Soccer, Baseball or Karate? Top 10 Reasons to Involve Your Kids in Sports

Before I had children, I remember a stay-at-home-mom friend commenting to me that her full-time job began each day at 3:30pm when school let out and she began shuttling her tween-age children from sport to sport. At the time, her driving habits sounded crazy to me, but now, as a mom of two elementary school-aged daughters, I am finally starting to “get” her. Why are so many parents willing to dedicate multiple hours each day to their children’s involvement in sports? Here are ten of the best reasons for being a sports chauffer:

1. Long-Term Health Benefits

It’s all over the news and everywhere you look: there is an obesity epidemic amongst America’s children. Rates of overweight children with risk factors for “adult” diseases like Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure are skyrocketing. Regular involvement in sports and physical activity is one of the best ways to fight obesity and protect a generation of young people.

2. Activity for Activity’s Sake

What time of day does the majority of youth-crime occur? Most people assume it is under the cover of darkness, but in reality, young people find themselves in the most trouble between the hours of 3-6pm. Participating in sports and being accountable to a group provides young people with constructive, trouble-busting structure and has been shown to reduce criminal mischief, including drug use, among kids.

3. Social Networking (Minus the YouTube account)

Speaking of being accountable to a group, sports often provide a ready-made social network for kids. For a child who has difficulty finding his niche in school, a team sport may offer the camaraderie and support that he is lacking elsewhere. Even for kids who have no trouble fitting in, involvement in sports offers connections with peers who are focused on constructive goals.

4. Encouraging Sportsmanship

Winning and losing is part of any sport. Kids who take part in sports learn the delicate arts of winning graciously and losing well. Being able to shake hands with the competition, no matter what the outcome of an event, serves children well into their adult lives.

5. Understanding the Nature of Commitment

Whether for an hour a week, or three hours a day, most sports require a commitment from kids to attend regular practices, team meetings, and games. When kids dedicate their time, energy, and finances to a sport that they like, they learn important lessons about commitment.

6. Building Self Esteem

Children develop positive self-esteem through accomplishments. Sports give kids opportunities to learn, achieve, and feel good about themselves through skill development and goal-oriented activities. When parents and coaches emphasize effort and improvement over winning or individual performances, they foster healthy self-image and positive self-esteem.

7. (Academic) Performance Enhancing

According to researchers at Michigan State University’s Institute for the Study of Youth Sports, young people who play sports perform better in school than those who don’t. Rather than serve as a distraction, participation in sports teaches kids to focus their minds on a task at hand and to manage their time effectively, as they juggle school, sports, and a social life.

8. There is No "I" in Teamwork

Children learn all sorts of valuable social lessons through sports. For younger players, sharing the ball, listening to teammates, and following group rules are fundamentals of good play. Being part of a group and learning to accept coaching (particularly the constructive kind) is one of the most valuable benefits of sports for older kids.

9. Perseverance & Persistence

On my daughter’s first day of karate, she learned the term, “non-quitting spirit.” Six years later, she still uses this term to talk herself through a challenging homework assignment and to encourage her little sister not to give up on learning to tell time. Children who participate in sports face disappointments, defeats and injuries. Those who learn to take setbacks in stride and dust themselves off for the next round benefit from life lessons in perseverance and persistence.

Sport and Competition Essential Reads

What Being an Elite Athlete Taught Me About Life

Why Character Matters in Sports

10. Working Towards a Goal

Winning a championship, scoring a perfect 10, earning a black belt; sports often feature an “ultimate goal” for kids. Before any milestone can be reached, however, kids have to learn specific skills and master fundamental techniques. Involvement in sports provides children with experience in breaking long-term goals into short-term objectives. Commitment and perseverance are honed as young people cast aside the instant gratification of their earliest years and work toward goals that are only achieved through long hours and hard work.

Signe Whitson, LSW is the mother of two daughters and author of How to Be Angry: An Assertive Anger Expression Group Guide for Kids and Teens. For workshop inquiries, please visit www.signewhitson.com, "Like" Signe on Facebook, or Follow her on Twitter @SigneWhitson.