Last year only ten seniors played three sports. Is the three sport athlete at FHC dying? There are seemingly more and more people dropping out their respective sports. Is the idea that single specialization is needed to be a success true or is it a false myth that many have come to believe.

It is true that the three sport athlete is dying at FHC. Even the FHC athletic director, Clark Udell, feels that the number of three sport athletes is down. However, it seems that there needs to be motivation to play three sports. This first piece of motivation is a love for each sport they play.

“I play three sports, because I love to play all three,” said senior Sal Sidebotham who plays football, basketball, and lacrosse at FHC. “I wouldn’t play them if I didn’t enjoy competing and playing the sports that I do.”

Another reason for the success of the three sport athlete is their skill in time management. An athlete has to be able to balance sports, school, family, and friends. The ability to play three sports hinges on time management skills.

“The biggest skill I have learned from playing three sports is how to manage my time,” senior Mark Scannell said. “Since I have something for sports nearly everyday, I have to manage my time very well. I need to make sure I get all my schoolwork done and have time for other things like family and friends. Time management is key.”

A reason for the decline of the three sport athlete seems obvious. The first reason is that people aren’t super passionate about three different sports.

“I would recommend [playing three sports],” senior Sydney Reynolds said. “But only if you enjoy them and don’t dread showing up to them.”

She also referenced a passion for each sport that she plays and cited it as a reason to why she plays. She also referenced to how the weight of all these things can become overwhelming.

A common alternative is to become a two-sport athlete instead. It still allows a student to be a multi-sport athlete while taking away some of the pressures that can come with playing three sports.

Udell believes that the number of three sport athletes will be on the rise in the near future.

“It does seem like more athletes are playing at least two sports,” Udell said. “I think that athletes are realizing the benefits of playing multiple sports. They stay competitive, continue to build their athleticism, and enjoy being active and representing their school.”

Another option is playing only one sport. This is often known as specialization, where a player only plays one sport and focuses on solely that sport. However, many people believe that playing multiple sports is better.

“I do believe in the overall development of an athlete, playing multiple sports is beneficial,” Udell said. “Athletes give certain muscle groups a break while developing others. It reduces injuries due to overuse. Emotionally, a change in competitive environment is healthy and keeps athletes competitively sharp and fresh.”

Others believe that there is no need to specialize to become dominant in a sport. They believe a person can get bigger, faster, and stronger through playing other sports and working hard to improve in their free time.

“The common misconception is that you have to focus on one sport to be good at it,” Sal said. “I play three, and I’m still an All-State linebacker, so I believe this is a false misconception.”

So really how many sports, if any, should a student participate in? Although the three sport athlete at FHC may be dying out, there is still a push from multisport athletes to get other single sport athletes involved.

“I would recommend other single sport athletes to play multiple [sports],” Mark said. “All sports are [somewhat] similar and what you learn from one can help you in another. I think it also helps you become a more well-rounded athlete. It keeps things fresh. Playing one sport all the time can burn you out after a while.”