Year-Round Sports: Are They Worth Cheering For?

Football, hockey, basketball, soccer, baseball, swimming … does your child want to do them all? Say goodbye to mud pies and daydreaming eyes. Year-round sports are the norm for more and more of today’s families, rushing from one practice to the next with little time left for homework, play or family time. And while some children want to participate in sports, others might be made to participate. But are year-round sports really worth the chaos?

Lyn Dee Frost, guidance counselor at New Mark Middle School, says year-round sports can be beneficial as long as parents and children sit down, discuss and prioritize.

“Students who are involved in extracurricular activities year-round tend to have higher GPAs than students who are not,” Frost says. “It’s good for kids to feel they’re a part of something.”

According to the National Institute for Sports Reform, about 22 million 6- to 18-year-olds participate in youth sports programs such as Little League baseball; about 16 million youth are involved in intramural or interscholastic sports; and two million are involved in club or fee-based programs. Children as young as 4 and 5 are also joining youth leagues and teams with seasons that come close to year-round activity, which experts say may be too much. Children younger than 5 should be kept moving with simple motor activities.

Blue Springs mom Dana Hackworth says her 5-year-old son has been involved in basketball, soccer and t-ball since he was 3, but the focus has never been on competition.

“The focus is learning to be a part of a team and learning fundamentals. I want to teach him at an early age that exercise and playing with kids is fun. I don't believe that kids this young should be involved in any athletic events that are competitive. I think that takes the fun out of it for them,” Hackworth says.

For school-aged children, experts say the focus should be on developing skills, teamwork and trying out different sports. Children and parents should avoid early specialization and too much game time. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that children who participate in a variety of sports and specialize only after puberty tend to be more consistent performers, have fewer injuries and stay active in sports longer than those who specialize early.

“In my home, we limited it to one sport activity a season. Then in high school, my sons specialized in the one sport they liked most,” Frost says.

“All of our kids have and do play sports, but not every season,” Independence mom Angie Day says. “Our rule is they can play one sport at a time and we will take a break between sports.”

When choosing a sport for your child, self-selection is important. Let your child choose the sport she is most interested in trying. By doing this, her motivation to succeed will be stronger. But remember, organized team participation isn’t for everyone. So, if your child doesn’t have an interest, check out individually based sports instead, such as tennis, bowling, ice skating, gymnastics, self-defense and many others. And while you should always support your child’s interests in the arts and music, do try to get them physically active.

Are there benefits to playing sports? Absolutely! Sports activities have been proven to reduce anxiety and depression. They can enhance self-esteem and help children think critically and solve problems. Sports help build self-discipline, leadership and coping skills and have also been shown to improve academic outcomes. But can there be too much of a good thing?

“Within reason, most things are not harmful. However, we do have some very overscheduled kids,” Frost says. “When it comes to our attention in the schools, it’s because their homework is not getting done, their grades are dropping and they have no time to study.”

When things are too hard for children to handle, oftentimes it’s tough for the parents to handle as well. So, what is an overscheduled child and parent to do? Frost says it’s time to reevaluate and prioritize.

“If a family is stressed over their busy schedule (and they’ll know if they are), tempers will flare and there will be outbursts in kids who don’t want to go to practice or are tired. Homework needs to be made the priority, and from there the family can decide which activities will fit in,” Frost advises.

“So far we have been very lucky with sports not overlapping each other or practices and games getting out of hand,” Day says. “There are six people in our family, and to completely alter our schedule for one child's sports interest is unfair to everyone.”

Once a workable sports schedule is in place in your home, don’t get overly involved with unrealistic expectations for your child. Remember that winning is not all-important. It’s the skills and teamwork that are the most important for children. And be sure children have time away from sports to do schoolwork and spend time with family.

“I think it’s important for kids to be involved in sports activities, but within reason,” Frost says. “Prioritize.”

Gina Klein is a stay-at-home mom and writer who resides in Kansas City with her husband, two daughters and two canines.