There are a variety of things that college coaches are looking for when evaluating recruits.

Being a multi-sport athlete is one of the things that college coaches take into consideration when evaluating prospective student athletes, because they recognize the variety of talents a recruit can obtain through different sports.

Joe Battaglia, an assistant coach at Bethany College (W.V.), understands that recruits who play more than one sport are inclined to be more athletic because of the various skills sets that are essential throughout each sport.

“Some sports require different skills,” Battaglia said. “As time goes by, the player develops a variety of abilities within a specific sport, which they then are able to use on a different playing field.”

Battaglia also mentioned that multi-sport athletes have to train different parts of the body depending on which season they’re in. In doing so, athletes can become more durable.

Having this durability allows the body to stay in shape and take more wear-and-tear throughout the season.

College coaches recognize that playing other sports can help develop an athlete mentally as well.

Battaglia believes that multi-sport athletes have a better attentiveness because of the different situations they’re engaged in, whether in practice or games.

“Playing different sports allows the athlete to be thrown in different situations,” Battaglia said. “They’re able to learn where they need to be and the importance of timing, for specific circumstances.”

Dabo Swinney, head coach of reigning national champion Clemson, concurs.

“I just think that the cross-training, the different types of coaching, the different types of locker rooms, the different environments that you practice in, the different challenges — I think it develops a much more competitive, well-rounded type person,” Swinney told the New York Times in December.

The other benefit that many coaches point to is that playing an additional sport allows athletes a chance to compete during football season, helping to develop a competitive drive that transfers well to football.

Whether refining a football recruit’s athleticism, sports IQ or zest for competition, there’s no shortage of things for college coaches to like about a multi-sport athlete.

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