<p>There's something we forget along the way. You can pick up just about any sport at any time along the way. </p>
<p>Mine played premeir soccer through HS, in college coach didn't like that he was a bio/chem major and cut him "soccer players first, student second" [by the way the guy moved to a suny school..good luck there, if your kid plays soccer and your paying tuition.] </p>
<p>Soooo.... he took up water polo and LAX to fill his time and get his sports fix during undergrad. </p>
<p>Now in 1st year of medical school...he's played his first game of rugby saturday and loves it. </p>
<p>When one door closes... another opens...</p>
<p>Opie - Just FYI, it turns out WA has "solved" its girls' soccer problem by moving club season to Feb-April. Good in many ways, but parents are up in arms about some of the problems they anticipate: girls will play fewer league games now, tryout season will be a mess, etc. Most important, while it was feasible to play soccer at HS and club level because the coaches were essentially forced to cooperate, moving the club season means many girls will have to drop their second or third sport. I know many excellent soccer players who also play lacrosse or run track, and that's going to be pretty hard to do from here on out. </p>
<p>To the OP, I think it is great to make it possible for kids to play multiple sports, sequentially. But there will be a top tier of athletes who really have the talent and drive to focus on one sport, and the challenge is for kids to figure out for themselves if they're in that category.</p>
<p>"Opie - Just FYI"</p>
<p>It sounds like you think of this the same way I do, it's not really sloved, HS won out, which I figured they would. I have to wonder how tournaments, ODP and such will work out. </p>
<p>One of the things I would do is limit hs practice time to 90 minutes. Three hour practices are the norm around here and all they accomplish for the most part is stretching 90 minutes. Same with HS boys, absolutely no need to go that long. </p>
<p>I'll have to take a look this season and see how it is going.</p>