There are two kinds of athletes in this world: those who play one sole sport and those who participate in a wide variety of them. Pros and cons accompany both, and success is seen across the board for both types of athletes–which raises the question: Is it better to be a single-sport or multi-sport athlete?

Coming from my own experience, I have been a single-sport athlete all of my life. I could not imagine not being one, as it not has provided me with a multitude of mental and physical benefits, but it also allows me to funnel my passion into one sport. Focusing solely on tennis for the majority of my life, excluding the times that I dabbled in field hockey and softball when I was very young, has been all I have known athletic-wise.

Being dedicated to one sport has allowed me to train rigorously–but with ample break time and resets. As I am not training for anything else, I have more time to put towards tennis in the off-season and in general. Doing so has allowed me to perfect technique, footwork, and other skills in a more refined way than I could if I played multiple sports.

As well as physical benefits, I think multi-sport athletes also boast mental advantages. By playing different sports, athletes are exposed to different coaching styles, teammates, and game situations. This can help them develop a wider range of problem-solving skills and strategies that can be applied to different situations. In contrast, single-sport athletes can become overly focused on their specific sport and may struggle to adapt when faced with new challenges.

Additionally, my potential for burnout is most likely decreased by being a single-sport athlete. Practices upon practices, along with other time dedicated to a sport, can already be quite mentally taxing, and doubling or even tripling that time it, depending on the amount of sports you play, can quickly lead to mental fatigue. As a single-sport athlete, I am grateful for solely tennis being manageable, both mentally and physically.

However, there are evident positives to being a multi-sport athlete as well. Participating in numerous sports can be highly enjoyable for someone, especially those entranced by sports. Additionally, being exposed to a variety of training styles and physical activities can make for a extremely well-rounded athlete, as they most likely have more skills applicable to their primary sport.

But in rebuttal, due to my experience, success is found easier when you participate in a singular sport, rather than a wide net of them. There is no doubt being an athlete in general is an impressive feat–but the benefits of being a single-sport athlete outweigh those of multi-sport athletes to me.