It is not a secret that I love sports. My family and my colleagues know about my sports obsession. The reasons behind my passion for athletics, however, may surprise them.
Watching sporting events in person, as well as on TV, is exciting. I enjoy the crowd noises, the back-and-forth commentary of the announcers, and just the overall competitiveness involved. The real reason, however, for my love of the game is not the entertainment that it provides me as a spectator, but the numerous benefits sports has for the athletes themselves.
Value in Youth Sports
Here are 8 reasons why I believe Sports can play a key factor in a young person’s life:
- Physical Health & Fitness: Children receive regular physical activity when involved in sports. Kids can learn healthy habits of movement and exercise, beginning at a young age. With the various forms of technology for kids in today’s culture, it’s good to have them up and moving when we can.
- Discipline & Time Management: Children learn the importance of time management, commitment, and discipline when they are part of a team. The kids have to learn how to balance academics and sports practices. They also learn the importance of being on time when others are counting on you.
- Competition in a Healthy Way: Children in Youth Sports learn the value of Good Sportsmanship. They learn that it is okay to be competitive if you can win graciously and lose with dignity. They learn to be respectful of others. This is something that the parents could sometimes learn from the players.
- Leadership & Responsibility: Many various sports teams provide ways for athletes to become captains and/or mentors for their teammates. Learning how to take on leadership roles is something that will help many of these young athletes as they move on to college and adulthood.
- Cultural Diversity & Inclusion: Sports has a way of bringing players to a team from various backgrounds and cultures. Athletes learn to respect one another. Athletes, no matter the skill level, learn to value what each of them brings to the team as individuals.
- Goal-Setting & Achievement: Young athletes learn to set goals for themselves, both short term, and long term. Coaches help their student athletes evaluate their progress, and help them with action plans on how they can keep progressing.
- Confidence & Self-Esteem: When athletes experience successes, whether big or small, they will gain confidence in their abilities. Setbacks will provide opportunities to take on challenges and learn the importance of being resilient. Learning this skill will definitely have a positive impact in their adult lives after school is over and just a memory.
- Social Skills & Interaction: The benefit of Social Skills and interacting with peers is by far the best factor that I see for young athletes today. When children are part of a team, they learn to work together and build effective communication skills. Athletes learn to work together towards a common goal. Sports can build friendships that last well beyond the field or the court. Those friendships often carry on to the high school hallways and into adulthood.
Are Sports for Everyone?
I realize that there are children, and parents, out there that do not enjoy sports as a whole. They may hate the idea of sweating on a football field or posting up for a position on the basketball court.
While children may be hesitant to the idea of a sports team, I would encourage participation with peers in some type of social group. Something that would provide competitiveness, team building, and resiliency. Schools have many more options as far as clubs and different sports that are offered than they have had in the past or when I was growing up.
I was in a Professional Development session one day years ago as a new teacher. We were watching a video by Richard Lavoie, an education specialist with decades of experience working with children of all ages. Mr. Lavoie was talking about his time as a Principal in a high school. He said that he has had many parents in his offices concerned about their children. Of those parents that came to see him in tears, usually their main worry for their children was the lack of friendships their son or daughter had.
Parents and Bad Sportsmanship
I could go on indefinitely about the benefits sports can have for children, but I do acknowledge that there can be negatives as well.
In this blog post, I wanted to highlight the positives sports can have for children, however I think it’s important to note that parents who do not show good sportsmanship can bring a negative field to the court, the football field, baseball diamond, etc… Parents, and any other spectators, who participate in poor sportsmanship create an uneasiness at the event. Poor behavior towards coaches, refs, or athletes does not have a place in Youth Sports competitions.
Sports for the Win!
As I wrap up this blog post, please know that participation in Youth Sports has so many positive benefits, even beyond the 8 listed above. We have to be careful to not let the negatives impact the positives.
Goals for Today:
- Work on my new Children’s Chapter Book
- Create a ‘Vision’ Board on Canva
- Cheer on my daughter at her first Football Game of the Season!