According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, children need 60 minutes of exercise each day. Children who join sports teams exercise while improving their physical, psychological and social well-being. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reports that behavior learned in childhood influences future adult behavior---youth involvement in sports instills healthy habits and behaviors in children.
Good Social Skills
Playing on a team teaches children how to work with and get along with peers and how to have positive interactions with coaches and other adults. A meaningful and influential relationship with a coach encourages children to seek out other beneficial mentorships throughout their life. Sports provide the opportunity to build new friendships and learn how to manage oneself in a social and group environment.
High Self Esteem and Positive Behaviors
According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, girls involved in sports exhibit higher self esteem and self confidence than inactive peers. Additionally, girls who are involved in sports have a more positive body image. According to Education, an online resource for parents and teachers, sports instill the "3 Ps" in children: practice, patience and persistence. While they may be learned during sports, the gains will carry into other aspects of a child's life, such as school work, relationships and self esteem. Research from the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State University demonstrates that children who participate in sports do better in school and are less likely to smoke, do drugs or abuse alcohol.
Healthy Body and Mind
According to the American Heart Association, overweight children are more likely to be overweight in adulthood. Sports promote an active lifestyle and help children achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Physically fit children are less likely to get diabetes and joint pain than children who are overweight or who do not exercise. Regular exercise reduces feelings of stress and anxiety while boosting hormones that improve mood--serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.
Conflict Resolution
Playing sports helps children learn conflict resolution. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reports that sporting events provide the opportunity to teach children how to handle disappointment, competition, frustration and anger in a respectful manner. Modeling positive behaviors that are taught by coaches, parents and sporting officials encourages children to use the same tools to solve conflict in other areas of their lives.
Goal Setting
All sports teams train and practice for particular goals. For example, basketball teams practice layups, free throw shots and dribbling drills. All of these are done with the intention of improving before a game. The team's goal is to win the game or get better at the sport. Sports demonstrate the importance of setting goals and working towards them. Goal setting skills will help children work towards other achievements in their lives.
