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ListenWhat do youth sports teach our children, really?
There are a lot of great points to youth sports that extend far beyond the playful hitting and yelling. It is the life skills that they learn and will take with them forever.
It’s the beginning of the school year and in my family that means the beginning of football season. My oldest son participates in the Rocket football league which in our town means you’re between 8- and 12-years-old. There has been a lot of controversy about whether or not young children should begin to play football. As a mother it is hard to watch your child be under a pile of other players, wondering if they are going to get up, and listening to coaches yelling at them. But, there are also a lot of great points to football and it goes far beyond the hitting and yelling. These boys are learning life skills that they can use the rest of their lives.
According to Michigan State University Extension these are the top life skills children learn while participating in a sport:
Social skills
The social aspect of sports might be what entices children to play in the
first place. Youth sports participation enables children to spend time with
friends in a safe environment and obtain social skills that are likely to
last a lifetime. Aside from bonding with peers, youth learn to solve
conflicts effectively, reach common goals and learn to be more assertive,
all while getting physical fitness. A child’s communication skills also are
enhanced after playing a sport, giving a child needed life skills.
Competitive skills
Although there is such a thing as being too competitive, it’s important for
a child to understand the positive aspects of competition. Adults are
surrounded by competition, from getting a job to moving up in the work
force, and when children learn the basics of competition early, they have a
better chance of succeeding. Sports participation helps children cope with
competition in a friendly environment. Working to achieve a goal or being
part of a team will help youth gain healthy competitive skills that they can
use for the rest of their lives.
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanlike behavior is a lesson that children obtain from playing sports.
Children learn to positively handle both the winning and losing aspect of
playing a sport, and good sportsmanship is a trait that carries over from
childhood to adulthood. Athletes who focus on mastering personal improvement
have a good chance on later becoming good citizens and hard workers. Good
sports tend to better cooperate with others and make moral decisions instead
of being ego-oriented individuals who behave badly, according to Education
World, an online resource for educators .
Leadership abilities
Achieving leadership skills is a life lesson learned when children
participate in sports. Obtaining leadership qualities that range from being
a good character, to respecting others, to being task oriented can be
accomplished in both team and individual sports. A solid support system,
such as a strong parental involvement and effective coaching can help mold a
child into being a leader now, and later in life.
The coaching staff for my son’s team told them in the huddle that giving 100 percent on the field will only help them to give 100 percent in whatever else they do in life. Do these boys understand that concept at this young age? Maybe not, but having the discipline to play as a team day after day and to give all they can to their team will certainly pay off for them in the long run as adults.
Michigan State University Extension.
September 2014
