Many Athletes Regret Specializing In One Sport, NCAA Report Finds
BOSTON (CBS) -- Some parents think their son or daughter will be the next superstar if they just focus on one specific sport, but a new report published by the NCAA suggests that might not be the best strategy.
The study focused on the growing trend of "one sport kids" and found that it is more likely to lead to burnout than stardom.
A majority of the college athletes surveyed reported that they regret focusing on only one sport. Many among them -- especially those who played hockey and soccer -- began their one sport track before age 12.
Indeed, that's what happened to Triton Regional volleyball coach Mike Scammon.
"I ran track to become a better athlete for soccer, but after a while I got a little burned out," Scammon told WBZ NewsRadio 1030.
He eventually left soccer and turned to volleyball. But he didn't appreciate it at first because he was so focused on that one sport: soccer.
"I recognized it was the most fun sport I ever played in my life," he said about volleyball. "I was really attracted to how much of a team sport it is."
Like Scammon, many college athletes surveyed also said they wish they had spent more time sampling other sports when they were young.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports
