| The Amazing Benefits of Sports
for Kids |
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Spring is coming, and nowhere
is it more welcome than those areas that have
been pounded by snow and frigid weather. Chilly
temperatures are finally subsiding, making way
for many warm and carefree days ahead. The time
is coming when our children will be leaving the
TV, the X-Box and Gamecubes behind for busy playgrounds
and ball fields. Instead of chips and cookies,
they’ll be reaching for basketballs, footballs,
rollerblades and bicycles.
Many parents may be wondering just how much structure
to give to the carefree days of children’s
summer activities. While numerous studies have
shown that too much structured activity is not
good for young children, that doesn’t mean
a little planning can’t be beneficial.
What better way is there to keep your kids out
of the house and away from television and computer
games than enrolling them in organized group activities
– particularly sports? It has been estimated
that 22 million children and youth, ages 6 to
18, are involved in organized sports outside of
school (Poinsett, 1996).
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Research indicates that participation
in sports can promote healthy development in young children.
Being active in youth sports can help build a foundation
for cooperative play, teamwork, and good sportsmanship
while helping to refine gross motor skills in children’s
rapidly developing bodies.According to an article published
by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
(AACAP), “sports help children develop physical
skills, get exercise, make friends, have fun, learn
to play as a member of a team, learn to play fair, and
improve self-esteem.”
Studies have also examined how sports contribute to
the development of social competence—the ability
to get along with and be accepted by peers, family members,
teachers, and coaches; and, self-esteem—the extent
to which an individual believes him/herself to be capable,
significant, successful, and worthy (Ewing, 1997).
According to the findings, children learn to assess
their social competence in sports through the feedback
received from parents and coaches (Ewing, 1997). Self-esteem,
however, is developed through the evaluation of one’s
own abilities as well as an assessment of the responses
received from others. Since our children watch our responses,
and those of their coaches, for signs of approval or
disproval of their behavior, it is critical that we
offer as much positive feedback as possible.
Fair Play
Learning how to play fair is perhaps the most important
lesson a child can glean from participating in youth
sports. “It is important to remember that the attitudes
and behavior taught to children in sports carry over
to adult life,” according to AACAP. “Parents
should take an active role in helping their child develop
good sportsmanship. To help your child get the most
out of sports, you need to be actively involved.”
This means:
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providing emotional support and positive feedback |
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attending some games and talking about them afterward |
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having realistic expectations for your child |
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learning about the sport and supporting your child's
involvement |
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helping your child talk with you about their experiences
with the coach and other team members |
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helping your child handle disappointments and
losing, and |
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modeling respectful spectator behavior |
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