Playing multiple sports, whether it is youth leagues or as a collegiate athlete, has been proven to be sound formula for athletic success. Working the same muscle groups over and over again, performing the same repetitive motion, and engaging in the same activity is not necessarily a bad thing. However, cross training your body by swimming, biking, playing basketball, playing soccer, playing baseball, playing hockey is an outstanding way to become a much better overall athlete – physically, strategically, mentally. And, you get to experience a new game, a new format, and maybe find a sport or discipline that fits you at a high level.
Admittedly, baseball has always been my favorite sport. I never played HS basketball or football or soccer, but did participate in those sports recreation wise. Same with swimming, biking, weight lifting, etc. Here is an 8Unassisted cartoon depicting some of my multisport achievements from the past 51 years of participating in sports. And following, a multisport recap of my athletic career.
Ok, starting from the top left: I dunked a basketball, like 3 or 4 times in my lifetime. I could dunk a tennis ball by my sophomore year in HS. I could dunk a volleyball by my junior year in HS. I tried for years to dunk a basketball, but failed. Then, for my internship project post Springfield College, I designed a fitness program for HS kids to get stronger on their vertical leap. And administered it to myself, and it worked. Circa 1994, I dunked a basketball at the North Suburban YMCA in Woburn, MA. No witnesses were available to corroborate this story but I will tell you honestly, it was one of the coolest moments of my athletic career.
Top right: Pre-high school, I ran cross country for Wickford Middle School. I used to run in the woods behind my Mom’s house all the way out to Belleville Pond and back. I ran some 10K’s and even a half marathon in the 1990’s. My running prowess was at its best at Springfield College. They had an indoor track that was like a 1/10th of a mile around. You could fly around there and achieve some really fast times. One night, I ran a mile in 6 minutes and change. That was the fastest mile I ever ran. Years later, in a 5K run in Boston, it took me nearly 30 minutes to run 3 miles. Ouch.
2nd photo down, left: I loved swimming growing up here in North Kingstown. I swam at the NK Town Beach and have body surfed the waves of Narragansett from pre-teen to my 50s. One race that is close to my family’s history is the Save The Bay swim. My father did the swim 5 times, my brother did it a few times in HS and almost won it one year. Back in 2009, I entered and completed the near 2 mile swim across Narragansett Bay, with the Newport Bridge to my left and Jamestown straight ahead. I loved the feeling so much, I did it again in 2010.
A few years back, I biked all over the state of Rhode Island documenting baseball fields. Not all on the same day, it took me about 2 weeks to finish the project. Way back in the day, as depicted in the photo 2 down on the right, I competed in a number of triathlons. Swim a distance, get out of the water, find your bike, hop on, bike for a bit, hop off, get your running shoes on, run for a bit to the finish line. My favorite distance was the Olympic distance. My favorite race was in Lake Dunmore, Vermont.
3rd photo down on left: Growing up, I wanted to be either a professional baseball player or a doctor. As a grown up, I want to be either a professional baseball player or a doctor, so things haven’t changed much. I was lucky enough to play recreation, middle school, high school, some college, and some amateur baseball. I played with and against future or past Major Leaguers who fulfilled their dreams of becoming a professional baseball player. My path ended more often than not in injury, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
3rd photo down, right: I was in the gym business for nearly 20 years – buying and selling equipment, managing health clubs, personal training, exercise physiology. With all the time spent in the gym, I was never a gym rat. I have always lacked weight lifting strength. I am much better athletically with a game or practice than with squats, lunges, and bench press. When I first moved to Virginia in 1996, I got a job at a health club and actually did work out with weights. And I was able to bench press my body weight, which was 225 at the time. Nowadays, I could probably leg press my current weight, but no way no how could I bench press 2_5.
Bottom left corner: I mentioned swimming and surfing earlier when I referenced the Save The Bay accomplishment. My dad had a California longboard from his days in the Navy at the house. My brother and I used to take it over to Silver Springs Pond and practice surfing on the pond. We were really good at it. However, that skill set did not translate on actual waves. We tried and tried to surf with that longboard but were mostly unsuccessful. Luckily, we never had a bump on the head from the surfboard after falling hilariously off it!
Bottom right corner: At the risk of incriminating myself and others, I can only state that Jamestown’s Fort Wetherill has some really awesome cliffs for jumping. From roughly age 14 to more recent times, the cliffs have been a really cool spot to visit and potentially jump off into the awaiting waters below. Friends and family have also potentially jumped off, much to their delight. A summer tradition in Rhode Island, the cliffs of Fort Wetherill will always have a special place in my athletic and adventurous self.
Happy to say, at 51 years young, I can still throw, catch, and hit a baseball. I can still run a bit, so long as there is a decent interval of walking mixed in. I bike a lot, that is the activity I am most active with. I swim in the warmer months and still love to body surf. My weight training program is more reps than weight these days. And this summer, I will be back at Fort Wetherill for another jump, potentially. The key to being physically active as you age is know your body. And rest and water and ice!!!
The Rhiter 
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