As children, major milestones often find their bearings in traditional sports that parents often enlist their children into, whether it be for the exposure to the sport or the social implications of the team itself. Teeball, peewee soccer, and dance classes today have begun to involve an enlarging mass of younger and younger children, with some of their parents dreaming of a professional future, stocked full of large salaries and success for their little bundles attempting to learn a dance or swing a tiny bat. Growing up, sports can serve as a gathering point for classmates, as values and lessons are learned through a multitude of sports.

For many, playing careers end by middle school, as they divulge into a plethora of other activities that they prioritize and enjoy. But a large amount still play into high school dreaming of college opportunities through athletics, which requires a high level of commitment, both financially and in terms of time spent. Getting recruited for any sport has become a booming business, as club programs and professional recruiting services offer the chance to play at the collegiate level through exposure and individual counseling for constantly rising fees.

And as these sports develop from seasonal to year round, many players find themselves deciding on what sport they will pursue exclusively, as to gain a competitive edge over their peers in order to play at the division one level. Especially at high schools that excel at a variety of sports, athletes cannot afford the time and energy to multiple sports to be good enough to compete for these high level slots.

But many authorities in sports, from ESPN anchors to influential coaches in college sports, emphasize their want for what they call a “Multi-sport athlete,” one who plays as many sports as possible to incorporate the lessons collectively to their specific field. Urban Meyer, head football coach at Ohio State, constantly talks about how his athletes played multiple sports in high school, which allows them to be better football players. The same message can be said of many coaches in college, emphasizing how such participation will exponentially improve the skill in each sport, leading to greater success.

Simply put, today’s emphasis on specialization creates a paradox with such desire for multisport athletes that cannot occur at the current rate. To be recruited in lower budget college sports, like lacrosse, simply playing at the high school level warrants a near impossible chance to be noticed by coaches, except for the very best players who play at the very top levels. Getting noticed requires all year long playing, commonly at specific events designed to bring together coaches with athletes hoping to play in college. Such events run often immediately after a normal season schedule, not ceasing until the next high school season begins.

This need to specialize does not necessarily bring all negatives; such events allow players from uncommon areas a chance to get noticed at normal hotbeds. However, it does not allow the playing of other sports, especially at schools that dominate in a variety of sports that all require year round preparation to succeed. Yes, many are able to play multiple sports while remaining competitive at their chosen sport; but these students likely attend private schools, defined by no cut policies, fewer students and more encouragement to get involved in all possible athletics.

And while different experiences can lead to a wider set of skills, playing multiple sports in high school is not the only way to diversify talents that can apply to individual sports. Pickup basketball at the local court will give a similar effect to a formal league; watching different sports will help reveal traits that can apply to a sport. There is no need to pressure athletes into overcommitting themselves to too many activities, demanding that athletes cross over skills. Athletes flourish in their sport not exclusively by their mere work ethic and skills learned while playing; natural thinking patterns and intelligence often set apart the top echelon athletes from the rest at the highest levels, something that cannot be learned simply from playing multiple sports.

And so, while a worthy and understandable message, the push to play multiple sports in high school to succeed in college athletics overlooks too many situations in which teens are unable to do just that, whether out of time commitments or the need to specialize to remain competitive. Some who do will thrive, but many more will be at the same level regardless.