Organized Sports for Kids

Organized sports can not only help keep your kids fit and healthy, but they can also help them develop a sense of teamwork and perseverance as they learn how to overcome the obstacles that often accompany competitive activities. Creating friendly competition amongst kids at an early age through sports can help them build a better work ethic as they train and practice for upcoming sporting events like meets or tournaments.

But how do you find the right sport to fit your kids’ interests? After all, there are so many options to choose from that might not necessarily fit your child’s level of athleticism or liking. The easiest way to test the waters, if your kids do not already have a sports preference, is by finding local leagues or school sports teams for them to join. Sports seasons for kids can vary, depending on locale, but generally fall into the following categories:
Fall: Cross country, football, soccer, volleyball, field hockey
Winter: Basketball, lacrosse, wrestling, ice hockey
Spring: Track and field, softball, baseball, tennis, golf, swimming

Organized sports are most popular during the school year, when kids can easily gather through school or local recreation centers. Some sports even have nationwide associations that kids can become a part of, like the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) which provides local leagues for kids to sign up and play soccer. Search for similar opportunities that might be available to your kids when it comes to sports leagues in your area.

Before getting your kids involved in these types of organized sports, it is important to be aware of the time commitment that they might involve. New activities like these can easily affect your family’s regular day to day routine or schedule. From road games and preseason matches to team building events and regularly scheduled practices, the hours devoted to taking part in organized sports can easily pile up. Additionally, when taking on a new sport, make sure it does not take too much time away from your child’s regular activities or leave them too tired to complete school work.

Overall, the benefits in taking part in team sports often outweigh the cons. For example, getting your kids involved in these types of competitive activities can help build their self-confidence as they become more aware of their abilities on and off the metaphorical field. Organized sports can help young learners develop new skills while fine tuning ones that they have already been practicing. Obviously, the health factor of staying in shape brings a lot of benefits such as muscle building, increased metabolism, burning off a greater number of calories, releasing key hormones which promote happiness, and so on. Sports are also one of the key ways of making friends, the bonds that are created in sports carry over to key qualities in friends. Most of all, kids that join in on these types of sports teams are given the opportunity to incorporate regular activity and exercise to their daily routines which can promote a much healthier lifestyle.