These are the days of specialization in athletics. Gone are the days when most athletes play more than one sport. They abandon every sport except the one that is going to get them a college scholarship. They don't want to take a chance on an injury ruining their future.

But there still are athletes who are bold enough to play more than one sport.

One of them is Scottsdale Saguaro's D.J. Foster, who was a multi-purpose player for the school's Class 4A Division I state championship team. He took the floor with the Sabercats' basketball team on Tuesday night (Feb. 8).

At first, he doesn't appear as if he is capable of being a factor, but all of that changes once he gets warmed up. He is not tall (about 5-feet-10 or 5-11), but he has a lightning quick first step and is very quick on defense. It is easy to understand why college football programs are lining up at his door.

Foster is only a junior, so it remains to be seen if he plays both sports next year. But he is a pleasure to watch. It's too bad that more players don't play more than one sport, the way they did in the old days. Wistful thinking, to be sure, but it certainly would make strong competition in basketball and other sports even stronger.