Participating in team sports is a good idea for your child. The mental and physical benefits will last much longer than a particular game or season. Team sports promote socialization, teamwork and good sportsmanship. Furthermore, it encourages physical activity and goal-oriented thinking. Losses are a part of sports and can cause temporary dejection, but the long-term benefits of sports far outweigh any short-term costs.
Social Advantages
Kids will automatically join a team with a common goal of beating an opponent, so that leads to a sense of camaraderie. The children learn that teamwork and chemistry make all of the players better, which sets a good example for later in life. Friendships will often blossom centered around the common interest in sports. If a player does something positive in a game it will boost her self-esteem. Players will generally shout encouragement, also promoting the team atmosphere.
Physical Advantages
Children involved in sports are more physically fit than their sedentary counterparts. Setting a good example early on will benefit a child well into their adult lives. Sports are not perceived negatively by children, so it is an early way to promote physical exertion without any negative connotations attached. Much of the time, kids are having so much fun that they forget they are even exercising. If a child sticks with sports as he gets older, coaches will want their players in peak physical condition to garner optimal results.
Different Leagues
It doesn't matter how naturally athletic a child is when playing sports. There are various leagues with different levels of competitiveness. The more important parts are the physical and social rewards, not the need to win over everything else. Exaggerated emphasis on winning at all costs can negatively alter a child's natural personality. Young children should not have to worry about the pressure of winning.
Effects of Sports
According to two studies written about in "The New York Times," team sports result in lifelong improvements to health, educational and work prospects. Girls that participate in sports had a 7 percent lower risk of obesity 20 to 25 years down the road, according to Robert Kaestner, an economics professor at the University of Chicago. Since the implementation of Title IX--an amendment that outlawed sexual discrimination--there has been a 20 percent increase in women's education and a 40 percent rise in employment for women ages 25 to 34 years old, according to research done by Dr. Betsey Stevenson, an economist at the University of Pennsylvania. The professors interviewed believed the positive correlation between work, health and education with sports has the same impact on boys.
Role of Mom and Dad
Team sports are designed to be a positive experience. Overbearing parents can suck the fun out of the game for many kids. Everyone wants to win, and a child will already be hard on herself if a mistake is made; there is no need to compound the problem by publicly berating her. A quiet conversation hours after the game is the best way to approach the situation, as both parties will be calm and willing to discuss the matter rationally.
