Clark pulls double duty playing for Webster
Division III athletics follow national trend in decline of multi-sport athletes, but still home to few who want to continue with two sports
By: Rachael Horne
Issue date: 3/10/05 Section: Sports
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For 10 Webster University student athletes the sports season never ends. Freshman Cayla Clark is one such athlete.
Clark splits her time between the soccer field and the basketball court. She chose to come to Webster because of the opportunity to still compete in both.
But the number of athletes who play more than one sport at Webster is decreasing, following a national trend. About 200 students are currently participating on a team at Webster.
"It's very time consuming playing both sports, and sometimes it's tough never really getting a break, but I think that's just part of the sacrifice I decided to make and a big reason I chose Webster," Clark said.
NCAA Division III athletes, though not without some pressures to focus on one sport, are a contrast to a growing national trend. Although Athletic Director Tom Hart said Webster is following the trend. In high school and college sports today there is a decline in multi-sport athletes.
In previous generations, versatile athletic talent was the norm, and large numbers of multi-sport athletes was not surprising. Today athletes doubling up are rare. There are many factors that contribute to this trend.
"Webster has actually seen a decrease recently in dual-sport athletes," Athletic Director Tom Hart said. "Traditionally smaller athletic programs had a number of two- sport athletes. As we have become
more competitive we have seen less and less of these student athletes."
One reason is that training for a sport is no longer confined to a single season. Players are in the weight room and conditioning for the next season months in advance. Some sports compete through multiple seasons. There is a continual overlap from sport to sport, preventing a number of talented athletes from participation in a second sport.
"Before we became more competitive in the athletic arena, we had many dual sport athletes," Hart said. "If they didn't play then there was no one to play. I think now it is still possible but it takes a special individual to juggle everything."
Clark splits her time between the soccer field and the basketball court. She chose to come to Webster because of the opportunity to still compete in both.
But the number of athletes who play more than one sport at Webster is decreasing, following a national trend. About 200 students are currently participating on a team at Webster.
"It's very time consuming playing both sports, and sometimes it's tough never really getting a break, but I think that's just part of the sacrifice I decided to make and a big reason I chose Webster," Clark said.
NCAA Division III athletes, though not without some pressures to focus on one sport, are a contrast to a growing national trend. Although Athletic Director Tom Hart said Webster is following the trend. In high school and college sports today there is a decline in multi-sport athletes.
In previous generations, versatile athletic talent was the norm, and large numbers of multi-sport athletes was not surprising. Today athletes doubling up are rare. There are many factors that contribute to this trend.
"Webster has actually seen a decrease recently in dual-sport athletes," Athletic Director Tom Hart said. "Traditionally smaller athletic programs had a number of two- sport athletes. As we have become
more competitive we have seen less and less of these student athletes."
One reason is that training for a sport is no longer confined to a single season. Players are in the weight room and conditioning for the next season months in advance. Some sports compete through multiple seasons. There is a continual overlap from sport to sport, preventing a number of talented athletes from participation in a second sport.
"Before we became more competitive in the athletic arena, we had many dual sport athletes," Hart said. "If they didn't play then there was no one to play. I think now it is still possible but it takes a special individual to juggle everything."
