This fact has ensured that Whiting has had an extremely busy first year of college. The moment one sport ended, he began practicing for another. And even this schedule sounds reasonable when compared to the two-week period this spring when the track and baseball seasons overlapped. Yet, even though things got rough at times, Whiting can't imagine not doing what he has done since he was a young child.
Growing up in Orange County, California meant there were plenty of opportunities to get outside and play. Whiting played baseball, hockey, soccer, football and ran track during various times in his youth. In high school he concentrated on football, baseball and jumping for the track team, which are the three sports he participates in for Amherst. While he had played baseball from the time he was very young, Whiting picked up track and football later. He discovered in seventh grade that he was good at the triple jump and didn't begin playing organized football until he tried out for the team the summer before his first year in high school. Almost by accident, Whiting became a three-sport athlete in high school.
Playing three sports in high school was made both easier and more difficult by the fact that the baseball and track seasons were both in the spring. On one hand, this gave him a three-month break over the winter, but on the other it meant juggling meets with games and rushing from one practice to another. For the most part, he avoided conflicts between the two but said "a few times, I had to play a baseball game and then run, change on the track and jump in the meet."
Despite the challenges, Whiting knew that he wanted to continue playing multiple sports in college, so he turned down offers to play football at several Ivy League schools and came to Amherst. "I didn't want to give up either baseball or football when I came to college, and one of the things I liked about Amherst was that the coaches encouraged multiple-sport athletes," he said.
Whiting didn't realize that he could keep up his three-sport load until he visited Amherst and discovered indoor track. Although running indoors is unnecessary in Southern California, Whiting quickly adjusted to the change. In his first season, he did both the triple and long jumps and was part of the 4x200m relay team that set the Amherst record in the event. Of course, he is the first to point out that getting his name into the Amherst record books was helped along by fortunate timing. "The funny thing," Whiting explained, "is that we set the school record in the 4x200 because there was no school record before. It was one of those events that we just hadn't entered before."
Looking back at his year, Whiting has no regrets and says he plans on playing all three seasons again next year. He does, however, admit that it became difficult at times. "This spring it was somewhat difficult because there was an overlap between track and baseball. During that time I said, 'I don't have to do this to myself,' but giving up either of them would have made me sad. I love doing all the things that I can." In the end he couldn't give up one sport even if he tried.
"Playing is what makes me who I am. I can't imagine myself not doing a sport in college. If I weren't doing a sport and I could, I would feel uneasy. I think it's been really fulfilling and a great year," he said. Besides, as Whiting told his concerned advisor, "It's not a chore to go out to practice. I think it's really fun doing something that a lot of people don't do."