Today, many student-athletes undertake the task of competing in dual sports in intercollegiate athletics. While these individuals should be commended for their hard work and dedication, I believe they should be counseled on several issues before they commit themselves. As a former student-athlete with a year of experience in this area, I would not recommend that a student-athlete compete in more than one sport for the following reasons.

The year that I played two sports, I had to take light class loads both semesters, which put me behind. There is no way that I could have graduated in four years if I had played two sports throughout. Many student-athletes have a hard enough time graduating in four years just playing one sport.

Second, I believe that dual-sport athletes place too much physical stress on their bodies. The amount of training that is required to compete at a high level causes injuries that begin to add up over the years. Considering the fact that many student-athletes have been training for most of their lives, this stress can take its toll by their junior and senior years. I know that by my senior year, there was not a day that went by that I didn't wake up aching somewhere or that I didn't have to take Advil to help me make it through practice. The only time I had to rest was during the off-season.

What hinders dual-sport athletes is that they do not have an off-season or time off to let their bodies heal. This may lead to injuries becoming more serious. Although I played two sports for only one year, I don't believe that my body could have taken the stress for four years.

Kim Jones, a member of the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, is a former softball and volleyball student-athlete at the Mississippi University for Women.