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Kids Benefit From Team Sports
Kids Benefit From Team Sports
By: Cynthia Wolfe Boynton, drkoop.com Health Correspondent
For many 5- to 12-year-olds, winning isn't everything. In fact, it's almost nothing.
Give kids this age the choice of playing a lot for a losing team, or sitting the bench with a winning one, and most will choose to be with the losers, national surveys say. That's because when it comes to sports, kids just want to have fun.
More than 20 million children sign up each year to play soccer, baseball, football, hockey, basketball and other competitive sports. Yet, the benefits they receive from playing on teams go way beyond having fun.
According to the experts, organized sports offer young people exercise, enhanced self-esteem and increased confidence. They teach self-discipline, teamwork, leadership and cooperation, as well as how to share, handle stress and take on competition.
"There's really nothing negative you can say about getting kids involved in sports," said Dr. Mike Simon, sport psychology consultant for St. John's University in Queens, N.Y.
Despite these winning points, statistics say most young people don't stay involved in the game. More than 70 percent of children involved in team sports quit by age 13 and never return.
"Ask these kids why, and the No. 1 reason is it stopped being fun," said Fred Engh, founder and president of the nonprofit, Florida-based National Alliance for Youth Sports. "It's no fun for kids to be pushed or told they're no good. Parents, coaches and all adults involved need to remember that for young kids, sports is a game. And games are supposed to be fun. You play to have a good time."
So how do parents encourage their children to not just get involved, but to stay involved?
The first step, says Simon, is for parents to be sure they have the proper perspective. "Little league is not major league baseball," he said. "A winning recreational football season won't take your son to the Super Bowl, or make up for whatever losses you suffered as a youngster."
The next step is to carefully match your child with the right sport. To do this, talk with your child -- and really listen to what he or she has to say.
- What sport does she want to play?
- What does he hope playing will accomplish? Improve skills or learn new ones?
- Does she want to make new friends, or be with old ones?
- Does he want to play on a team, or try an individual activity, such as swimming, martial arts or gymnastics?
"Kids need to choose what they want to play, and not what their parents want them to play," Simon added. "Parents can point out the pros and cons of different sports, but the final decision needs to be the child's."
Age, however, also must be considered in the process.
Children 5 to 7, for example, aren't physically or psychologically able to take directions, play and concentrate at the same time. They need to get involved in sports that help develop hand-eye coordination, agility, strength and coordination, plus are a lot fun. Engh recommends trying tee-ball, soccer, gymnastics, swimming, cycling, skating or any other non-contact sport.
Since most 8- to 10-year-olds are mature enough to understand the concept of teamwork and the rules of contact sports, good choices include basketball, baseball and wrestling. Although hockey and football are also options, many kids this age aren't mentally or physically ready for rough, collision sports.
"Let the child be the guide. Some are ready to tackle long before they turn 10," Simon said. "But also remember that just because your child turns a qualifying age doesn't mean he or she is ready for organized sports."
Choosing the best sports program is the next essential step. But while location and cost are important, they shouldn't be the deciding factors. Safety should be parents' top concern.
Children's developing bodies are easily injured, especially during rapid growth spurts, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. And puberty (between ages 11 and 13 for girls; 12 and 16 for boys) can be an extremely vulnerable time. So before enrolling your child in any sport, you and your child should know the risks involved. Also ask the following questions:
- Is there plenty of appropriately sized equipment?
- Are helmets available for ball sports?
- Are coaches trained in CPR and first aid?
Request to see the program's safety record, and whether policies are in place to deal with medical emergencies. Practice and game facilities should be physically safe and sound, with plenty of fresh water available for players.
The coach's attitude, style and experience are also important to consider. Since many sports rely on volunteers, it may be difficult to talk with the coach before registration. But try. Or talk with other parents about his manner.
"One good question to ask is this: Is he interested in winning, or is he interested in playing the game? Think of the child's mental well-being along with his physical health," Engh said. "And never forget the fun factor. It's what makes a winning season."
Cynthia Wolfe Boynton, a mother of two young sons, is a Connecticut-based writer and editor.
http://www.drkoop.com/family/childrens/features/team_sports.html
Cynthia Wolfe Boynton, drkoop.com Health Correspondent
http://www.drkoop.com/family/childrens/features/team_sports.html
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