Football is America’s favorite sport, and millions of children and teens play and enjoy the game each fall.
Still, young athletes need to engage in a variety of sports and not limit themselves to one. In addition to preventing burnout and lessening the chance for overuse injuries, multisport participation provides other benefits as well.
For example, overall agility, flexibility and explosiveness can be enhanced through training and competing in a variety of sports. Multisport participation also offers athletes a chance to take on different roles on their various teams, acquiring leadership and communication skills they can then apply throughout their athletic careers and lives.
In the video below, Northwestern University head football coach Pat Fitzgerald says those mental and emotional aspects are the hidden gems of multisport participation. Fitzgerald – a National Advisory Board Member for Positive Coaching Alliance and a member of the USA Football Tackle Advisory Committee – shares some insights into how his own youth sports experience shaped his ability to develop relationships with a wide variety of people.
SEE ALSO: Playing multiple sports builds better athletes
SEE ALSO: Coaches provide hope for football’s future
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multiple sports
David Jacobson
Pat Fitzgerald
Northwestern
Positive Coaching Alliance
category:
Americas Game
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David Jacobson
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Photo courtesy NUSports.com
Post date:
Tuesday, July 5, 2016 - 10:14