There’s nothing worse than raising a kid who sits in the house and does nothing when they become a teen. On the other hand, there’s nothing worse than being a teen who sits at home and does nothing. The easiest way to avoid this problem of doing nothing is introducing kids to a variety of sports at a young age.
Sports keep kids active and give them something to do. Sports, specifically at a young age, help kids develop social skills such as collaboration, sacrifice, and selflessness. Sports also help kids learn the art of discipline, perseverance, and identity.
In a team sport, you have to learn how to make decisions under pressure to help your team move in the right direction. Being on a team teaches you that your decisions don’t just affect you, but affect others just as much, or even more. You learn whether you are the leader, the team player, or the supportive player with hidden value.
In sports played individually, you learn how to control your emotions for your benefit. You learn how to focus on your performance rather than your opponent; however, you also need to know when comparison is needed, when it isn’t, and when it’s necessary for your success; You act according to what is best for you — nothing more, nothing less.
When kids are introduced to sports — team and individual – they should, whenever possible, become familiar with a variety of sports. Introducing young athletes to both team and individual sports as well as a variety of sports, helps them establish key aspects of their personal development and values. For example, is scoring a point for their personal benefit worth denying someone else of an opportunity to score? Or should they make sacrifices and pass for the success of both parties, even with the possibility of being recognized on the same scale, they would scoring on their own?
As kids grow, they will learn quickly or over time what sport they like, or whether they like sports at all. When they’ve established this, parents and families can either push them forward in the sport, or allow them to pursue other interests, such as music, art, writing, or other subjects that they have been introduced to, just as they were with sports.
You may ask, “What’s the point in putting them in sports if they don’t end up liking them?” One of the pros is that an introduction to sports provides them with knowledge of a topic millions will talk about in the future and another is that they have been shown how to try new things and deal with feeling uncomfortable at times.
According to the University of Missouri Health Care, participating in sports in early years could push adolescents to do better academically, teach teamwork and problem solving skills, maintain and build physical health, boost self-esteem, and reduce pressure and stress; Not to mention, they help kids get more experience and improve at a sport they might pursue a career in. MU Health Cares Adolescent Medicine Team encourages participation in sports as an adolescent because “Physical exercise is good for the mind, body and spirit. Team sports help teach adolescents accountability, dedication, leadership and other skills.”
NBA star Stephen Curry is a good example of someone who benefited from being introduced to multiple sports early. Curry played basketball all through middle and high school. Early exposure to multiple sports helped him realize and develop a passion for specifically basketball. As an athlete, having more experience than your teammates and opponents helps you to push beyond the average level.
Everything learned in sports: discipline, work ethic under pressure, sacrifice, and selflessness. They learn how to continue after reaching a goal, perseverance, focus, collaboration, social responsibility. Thousands of other practices and traits learned in sports can be applied to life in the social, mental, emotional, and economic aspects of everyday life and career paths.
So if you ask me, “Is putting kids in sports really worth it?” My answer is a strong “Yes!”
