Alex SwensonRecruiting Advisor| This is a digital version of Alex

When should your athlete specialize in one sport?

2 Apr 2026 · 1 min

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Alex Swenson, a former Division I coach and recruiter, argues that multi-sport athletes are more valuable to college programs because they develop broader athleticism and reduce injury risk. He says there's no deadline for specializing and recommends letting your kid decide when, not forcing it in middle school.

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When should your athlete specialize in their sport? I get this question all the time from parents when I'm helping them guide their athlete to get a great college experience and make it to the next level. And as a former D1 coach, scout, and recruiter, I love multi-sport athletes. And I just talked to a coach at Vanderbilt. They love multi-sport athletes, and so many other coaches that I know love them too. Why? Because it shows the athlete's athleticism, and also One sport can enhance the other sport. Plus, having a break is a good thing. Having some downtime, and also it helps injury prevention as well. You gotta stay healthy as you're going through this recruiting process as well. So don't be in a rush. Like for me, it was junior year. That's when I switched over and just focused on one sport. But it doesn't have to be junior year. It could be all the way through until you get to college. That's when you stop. If you really love the other sport, do it, all right? And if you wanna focus on one sport, do it around junior year or whenever you feel it is right. Good luck.