World Cup champions show benefits of playing multiple sports - Charleston Post Courier
If they dream of making the U. S. soccer team one day, they should recognize a key factor in the development of many of America’s star soccer players. Most of them played other sports in addition to soccer growing up. USA Today surveyed the players on the current U. S. team and found that they played at least 14 different sports collectively before they focused solely on soccer. One of the best players in U. S. women’s soccer history, forward Abby Wambach, credits her days playing basketball to her soccer success. “Playing basketball had a significant impact on the way I play the game of soccer,” Wambach told USA Today. “I am a taller player in soccer, in basketball I was a power forward and I would go up and rebound the ball. By focusing solely on soccer, they believe that their kids have a better chance of later earning a college scholarship. College soccer coaches, however, don’t necessarily want players who only played soccer growing up. A survey of Division I coaches by U. S. Youth Soccer showed that an overwhelming majority believe kids should wait until high school or later to... Anson Dorrance, the legendary coach of the University of North Carolina women’s soccer team, looks for athletes who excel in multiple activities and not just soccer. Source: www.postandcourier.com
