Anonymous
01/29/2026 18:33
Subject: Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
Anonymous wrote:I've had 2 kids go through the ECNL/MLS Next process and both were multisport athletes until they got to their Junior year for recruitment purposes. The oldest was a soccer first athlete that played basketball in the winter. There's a small overlap, but manageable. The other played football and soccer which made Fall a very busy time of year. We did our best to keep all coaches informed and 99% of the time we prioritized soccer so club coaches never cared. AAU BBall coach was a bit less forgiving, the football coaches were all pretty cool with it. We did get the lecture how they needed to choose, blah blah blah. But we ignored them and let the kids decide.
One is playing college soccer now and the other just committed to play college football. What I have learned is that it american soccer coaches at the college level want athletes first, soccer players second. My son's college team doesn't have a player under 5'11" and they are all pure athletes. Ctr Backs have horrible footskills, but win 90% of the 50/50 balls because they are all huge.
This line was very helpful and seems to be consistent with what I see across the highest level of sports (college, professional, etc): "What I have learned is that it american soccer coaches at the college level want athletes first, soccer players second."
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Anonymous
01/29/2026 18:30
Subject: Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
Multiple sports is doable some key factors for my son are:
Ability to play at high level in all 3
Private school practice at 3pm baseball at 8PM on weekends.
Coaches allowing some absence.
Soccer club basketball school and baseball club.
Soccer is fallback if he doesn’t get drafted by MLB. Basketball was always just for fun but after we have watched Pat Spencer all things are possible!
Ability to play at high level in all 3
Private school practice at 3pm baseball at 8PM on weekends.
Coaches allowing some absence.
Soccer club basketball school and baseball club.
Soccer is fallback if he doesn’t get drafted by MLB. Basketball was always just for fun but after we have watched Pat Spencer all things are possible!
Anonymous
01/29/2026 18:22
Subject: Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
It’s really hard. I have a u10, doing competitive soccer and lax. Soccer 3-4x/week in fall and spring, lax 2x/week in spring. Really challenging to manage the schedule and volumn. Will have her to pick one by u13.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 14:17
Subject: Re:Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My son played at the highest level in soccer and another sport.
He also played for his high school.
Being a multi sport athlete never was a problem because neither coach was willing to give him up so they dealt with it.
We made him choose a sport sophomore year of high school mostly because it was too much on me.
So he played both his sports in high school and one of them nationally sophomore year until college. Middle school up through sophomore year he can he played both of his sports.
Highest level of soccer as in being on a USYNT or a MLS club academy like Philadelphia Union etc?
Curious also. What two sports are we talking about?
It was soccer and lacrosse. His college prospects were better for lacrosse and he had no delusion that he was going to be a professional anything.
It’s not a brag, the kid just was born this way. It was quite difficult to raise when he was three years old and could run a 10k expecting me to run behind him. That’s an idiom. We did not have them running 10 K.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 14:14
Subject: Re:Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My son played at the highest level in soccer and another sport.
He also played for his high school.
Being a multi sport athlete never was a problem because neither coach was willing to give him up so they dealt with it.
We made him choose a sport sophomore year of high school mostly because it was too much on me.
So he played both his sports in high school and one of them nationally sophomore year until college. Middle school up through sophomore year he can he played both of his sports.
Highest level of soccer as in being on a USYNT or a MLS club academy like Philadelphia Union etc?
Yes. 3 players are pro now.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 14:11
Subject: Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:At the younger ages they aren't. Soccer in the winter doesn't exist for non-high school.Anonymous wrote:The issue is that most top leagues now are 11-12 months out of the year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I am the parent of a younger competitive player (U13 next year) who is a natural athlete in multiple sports but loves soccer the most. I noticed a post on another thread about a second team being where all the multi-sport athletes are in that club.
I'd be curious to hear from parents of older players approaches for multi-sport athletes. There is definitely a perception that kids have to step into national league teams as early as possible, and I don't love it. Did you intentionally keep your child out of the highest level so they could continue multiple sports competitively?
I realize this is very child and family dependent. Maybe I'm just looking for encouragement that committing to multiple sports is okay and looking for insights into how others have navigated this for kids who have expressed interest playing at the college level. Thank you!
Stay multi sport as long as possible. It is healthier. If they like playing all sports now you are taking away options for them by focusing only on soccer in hopes that they will be good enough or want to play soccer in college.
Multi-sport should not mean multiple sports in the same season. That's a recipe for injury as the kid gets older.
What are you talking about. My 10 year old at a middle level club on a second team had 1 month of and have 3 practices a week through the rest of winter. The only good thing is outdoor should be cancelled the next week or 2 due to weather. Being a 2 sport athlete is already too much.
Who's forcing them to do what you're calling too much?
Of course no one is "forcing" them. But the expectation for non-elite lower level competitive teams are all year round now making it incredibly difficult to remain a multi sport athlete.
+1
The all-year nature of every league around here is ridiculous. Futsal for soccer players in the winter, flag football in the winter, bball all year round, volleyball in the most random seasons that don’t fit neatly into any real season; it’s exhausting. My kids like and excel at multiple sports, and we will support that as long as possible, but I see why people drop out!
Anonymous
01/29/2026 14:02
Subject: Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:At the younger ages they aren't. Soccer in the winter doesn't exist for non-high school.Anonymous wrote:The issue is that most top leagues now are 11-12 months out of the year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I am the parent of a younger competitive player (U13 next year) who is a natural athlete in multiple sports but loves soccer the most. I noticed a post on another thread about a second team being where all the multi-sport athletes are in that club.
I'd be curious to hear from parents of older players approaches for multi-sport athletes. There is definitely a perception that kids have to step into national league teams as early as possible, and I don't love it. Did you intentionally keep your child out of the highest level so they could continue multiple sports competitively?
I realize this is very child and family dependent. Maybe I'm just looking for encouragement that committing to multiple sports is okay and looking for insights into how others have navigated this for kids who have expressed interest playing at the college level. Thank you!
Stay multi sport as long as possible. It is healthier. If they like playing all sports now you are taking away options for them by focusing only on soccer in hopes that they will be good enough or want to play soccer in college.
Multi-sport should not mean multiple sports in the same season. That's a recipe for injury as the kid gets older.
What are you talking about. My 10 year old at a middle level club on a second team had 1 month of and have 3 practices a week through the rest of winter. The only good thing is outdoor should be cancelled the next week or 2 due to weather. Being a 2 sport athlete is already too much.
Who's forcing them to do what you're calling too much?
Of course no one is "forcing" them. But the expectation for non-elite lower level competitive teams are all year round now making it incredibly difficult to remain a multi sport athlete.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 13:49
Subject: Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
I've had 2 kids go through the ECNL/MLS Next process and both were multisport athletes until they got to their Junior year for recruitment purposes. The oldest was a soccer first athlete that played basketball in the winter. There's a small overlap, but manageable. The other played football and soccer which made Fall a very busy time of year. We did our best to keep all coaches informed and 99% of the time we prioritized soccer so club coaches never cared. AAU BBall coach was a bit less forgiving, the football coaches were all pretty cool with it. We did get the lecture how they needed to choose, blah blah blah. But we ignored them and let the kids decide.
One is playing college soccer now and the other just committed to play college football. What I have learned is that it american soccer coaches at the college level want athletes first, soccer players second. My son's college team doesn't have a player under 5'11" and they are all pure athletes. Ctr Backs have horrible footskills, but win 90% of the 50/50 balls because they are all huge.
One is playing college soccer now and the other just committed to play college football. What I have learned is that it american soccer coaches at the college level want athletes first, soccer players second. My son's college team doesn't have a player under 5'11" and they are all pure athletes. Ctr Backs have horrible footskills, but win 90% of the 50/50 balls because they are all huge.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 14:18
Subject: Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:At the younger ages they aren't. Soccer in the winter doesn't exist for non-high school.Anonymous wrote:The issue is that most top leagues now are 11-12 months out of the year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I am the parent of a younger competitive player (U13 next year) who is a natural athlete in multiple sports but loves soccer the most. I noticed a post on another thread about a second team being where all the multi-sport athletes are in that club.
I'd be curious to hear from parents of older players approaches for multi-sport athletes. There is definitely a perception that kids have to step into national league teams as early as possible, and I don't love it. Did you intentionally keep your child out of the highest level so they could continue multiple sports competitively?
I realize this is very child and family dependent. Maybe I'm just looking for encouragement that committing to multiple sports is okay and looking for insights into how others have navigated this for kids who have expressed interest playing at the college level. Thank you!
Stay multi sport as long as possible. It is healthier. If they like playing all sports now you are taking away options for them by focusing only on soccer in hopes that they will be good enough or want to play soccer in college.
Multi-sport should not mean multiple sports in the same season. That's a recipe for injury as the kid gets older.
What are you talking about. My 10 year old at a middle level club on a second team had 1 month of and have 3 practices a week through the rest of winter. The only good thing is outdoor should be cancelled the next week or 2 due to weather. Being a 2 sport athlete is already too much.
Who's forcing them to do what you're calling too much?
Anonymous
01/28/2026 13:15
Subject: Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
Anonymous wrote:At the younger ages they aren't. Soccer in the winter doesn't exist for non-high school.Anonymous wrote:The issue is that most top leagues now are 11-12 months out of the year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I am the parent of a younger competitive player (U13 next year) who is a natural athlete in multiple sports but loves soccer the most. I noticed a post on another thread about a second team being where all the multi-sport athletes are in that club.
I'd be curious to hear from parents of older players approaches for multi-sport athletes. There is definitely a perception that kids have to step into national league teams as early as possible, and I don't love it. Did you intentionally keep your child out of the highest level so they could continue multiple sports competitively?
I realize this is very child and family dependent. Maybe I'm just looking for encouragement that committing to multiple sports is okay and looking for insights into how others have navigated this for kids who have expressed interest playing at the college level. Thank you!
Stay multi sport as long as possible. It is healthier. If they like playing all sports now you are taking away options for them by focusing only on soccer in hopes that they will be good enough or want to play soccer in college.
Multi-sport should not mean multiple sports in the same season. That's a recipe for injury as the kid gets older.
What are you talking about. My 10 year old at a middle level club on a second team had 1 month of and have 3 practices a week through the rest of winter. The only good thing is outdoor should be cancelled the next week or 2 due to weather. Being a 2 sport athlete is already too much.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 12:28
Subject: Re:Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
Anonymous wrote:The answer doesnt really matter for this humble bragger. Of course if your kid is playing at the perceived highest level the high school team will make an exception. However, for the 99.9999% of the rest of us, let's focus there and minimize the DCUM pissing contest.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My son played at the highest level in soccer and another sport.
He also played for his high school.
Being a multi sport athlete never was a problem because neither coach was willing to give him up so they dealt with it.
We made him choose a sport sophomore year of high school mostly because it was too much on me.
So he played both his sports in high school and one of them nationally sophomore year until college. Middle school up through sophomore year he can he played both of his sports.
Highest level of soccer as in being on a USYNT or a MLS club academy like Philadelphia Union etc?
I competed "at the highest level" as a youth, and my coaches would have never let me do another (high-level sport). Coaches wanted complete control over my workout regime, nutrition, practice schedule etc. Another sport could have put me at risk for injury. I doubt their kid was really competing at the highest level in two sports. It doesn't make much sense (unless they are complementary, like football and a field event).
Anonymous
01/28/2026 12:23
Subject: Re:Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My son played at the highest level in soccer and another sport.
He also played for his high school.
Being a multi sport athlete never was a problem because neither coach was willing to give him up so they dealt with it.
We made him choose a sport sophomore year of high school mostly because it was too much on me.
So he played both his sports in high school and one of them nationally sophomore year until college. Middle school up through sophomore year he can he played both of his sports.
Highest level of soccer as in being on a USYNT or a MLS club academy like Philadelphia Union etc?
Curious also. What two sports are we talking about?
Anonymous
01/28/2026 12:16
Subject: Re:Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
The answer doesnt really matter for this humble bragger. Of course if your kid is playing at the perceived highest level the high school team will make an exception. However, for the 99.9999% of the rest of us, let's focus there and minimize the DCUM pissing contest.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My son played at the highest level in soccer and another sport.
He also played for his high school.
Being a multi sport athlete never was a problem because neither coach was willing to give him up so they dealt with it.
We made him choose a sport sophomore year of high school mostly because it was too much on me.
So he played both his sports in high school and one of them nationally sophomore year until college. Middle school up through sophomore year he can he played both of his sports.
Highest level of soccer as in being on a USYNT or a MLS club academy like Philadelphia Union etc?
Anonymous
01/28/2026 11:58
Subject: Re:Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
Anonymous wrote:My son played at the highest level in soccer and another sport.
He also played for his high school.
Being a multi sport athlete never was a problem because neither coach was willing to give him up so they dealt with it.
We made him choose a sport sophomore year of high school mostly because it was too much on me.
So he played both his sports in high school and one of them nationally sophomore year until college. Middle school up through sophomore year he can he played both of his sports.
Highest level of soccer as in being on a USYNT or a MLS club academy like Philadelphia Union etc?
Anonymous
01/28/2026 11:54
Subject: Re:Multi-sport athletes and national leagues
My son played at the highest level in soccer and another sport.
He also played for his high school.
Being a multi sport athlete never was a problem because neither coach was willing to give him up so they dealt with it.
We made him choose a sport sophomore year of high school mostly because it was too much on me.
So he played both his sports in high school and one of them nationally sophomore year until college. Middle school up through sophomore year he can he played both of his sports.
He also played for his high school.
Being a multi sport athlete never was a problem because neither coach was willing to give him up so they dealt with it.
We made him choose a sport sophomore year of high school mostly because it was too much on me.
So he played both his sports in high school and one of them nationally sophomore year until college. Middle school up through sophomore year he can he played both of his sports.