Negatives Of Competitive Sports

The latest 2008 data from the National Council of Youth Sports estimates that 66 percent of boys and 34 percent of girls participate in organized youth sports. While competitive, organized sports are often seen as a positive way for your child to spend his time, some of the pressures of sports could become a negative impact on kids in general. If you plan on placing your child in competitive sports, talk to him about injury prevention, being over-competitive and dealing with pressure in sports.

Sports and Pressure

When a competitive sport has a prominent focus on winning, even in children's sports, what was meant to be a leisure activity becomes wrought with pressure and anxiety for children not well-equipped to deal with both winning and losing. Competitive sports place a high priority on winning and being the best, but another team or individual has to lose for that to happen. Explaining to your child about the importance of playing as a team and increasing skills versus the importance of winning helps give her realistic expectations for performance.

Other Areas of Life

The obsession with winning potentially spills over into other areas of your child's life. In some areas, such as the desire to improve oneself, that new found interest is a benefit. Unfortunately, if your child develops a win-at-all-costs attitude toward other areas of his life, the attitude he takes toward competitive sports could lead to problems such as cheating, changing rules, not playing well with others, and become devastated when he isn't successful. Teaching your child about fair play and the proper way to lose is an important facet of competitive sports participation.

Exclusivity

Some competitive sports require your child to try out among other children her age, who are not necessarily at the same skill level as she. If your child wants to play for an elite team through school or community programs and a tryout is required to make the team, her self-esteem could be affected if it is attached to her ability to play for such a team. Playing for open enrollment teams or playing individual sports are potentially a better fit until your child matures and improves in the sport.

Sports Injuries

Your child's body is still growing and developing, which makes competitive sports injuries a concern. While your child could become injured in noncompetitive activities, the pressure to win and the intensity of game play during competition often results in more serious injuries to your child's muscles, ligaments and joints. When certain injuries are severe, they may result in long-term and even permanent damage. Proper rules regarding contact, stretching and cooling down along with proper coaching helps reduce sports-related injuries.