The Changing Athletic Development Pathway: Is It the End of an Era for Multisport Athletes?

Across sports, there has been a dramatic shift toward earlier and more frequent specialization, leading to a decrease in multi-sport athletes at the high school level. A student-athlete may be able to participate in three high school sports, however it likely precludes them from devoting enough time to a primary, future college sport. The multi-sport logistics are increasingly difficult, and for many student-athletes there is pressure to choose a primary sport and invest fully in that pursuit. This article discusses athletic development models that attempt to provide more direction and guidance to the athletic development process.