NHLer Copp: Embrace Social And Mental Health Benefits Of Multi-Sport Lifestyle

As an NHL player with nearly 700 games on his resume, Detroit Red Wings center Andrew Copp is already beating the odds. Less than 1% of all youth sports players will live the dream of playing their sport professionally.

What’s interesting in Copp’s case is that he was offered the opportunity to take divergent paths. As a star high school football quarterback in Michigan, he was pursued by NCAA Division I schools dangling both football and hockey scholarships.

He chose the hockey route and has no regrets. In fact, Copp believes the fact he resisted the pressures from coaches to specialize and stayed on the multi-sport journey has much to do with his ultimate athletic success.

“I think if you choose what sport you’re playing at eight or nine or 10 years old, then you’re kind of setting yourself up to fail a little bit,” Copp said. “I had a soccer coach tell me if I wanted to be on the team I had to quit hockey and baseball. I was 10 years old and I was like ‘I’m probably not gonna do that.’ 

“I think it’s really important to play every sport. You’re using different muscle groups. It’s hand-eye coordination with baseball for example, how fast the play can move in football, reading plays. It's even playing tennis, soccer and baseball all while growing up.”

More than just the different sporting experiences he gained from his multi-sport choice that made him a better athlete, Copp also believes that the different social and cultural opportunities it afforded him was helping him to grow to be a better person. 

“I think it’s obviously important for your physical attributes but I think at the same time mentally, there’s the benefit of being around different people,” Copp said. “If you’re just around the same 20 hockey guys every single day of growing up you’re gonna turn into someone who thinks they live in a hockey locker room at all times. 

“Playing football was really important for me. I got to be with people who maybe have different backgrounds than me. Being captain of that team made me understand what makes people tick a little bit more than just the normal hockey crew. 

“I think that’s just as important as the physical side of the sport or just the mental burnout side.”