Many a wise and caring coach has said, "I don't coach (name of sport), I coach children." Youth sports offer children a wide variety of physical benefits, but caring youth sports organizations understand the main purpose of youth sports is to teach life skills. Teaching children more than just the how of playing sports--and emphasizing the why of playing sports--is an important step in preparing the next generation of society's leaders for their future roles.
Goal Setting
Of course children want to win, but in order to do so, they'll need to chart a path to attain their goal. In addition to outcome goals (such as a division title, ranking or state record), performance goals are an important part of youth sports. Performance goals put kids on a direct, understandable path to achieving an outcome goal. For example, if a tennis player has an outcome goal of breaking an opponent's serve more often during matches, a performance goal might be to learn how to return serves deeper into the court, or to improve down-the-line returns. Setting goals allows children to see if their work is paying off, and helps increase satisfaction, pride and self-esteem when goals are achieved.
Discipline
Kids may not always want to run those extra laps, go outside on a chilly morning, hit those last 20 balls or pass on those slices of pizza. But if those actions are necessary to achieve a goal the child has set, they are more likely to get out of bed, dress warmly, stay on the court for that extra five minutes or eat healthier, because they want to achieve their goal. Doing work when you don't want to, practicing something that isn't necessarily fun or staying beyond the time you want to quit require discipline, and sports provide children the opportunity to learn and develop this discipline which will be carried on into life, in the workplace, military or at home.
Teamwork
Not all children have the same skills levels, and learning to slow your efforts down to help a fellow player, or take time to give a teammate some help, helps develop the teamwork so critical to success in relationships, the workplace, the military or on school projects. For example, a tennis player whose partner keeps missing volleys during a match must learn how to give positive reinforcement to her partner, rather than criticism, which could lead to more pressure and decreased performance.
Social Skills
Learning to win graciously, lose without excuses, watch teammates' matches after you're done with yours and to interact with teammates not in your normal social circle help develop people skills. Dealing with different personality types, such as gossips, bullies, mediators and Type A persons, will prepare a child for those same people in later life. Success in sports also helps promote self-esteem and self-confidence. According to the Women's Sports Foundation, teenage girls who participate in sports are less likely to get pregnant out of wedlock.
Physical Fitness
Of course, in addition to all of the social and psychological benefits of youth sports, physical fitness is a key benefit. Physical activity decreases obesity and youth diabetes, improves cardiovascular health, improves development of joints and bones in growing children and increases flexibility and balance.
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