{"id":3481,"date":"2018-01-15T13:22:50","date_gmt":"2018-01-15T18:22:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gridironstuds.com\/blog\/?p=3481"},"modified":"2018-08-09T16:58:51","modified_gmt":"2018-08-09T21:58:51","slug":"3-reasons-your-football-player-needs-to-play-other-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gridironstuds.com\/blog\/3-reasons-your-football-player-needs-to-play-other-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Reasons Your Football Player Needs to Play Other Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"By: Chad Wilson – Editor – GridironStuds Blog<\/strong>
\nTwitter: @GridironStuds<\/strong><\/p>\n

As some of you may know, \u00a0GridironStuds.com is not the only thing I do. \u00a0I also run All Eyes DB Camp<\/a> and train defensive backs. \u00a0I am often approached by parents of youngsters in the age range of 8-12 years old asking if I would train their child to be a defensive back. \u00a0My immediate response is no. \u00a0Of course I don’t ever just leave it at that. With that no comes the explanation that I only train individuals age 13 plus and I recommend that their\u00a0child play a different sport in the offseason.<\/p>\n

There are several reasons that I give that advice but in this article I am going to give the top three reasons that I think a football player should play other sports. \u00a0This advice is not only for kids under the age of 13 but for football players in high school that are skilled enough to pull it off.<\/p>\n

Improves Your Athleticism<\/strong><\/p>\n

Having been in the recruiting game for a decade now, \u00a0I can tell you the number one thing college recruiters are looking for at any position is athleticism. \u00a0If you are not athletic then college coaches start seeing you as limited. \u00a0This does not only apply to defensive backs and wide receivers. \u00a0It also applies to offensive linemen. \u00a0An offensive tackle better be athletic and able to move his feet or he will get killed all game long by the converted basketball player charging off the edge to sack his quarterback. \u00a0How about a guard or center who can pull and not look like a 100 lb. bag of sand when doing so? \u00a0That has value, \u00a0lots of it and college coaches are looking for it.<\/p>\n

How do you develop athleticism? \u00a0Well some will have you believe that the best way to do that is to send your youngster to a trainer who will have him run around cones and through ladders for an hour. \u00a0I’ll tell you as an experienced athlete and father of three that nothing brings out athleticism like competing in another sport. Practicing a set of skills to help your team win and be accountable to your teammates each and every week will accelerate the learning process. \u00a0Often times, \u00a0different sports will develop skills that are just simply hard to mimic in a training atmosphere. \u00a0Playing basketball, soccer, baseball, etc. will develop a set of skills that will help you on a football field in a way that sessions with a trainer will never accomplish.<\/p>\n

Help Them Become Better Teammates<\/strong><\/p>\n

Football is the ultimate team sport and when you have a team full of good teammates, \u00a0it just stands to reason that your team is going to go far. \u00a0A individual who can bring that dynamic to the team has value. \u00a0Playing a variety of team sports develops the teammate gene in a young athlete. \u00a0Growing that trait in an athlete is something that needs to be cultivated all year long. \u00a0Solo or even group training sessions with a trainer will not duplicate this benefit the way playing another team sport can.<\/p>\n

In addition, multiple sports often provide a variety in terms of types of individuals your athlete comes in contact with. \u00a0Exposing your young athlete to others from different racial and social circles will only broaden his understanding, patience and ability to communicate with people. \u00a0This skill can not be underestimated within a football locker room or huddle. Communication is one of those skills that are not readily apparent to those observing an athlete on the football field. \u00a0Yet, \u00a0it is so very crucial to the overall success of the team and thus the individual. Keeping your young athlete around the same group of people all year long has it’s diminishing returns. \u00a0I am sure that I will receive the responses that say, \u00a0it builds a bond with your brothers. \u00a0Sure, \u00a0I get it but that’s what the summer conditioning is for. \u00a0Nothing builds a bond like throwing up on the side of the track together after that fifth\u00a0400 meter run for time.<\/p>\n

Improve Their Mental Skills<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mental skills are what separates great ones from the good ones. \u00a0Exposing your young football player to a variety of competitive situations will develop that like no other. \u00a0My children played multiple sports and from them, an array of crucial mental skills\u00a0were acquired. \u00a0For instance:<\/p>\n

Taekwondo – discipline
\nBasketball – consistency
\nBaseball – patience and handling failure
\nTrack – handling individual pressure<\/p>\n

Other sports develop other mental traits. \u00a0I played soccer growing up and it aided in my ability to perform at a high level when completely exhausted (Also served well to keep body fat low but that’s an adulthood bonus). \u00a0I have played with and coached young men who were wrestlers, \u00a0the amount of mental toughness they brought to the table was often more than anyone else on the team. \u00a0So as you can see, \u00a0the benefits to multiple sports is wide sweeping. \u00a0If you were building a football team, program, or organization you would want to incorporate individuals that brought these benefits to the table. \u00a0Aside from making your athlete a better player, \u00a0it will also aid them in being a better overall human being. \u00a0Change their perspective.<\/p>\n

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