Athletics are of extreme popularity in the United States of America and have provided so many lifelong benefits to people who have participated in them. This is why it is necessary for parents to consider these benefits when raising their children. By encouraging their children to get involved in sports at a young age, parents can make a huge impact on their child’s future. From scholarships to make college affordable, to a healthier lifestyle, every child can benefit from participating in sports.
Athletics are one of the most value yet underrated aspects in a young person’s life. Not only do athletes learn the importance of responsibility and dependability while playing a sport, they also learn skills such as coping with failure, perseverance, and teamwork. One can be educated in just as many life skills playing sports as sitting in a classroom. Without a second thought, parents should highly encourage their children to participate in sports. Younger children do not fully understand yet the benefits of being involved in competitive sports. At this age, they are just beginning to discover what their true passions are. Therefore, it is the obligation of the parents to introduce sports into the lives of their children.
"There are lots of benefits to being
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involved in athletics especially when one begins at a young age,” says Kris Groff, basketball coach and anatomy and physiology teacher at Sheldon High School. “Physical exertion involved in sports can straighten muscles, increase flexibility, jumpstart your metabolism, improve circulation and promote good mental health," continued Groff. These are just a few of the many health advantages that he described during my interview with him. Additionally, while children do not fully understand all of these benefits just yet, it is the parent’s responsibility to push their kids towards sports. One of the only ways that children can receive all of these benefits is by competing in sports. However, there are many more rewards to playing sports than just fitness and health, there are countless life lessons to be learned. A few of the important lessons one learns through athletics are honesty, respect, and character.
Athletics are more than just a fun time spending with friends; athletics go far in life and prepare young children for the future. In the article, "Kids and Team Sports: Should Parents Push Their Children to Play Sports," John McCormick says, "Learning to compete prepares a child for the demands of teenage and adult life, including the ability to cope with both success and failure."(.....) Sports are unlike anything else in the world, it is truly remarkable how beneficial sports can be on the fitness and well-being of an individual, while also preparing that individual for life in the real world outside of
sports. According to (??????) “there is nothing quite comparable to athletics. Like how school is important in developing a child's knowledge and problem-solving abilities, sports are important in developing a child's character and work ethic. So, although there are some possibly unfortunate outcomes, the rewards received when children play sports far outweighs them.” (....)
Youth sports are a staple in nearly every American’s childhood as highlighted in “Children Need to Play, Not Compete” by Jessica Statsky. Statsky makes two contentions in favor of this argument: first, that the participants of youth sports are not physically and psychologically ready, and second, that the mentality of win or lose is more harmful than helpful during the formative years of a child’s development. I agree with Statsky that children’s sports are too often over competitive, but some competition is beneficial to their development.
Athletes in times of difficulty can be important role models.” This shows that sports are in fact helpful because they can grow children into being important role models for the rest of society. Studies have shown time and time again that playing sports can be beneficial to children and we also believe this to be true. Many people still think that sports cause “too many injuries”, or coaches “are not fair enough”, but adolescents will experience these things all throughout their lives because injury can happen anywhere and they will not always be the best at what they are doing. Sports are beneficial to the youth because they can teach children and teens important life skills, help them maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle, all while improving their mental health.
Participating in a sport at an early age can be essential to the overall growth process during a child’s upbringing. Whether the participation is through some sort of organized league or just getting together amongst friends and playing, the lessons learned from this can help teach these kids and provide a positive message to them as they develop. There is a certain point, however, when organized sports can hinder progress, which is when adults get too involved and forget about the underlying reason to why they are helping. While adult involvement is necessary, adult involvement can sometimes send the wrong message to children when they try to make participation become more than just about fun and learning. According to Coakley (2009), “organized sports are worth the effort put forth by adults, as long as they do what is in the best interest of their children and put that thought ahead of their own agenda” (Coakley, p. 151). This is a valid argument because once adults put themselves in front of the children and their values, it needs to be re-evaluated as to why they first got involved in the beginning. Partaking in organized sport and activity from a young age can be beneficial to the overall development of children, as long as decisions actions are made in the best interest of the children and not stemming from ulterior motives of adults.
Sports are a popular pastime among all ages and types of people. People not only participate in them for fun, but also for money, physical fitness, rush of competition, and for many other personal reasons. Playing sports is especially common among young people in schools. Athletics are great and enjoyable for many reasons, but there can be a point where sports participation can go too far and become negative for children and adults. Sports specialization for young people is an increasing trend that results in sports having a negative impact on individuals and society.
These days, there is too much pressure on children who participate in organized sports because of the unnecessary parental involvement they experience. A growing concern amongst those involved in youth sports is that certain aspects of parental involvement become detrimental to the development and experiences of young athletes. Early emphasis on winning, making money, and the disruption of education can exceedingly affect ones desire to further participate in a sport later on in his/her life.
A parent putting his/her child in sports gives the child something to do and keeps them fit. Parents also put their child in a sport hoping that he/she will get success out of it “Eager to nurture the next A-Rod or Michelle Kwan, parents enroll their 5- or 6-year-olds in a competitive sports league or program” (Stenson). While not all parents are pushing for future Olympians, the fight for a sports college scholarship is competitive and parents may feel that their child will have a better chance of gaining one if he/she starts competitive sports early. Parents push their children to succeed, and children—not wanting to disappoint their parents—push themselves, sometimes harder than they should. If done right, pushing a child into sports can have a positive effect on the child’s interaction with other children while teaching them commitment and healthy competition.
Sports can help many at- risk youths. In order to participate in sports you need to be committed and willing to work hard. You also have to learn to respect others and accept that winning isn’t the only measure of success. Losing can build character as well. When youth participate in a sports they enjoy, they are less likely to engage in behaviors that are harmful or dangerous to themselves and others. It is for these reasons schools should strive to maintain athletic programs for their students.
As I have commenced my studies in Foundations of Physical Education and Sport, I have begun to realize the importance of regular exercise, but also how involvement in interscholastic sports can affect families. Before my parents were wedded, my mother was a professional ballerina and my father almost became an Olympic baseball player. While my parents participated in these sports and matured, they began to realize that the athletic field became an idol to them. As a result, they discontinued their participation in those sports and instead engaged their bodies in other physical activities like jogging and working out in the gym. Because of their experiences in the athletic field of life, my parents wished to instill a better quality of life
Children who participate in sports are developing rapidly in sports skills, sportsmanship, and psychologically, but does this come from organized sports are just nature’s process. Children develop emotional and social benefits from participating in sports. Children experience character and leadership development through peer relations leading to an increase in self-esteem and a decrease in anxiety levels. Children will get opportunities to experience positive and negative emotions throughout their practice and games trials. It is important for the coach to understand the “psychology of youth sports and physical activity participation” (Weinberg & Gould, 2011 p.516).
Although there are benefits to participating in sports, there are also disadvantages such as, too much pressure or stress being put onto the athlete. For instance, it can be reasoned that adults are the ones who make sports all about winning and not about having fun (Gerdy 17). With this intention, parents are limiting their child’s ambition and athletic success, straining their independence and preventing them from achieving these important contributors to their child’s success (Gerdy 20). Because of this focus on winning, there is also too much focus on skill development, which does not make the sport as enjoyable as it should be (Gerdy 17). In addition to this massive amount of focus, the adults make the athletes think that only results
Today, many kids are told at a young age by their parents, teachers, and coaches that they should join a specialized competitive sport. The costs of competitive sports, though, are outrageous. Families pay large amounts of money for their child to be part of a team, not to mention the equipment costs. Recreational sports give children the chance to focus on school as they are under less stress, they promote teamwork and good sportsmanship, there is less risk of serious injury, and the costs are significantly lower.
An issue that has created a large amount of debate is if youth should play competitive sports or not. This issue is important because many children are in competitive sports and people cannot decided if sports are good or bad. People that believe children should be in competitive sport say that it helps young people stay healthy and benefits other aspects of their lives. While others state that competitive sports are dangerous and distracts minors from top priorities such as school and family. However, it is clear that it is important for children to be in competitive sports because sports teach children life skills that will all, in the future, help them; while also promoting better health and a good body weight range.
This not only occurs on the competitive field of play but in the practice gym as well. When this happens, their level of perseverance and determination will be tested. The hope here is that they become stronger within over time.” This shows that it gives kids perseverance and helps them know that not everything will come easy in life, and that sometimes they need to be determined to complete things. For example, I play soccer and have for seven years, and sometimes I can not always do what I want and get to the ball and have it the easy way. This teaches me that I need to try as hard as I can and that just doing the least amount possible is not always the best route. Participating in Sports can give kids long lasting friendships that can travel with them their entire life.( Mango, 2012) This shows that Competitive
The main goals behind Sport Education are to help students become knowledgeable about different sports and activities to the point where they can participate in these outside of the classroom to stay active. Also it teaches execution and strategies and encourages competitiveness. It is important for kids to be competitive because they will have to be in life and it will teach the importance of winning and losing the right way. “Sports offer kids a great chance to work cooperatively toward a common goal. And working coope...
Many parents put their children into sports for the wrong reason. They try to live their past dreams of sports glory through their kid. They can push and dem...