soccer prior to U10. All that was done as rec, once she wanted to play club she played soccer only from U11 to U16 and now she's doing lacrosse.

My son played baseball while playing club soccer, then just played soccer, quit(injuries) soccer and now he's playing basketball, baseball and flag football.

The Ulittles shouldn't be specialized at all in one sport. They need to be exposed to multiple sports so by the time they get to high school they can try other sports and the transition is easier on them. Kind of like learning how to ride a bike.
 
Not only its good to play other sports - both team and individual - kids learn to leverage what they've learned in other sports and apply to another (soccer).

Until our older picked soccer as the primary sports (at 13 yrs), he played club soccer, travel baseball, rec basketball all year around at the same time. Our younger played soccer and baseball until he quit baseball (he just didn't like it after a while) at 11 yrs. He only plays soccer now.

Back to applying other sports, the quick thinking and calmness required to play basketball helps staying calm and making decision under pressure in soccer. The quick transition from attacking to defending also transfers from basketball. Taking proper angles, judging fly balls and 1-and-1 pressure of batting (vs pitcher) helps both with and without the ball movement in soccer. For forwards, like our older, facing a keeper 1-on-1 on a breakaway or PK, is very similar mentally as being at bat in a clutch situation.

So its all good, as long as the kid wants to do it. Its not good, if its affecting their energy level, school work or shows signs of fatigue. Sometimes kids don't know when to say when so just look out for signs and always communicate....
 
I don't think you can say that a kid has to play multiple sports or they have to specialize in one...it varies by individual. My DD officially only plays soccer. I always ask her if she wants to try a basketball or softball league and she says no. But she plays handball, tetherball, basketball and other sports at school everyday.

I will say this though...I see a difference between kids who work on their soccer game outside of team practices (i.e. private training, practicing at home) and those who never touch the ball in between practices.
 
Here's one.

Ask your kid what they want to play!

Nothings wrong with playing multiple sports or one unless as a parent your forcing the issue. Every kids different. What worked for one may not work for another.
 
Martial arts is a great option for young kids. Mine did Taekwondo from 4yrd-10yrs. Then started soccer. I can see TKD in almost everything that he does. But no interest in anything else. It has benefited him for the last seven years is competitive soccer.
 
all valid points....reality may be "Time" with 3 practices a week plus 1 trainer day , its hard to figure adding a sport.

Logistically its always whos going to leave work early to get johnny/jane to gymnastics or lacrosse, when soccer is the priority ..

and yes , its the childs choice, always should be , I have a younger that's tried everything under the sun, only to chose not to participate after doing the sport/activity for a few weeks each time.
 
2-3 days soccer plus 1-2 games per weekend, then 1-2 days basketball and the occasional game. For a keeper basketball is a great sport to play. She has great hands, goes high for the ball, sees the court and field, so many good cross training skills. Helps that she loves both.
 
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