Kids seem naturally drawn to team sports! Just try putting a bunch of kids in an empty yard with nothing to play with but an old rubber ball, and the next thing you know they will have divided into teams, invented some basic rules of play, and will be happily engaged in their new pastime!
Most schools offer team sports programs like kids basketball for the students to join and begin a lifetime of fun and fitness. As it turns out, not only is this fun for the kids, but it’s also good for them! The positive experiences that team sports and being involved in a physically active lifestyle bring will play a very important role in their lives.
Well-structured, organized youth sports programs provide a large number of benefits for children and adolescents. Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways playing team sports can be a great thing for kids!
Playing sports teaches kids how to use teamwork and lets them practice problem-solving skills while working together toward a common goal with a team of friends and their coaches. These are skills they will be able to use for the rest of their lives in adult business and social situations.
Playing team sports can also teach kids fiscal responsibility by doing things like saving up their allowance for a new pair of sports shoes or other equipment. While parents should make sure that their kids have proper gear from the start for safety’s sake, a child being able to buy their new ball is something they can feel proud of, a skill that will serve them well in adult life.
Kids who play team sports achieve better results academically. There is a myth that the time and energy required to play a sport distracts kids from doing their schoolwork, but it turns out that the opposite is true! Playing a team sport means that the kids are practicing repetition, setting goals, using memorization, and learning new skills, all of which are directly relevant to their classroom learning experience.
There are many physical health benefits for kids who play team sports, it helps them achieve fitness goals such as weight loss in a fun and engaging way. Team sports are great for the cardiovascular system and help prevent future ailments like hypertension and heart disease that sedentary children too often face in adulthood.
Playing team sports is an important tool for boosting self-esteem. Kids can see their hard work at practice paying off as their skills improve and they achieve their sports goals, a highly rewarding and confidence-boosting experience.
The Australian Government’s Australian Sports Commission is dedicated to promoting youth participation in team sports and other athletic pursuits because they recognize the many benefits they offer to both the individual and to society at large!
Playing team sports as a child will create treasured memories and life-enhancing experiences that your kids will carry with them into adulthood, so be sure to encourage their participation- when you are sitting in the stands cheering them on while they play you will all be having the best times of your lives!
