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First, I'd love to see more football players playing other sports. I think that if that happened, Highlands would dominate the 9th region in most sports. As a Highlands fan, I'd love to see it. However, I don't want or expect kids to play sports to satisfy me, what I'd love to see, or my pride in Highlands. I just want kids to play the sport or sports they want to.

Second, you are so wrong about Dale not encouraging kids to play other sports. My son recently graduated from Highlands and played football. I know for a fact he was encouraged by Dale to participate in track and did indeed participate. I have a nephew on this year's team who played baseball last year for Highlands. He's given it up this year to concentrate on football. I know for a fact that Dale met with a bunch of players and encouraged them to play baseball. Some chose to do so; my nephew choose not to. I truly wish this myth of Dale not encouraging football players to play baseball and other sports would go away. I don't know about the parental pressure, one way or the other. I do know what I told my nephew: you have to decide what you want and enjoy. If you really want to start for Highlands varsity this coming year, the odds of that happening are greater if you concentrate on football this spring. If you really enjoy playing baseball, then you should play baseball and let the chips fall where they may concerning football.

Heck, Jeremy is having a youth baseball clinic this spring. Guess who is the featured speaker? Dale.

Glad to see Dale is encouraging other sports. I still think the kids feel pressure to be at all spring practices if they are going to start, and with many kids, that is not the case. Many of the players would still be starters even if they played baseball or ran track. It is just a shame with all the fast runners and strong kids who could make alot of noise in field events, that Highlands can not put more than 6 kids on the track team. I know Dale's daughter was a runner, and the family still follows Cross Country, so it is good to hear he encourages kids to run. But, how much does he encourage, and would he rather the kids run and play baseball, or show up for spring football? I like Dale and what he is doing for the school, it just gets frustrating some times that a school like Highlands can not dominate in other sports too. Thanks for you answers!