Kids' Fitness and Development Through Sport

During my elementary school days March was my favorite time of year.  It was the start of lacrosse season.  Every year at the end of March Annapolis Recreation and Parks kicked off the St. Mary’s girls lacrosse season with Blue and White Day, a fun-filled day of meeting all the players on various teams, player and coach clinics, picnics, and games. 

In the following week, regular practices and scheduled weekend games would begin.  I remember the practices always being enjoyable, and the games and weekend tournaments being highlights of my youth.  It was carefree; before the pressure of college scholarships and making it to NCAA playoffs was an issue. 

As children, exercise is fun rather than a boring chore that we feel obligated to do.  The games teach children how to cope with winning and losing, success and failure, and the value of preparation. It’s important to keep youth sports a fun and memorable experience for children.  A bad experience early on can cause a child to shy away from youth sports and other activities, which can ultimately affect their views and levels of physical fitness later in life. 

The Benefits of Youth Sports

It’s amazing how much free time children have. A study in child development at Penn State found that by some estimates 50% of children’s waking hours is free time. How a child uses their time “could strongly influence a child’s emotional, academic, and behavioral development.”

Organized sports and hobbies are an excellent way for children to spend their free time, because developmentally, it allows them to practice many real-world situations in a play setting.  In sports children are taught the rules and regulations of the game. They must play fair, respect their teammates, opponents, and coaches.  They may encounter peer or coach conflicts in which they must resolve in an appropriate manner.  They attend practices to develop their skills. They learn that preparation for anything in life is important, and wins and accomplishments must be worked for.  Children learn to cope with losing and failed attempts even when it doesn’t seem fair or just to them.  They learn how to deal with stress and regulate their emotions.  

Through youth sports, children learn about the value of exercise and proper nutrition at an early age.  Parents and coaches should emphasize the importance of taking care of your body and how it affects performance.  By simplifying concepts and making it fun to learn, adults can help children form the foundation for a healthy lifestyle.

Many studies have proven that participation in youth sports has a positive effect on a students grades and behavior.  Those involved in sports throughout childhood and adolescence learn how to properly manage their time, strive for athletic as well as academic and career success, and are less likely to engage in drug and alcohol abuse, early sexual activity, and delinquency. 

Keep it Fun

There are many circumstances that can cause a child’s positive experience in youth sports to take a dramatic fall. The Youth Sports Institute at Michigan State surveyed 10,000 kids and found various reasons why they quit sports. Among the top 10 were:  loss of interest, not having fun, too much pressure, too much time, and too much emphasis on winning. 

It’s necessary to reiterate the positive aspects of sports rather than focus on wins and losses or a child’s performance.  The greatest things children receive from youth sports include enjoyment from the activity, self-esteem, friendships, and life lessons.  By putting too much pressure on children at an early age can cause them to retaliate and have a negative outlook. 

Today, many children do not continue sports throughout adolescence. In fact many adolescents do not engage in any physical activity at all.  According to the World Health Organization, “In a comparison of adolescents in 28 countries, U.S. adolescents exercised less and ate more junk food than adolescents in most other countries.”

It’s a million times more difficult to learn to implement a regular exercise program into your daily life as an adult if you have no former knowledge or training.  Staying active from a young age, throughout life is the best prevention for disease and injuries.