U.S. soccer stars were multi-sport athletes in high school
By Brandon Jones on July 15, 2015
As demonstrated by an emphatic 5-2 victory over Japan in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final earlier this month, the United States women’s soccer team is the best in the world. Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, Lauren Holiday and many others are now legends of the game and heroes in American sports lore.
In today’s era of increased sport specialization, many might assume that those stars that so amazed the crowds in Canada have played only soccer their entire lives. However, the reality is quite the opposite. As a team, they played at least 14 different competitive sports while growing up before eventually focusing on the sport they have reinvigorated for the next generation of female athletes. Even more importantly, they all insist that their involvement in other sports has been an advantage rather than a detriment to their careers.
Take for example Abby Wambach, who in another lifetime may have been a basketball star after let-tering at Our Lady of Mercy High School in Rochester, New York. She says playing basketball not only helped her spatial awareness, but gave her a chance to crave soccer and avoid being burned out. Lauren Holiday, who played basketball at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, echoed her teammates’ sentiments and was quick to encourage young athletes and parents not to restrict themselves.
Abby Wambach is the greatest header of a ball in women's soccer history, a fact she credits to … basketball?
The United States forward is gearing up for the last and most important game of her World Cup career, the one she hopes will plug the only remaining gap on her glowing resumè. Yet Wambach believes that the success of her time in soccer, the end of which feels that much closer as the team prepares to face Japan in Sunday's final, would not have been possible without her exploits on the hardwood in her youth.
"Playing basketball had a significant impact on the way I play the game of soccer," Wambach said. "I am a taller player in soccer, in basketball I was a power forward and I would go up and rebound the ball. So learning the timing of your jump, learning the trajectory of the ball coming off the rim, all those things play a massive role."
While specialization is a booming and concerning trend in youth sports, with athletes as young as 10 years old focusing solely on one discipline as competition for college scholarships and professional careers reaches extreme levels, the U.S. women's team can be seen as proof that such an approach is not the only route to success.
A quick survey of members of the squad found that collectively they played at least 14 different sports competitively while growing up, as well as soccer. And significantly, all believe the other disciplines enhanced rather than hindered their soccer careers.
Wambach lettered in basketball at Our Lady of Mercy High School in Rochester, N.Y., and could have played at the collegiate level. Midfielder Morgan Brian played basketball all four years of high school and says it is "the same game as soccer, in terms of vision." Forward Amy Rodriguez swam, played softball and ran track. Lauren Holiday also competed in track, played basketball and baseball and "would have played football if they had let me."
"Having that variety is an awesome thing and I would encourage any young athlete or parent not to restrict themselves," Holiday added. "Doing different things develops different parts of your body. It can help prevent injuries and definitely help prevent burnout."
Back-up central defender Whitney Engen might have been the busiest childhood athlete on the U.S. roster, describing her youth as a "whirlwind of athletic activity". Engen competed in gymnastics, tennis, baseball, softball, swimming, lifeguarding, volleyball and beach volleyball while growing up in the Los Angeles area and is not a subscriber to the Malcolm Gladwell theory ofOutliers.
"It is really unfortunate seeing how things are going with some kids these days," Engen said. "It is easy to fixate on those 10,000 hours but sport is such a subtle thing. You might not realize that what you're doing in volleyball is improving your spatial awareness and communication, but in reality maybe it is." Gladwell's book suggested that 10,000 hours of quality training in a specific discipline could, in most cases, turn anyone into an elite level athlete.
The trend of youngsters being pushed towards specialization shows no sign of slowing down. In February, Rivals.com published profiles of aspiring quarterbacks Daron Bryden and Tyson Thornton, describing Bryden as a pro-style QB and a "future Tom Brady." Bryden was then 12 and weighed a touch over 100 pounds.
Natural fears of burnout were raised, but stoutly defended by his parents.
"I understand the argument of people being one sport athletes at a young age, but for me and my personality I would get burned out as a young kid playing just one sport," said Wambach, who focused solely on soccer when she went to the University of Florida and quickly progressed into the national team ranks.
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Having the ability to play basketball for a bit throughout the year gave me the chance to crave soccer, to miss it." At age 35, that hunger is still there and maybe, just maybe, is about to finally be satisfied with the one prize she is missing.
Christie Rampone was born in 1975 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but grew up in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, where she attended Point Pleasant Borough High School. She was a four-sport athlete in soccer, field hockey, basketball and track, and was the first New Jersey female athlete to lead her conference in scoring in three different sports. In basketball, she totaled 2,190 points during her high school career. As a result, Rampone earned all-state honors in soccer, basketball and field hockey.
Rampone continued her multi-sport accomplishments at Monmouth University in New Jersey, excelling at soccer, basketball and lacrosse. She finished her 80-game college soccer career with 79 goals and 54 assists.
Rampone joined the U.S. women’s soccer team in 1997 and has become one of the most decorated players in history. She has played with the U.S. team in four World Cup finals (1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011) and four Olympics (2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012), helping the Americans to gold medals at the past three events. At the 2012 Olympics in London, Rampone captained the U.S. team to a 2-1 victory over Japan in the final, playing all 570 minutes in six matches. At age 39, Rampone is second on the all-time cap (appearances) list with 304 and remains captain of the U.S. team.