The Importance of Team Sports

We are a sports family. There is not a night that some sort of sports is not on the TV in our house. There is not a weekend when we are not driving to some sort of sporting event or place. Why do I tell you this? Even if I weren’t a member of a sports family—I would still sign my kids up for organized sports. My son has grown so much physically, socially, emotionally, etc. over the last three years because of his involvement in sports.

My son never ceases to amaze me and after another weekend of seeing my son in a new light on the soccer field, I decided to write about the benefits and importance of team sports. So here are the reasons I feel sports are so essential. Hopefully, other parents can realize how important it is to be involved.

Nothing frustrates me more than hearing parents say that they want their kids to just have fun. Sports are about competition and it is a skill that your child should learn. They face competition in every aspect of society. In the classroom, in the work force, at graduation, etc. competition is all around them. It is important that they know how to compete so they know how to react in life.

It wasn’t the six goals that my son made in this last weekend’s game that made me the most proud (although I was ecstatic about that). But I was most proud about the fact that when my son and a girl on the opposing team fell over each other going after the ball, my son stopped and asked her if she was all right before going on after the ball. I watched him show care and concern again later in the game when an opposing team player was hit in the head with the soccer ball. My son immediately ran to his aid to make sure he was ok.

In life, most likely you will work as part of a team, family, corporation, etc. It is an important skill to have to learn how to deal with differing abilities, personalities, etc. Participating in sports teaches kids how to do that. It also teaches them to look to others for help as well. Something as adults we often try not to do.

We all lose sometimes and being in sports is a great way to begin teaching these concepts of losing and winning. It is a way to show kids that it is important to get back up and keep going. It is a way to teach humility as well.

There isn’t a news station around that hasn’t done stories recently on the rising obesity numbers of children. With practices and games, kids stay active and it keeps them from living in front of the TV. Depending on the sport, it may also add balance, flexibility or make a child less clumsy.

The times of the dumb jock stereotype are days past. Sports today are about so much more than just be athletic. They is about strategy, plays, stretching the limits. I never stop loving to watch my son play soccer because I can see him thinking on the field. He is formulating, thinking ahead, problem solving-all skills he uses in the classroom and will eventually use in the workplace.

I love seeing my son giggle and on the practice field, he is constantly doing this. I think if it isn’t fun or if it is just torturous, it is not worth it. He has made some lifelong friends in sports. At the age of 30, I still have friends I made through sports. It teaches kids to interact socially without all the other normal pressures of making friends.

You can start kids playing sports very early. They have a wide variety of new programs available today that range in age level from babies on up. I encourage you if you have not signed your kids up for sports to at least give it a try. Studies show that kids who are involved in youth sports stay out of trouble during the teenage years. So give it a try!