PREPNET / SPEAK OUT

How difficult is it, or would it be, to participate in two sports during the same season?

MARY MULLIGAN

San Clemente, Girls’ Basketball Coach

Whitney Jones is an all-league performer in girls’ varsity basketball and varsity soccer. She has done this four years. On a typical day she has a two-hour basketball practice and a two-hour soccer practice. She also maintains a 3.8 GPA. It takes an extremely unique individual to do this. I have had other athletes attempt it, only to be mediocre in one or both of the sports. Obviously, time management and parent involvement are very important, as well as endurance. Both coaches need to be willing to make some compromises in terms of their rules about being late, not taking the bus, leaving early, and missing an event. Whitney has missed one basketball game for soccer. She has missed two soccer games for basketball. Other than that, there haven’t been any conflicts. I have to wonder, though, how much better she would have been in basketball if she didn’t play a soccer game right before. It never looks like she is tired, but I do remember Whitney having spectacular performances in last year’s six playoff games. I realized that the soccer season was over, so she was coming in fresh.

LAURA STRACHAN

Foothill, Cross-Country/Track and Field

Time efficiency is necessary when playing two sports and is especially challenging when taking honors or Advanced Placement courses, and little time is left for anything else. Last year while running cross-country at FHS, I also played club soccer and I found that this, along with my honors courses, encompassed much of my time. However, playing two sports, if that’s what you truly love, should not be discouraged.

DEVIN KATO

Edison, Soccer

I don’t think I could do it. I think you would have to get a lot of leniency from the coaches in both sports. Most high school coaches these days would rather you commit to one sport. But anyone who could do it, I give them a lot of respect.

AMANDA GONZALEZ

Marina, Soccer

I think the difficulties of playing two sports in one season are that it’s very time consuming and it’s probably hard on schoolwork. I also think it’s difficult because you can’t play two games in one day, so you probably have to decide which sport you would rather play on that day, unless they let you alternate between games.

KEVIN SCHNEIDER

Fountain Valley, Fan

Sure it is possible for the athlete to do it, but will the coaches permit it? In some schools it is almost impossible to play two sports in the same school year. Today, all sports are year-round. Athletes are expected to choose that one sport and stick to it. Choosing football practice over Connie Mack games during football season may cost you a spot on the baseball team.

BUTCH FREDLOW

Marina, Girls’ Basketball Coach

If both coaches would be willing to accept the time constraints on the athlete. I think it is possible to have a two-sports-in-the-same-season athlete, but what price is the athlete paying in terms of social time or school time or family time?