USA Swimming Preps the Pool for Multisport Athletes

With declining sports participation among kids, a flexible approach to sports schedules may be just what families are looking for.

Many people think the best way to succeed in a sport is to specialize early. But USA Swimming is joining the growing chorus that argues for participation in multiple sports.

The debate over sports specialization is far from over, and the data shows that in some sports specialization is important, while it’s not very important in sports like football.

The effect that athletes and parents may most be concerned about is the long-term rate of injury stemming from overuse, an effect that is evident even in elite NBA players. That’s why, for traditionally specialized sports like swimming, many have started to ask whether advocating sticking to one sport is the right move.  

Coupled with the fact that sports leagues around the country are seeing a decline in participation, the head honchos at USA Swimming have decided to make participation easier for multisport athletes. It’s no surprise why — The Wall Street Journal reports, “From 2013 to 2016, the number of competitive swimmers in the 10-year-old age group dropped by almost 10 percent.”

That’s a significant drop in such a short time span. In June, USA Swimming launched an ad campaign that highlighted swimmers participating in other sports. Matt Farrell, USA Swimming’s chief marketing officer acknowledged that swimming is seen as an all-or-nothing type sport, and the organization is trying to soften that perception.

The organization’s selling pitch is twofold: It wants to offer families a training schedule that’s flexible and more manageable than high-level baseball or soccer. It’s also selling the fact that swimming is a low-impact sport that’s safe and doesn’t wear down the body like other sports. With today’s families being busier than ever, the hope is that swimming can remain the primary sport for many kids without burning them out, or pick up new participants who want to stay in shape between other sports.

“We’re telling people it’s OK to do other sports. We know that, even within our own sport, not everyone is going to agree with that,” Farrell adds.

The strategy might just be one that catches on. With declining sports participation among kids, a flexible approach to sports schedules may be just what families are looking for.

Perhaps it’s time to assess your own sport’s calendar, and see how it can fit in with participation in other sports.