If you've been reading articles at Breakthrough Basketball for any length of time, you probably have heard us say that athletes at the youth level, and at least through the junior varsity level, need to stay involved in multiple sports to become better athletes.

In Mike Boyle's blog article Early Specialization - Part 3, he mentions an article by STACK magazine where they interviewed three of the most successful coaches about early specialization.

• Dom Starsia - UVA's Men's Lacrosse Coach
• Pete Carroll - USC's Football Coach
• Bob Braman - Florida State Track Coach

If you don't know who these coaches, read below. Otherwise, you can skip the gray box and read the rest of the article.

Dom Starsia Career Record of 271-104 (.723 win percentage) 3 National Championships One of three coaches to win 100+ games at two different schools. Pete Carroll Career Record at USC of 90-16 (.857 win percentage). 2 National Championships. Ranked in top 4 every year at season's end since 2002. 53 players selected in the NFL Draft. 14 in the 1st round! Bob Braman 2006, '07 and '08 NCAA Division I Men's National Outdoor Track Coach of the Year 2005, '06, '07, `08 and `09 ACC Men's Outdoor Track Coach of the Year 2005, '06, '07, `08 and `09 ACC Men's Indoor Track Coach of the Year

All three coaches believe that youth and high school kids should play multiple sports to become better athletes.

Starsia said " for young guys,- especially those seventh, eight, ninth and tenth graders- it's a little too early to decide that you are going to a football player or, that you are going to be a full time lacrosse player."

Pete Carroll said "The first question I ask about a kid is what other sports does he play?… I really, really, don't favor kids having to specialize in one sport."

Braman said "versatility becomes more important when on the men's side I'm looking at twelve scholarships and I'm trying to divide them up."

If some of arguably the best coaches in their sport are recruiting athletes who play multiple sports, what do you think you should be doing with your athletes?

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