Kick, snag, toss, throw, shoot, run, hit—sports give an active outlet to childhood energy. Parents wonder at what age to sign their children up for organized sports, and some kids from day one love throwing, catching and kicking a ball. As they grow older, they’ll give you cues on which sport would interest them. And whether it be it soccer, baseball, basketball or football, your youngsters will learn great lessons on behavior and control.
My son played soccer, competitive baseball and high school football and basketball, so sports had a huge impact on him. The coach that stands out was his football coach who gave each player a chain link to hang on his own keychain or belt loop. When the guys had team meetings, they would attach all the links together. Coach used this tangible object lesson to demonstrate to the boys that without each other, there was no strength. But together, they could work magic! That’s one lesson playing sports can give: how to be a team player—which extends to jobs, family and more as kids mature. As for my son, the love of sports has stayed with him; at 25, he plays sand volleyball and co-ed softball.
Another sports benefit is crystal clear. Kids learn about the competition. Teams and individuals go head-to-head to outdo one another. If this is fostered in a healthy way, athletes learn to translate their competitive spirit on the field or court into real life. Be it grades or a job or admission to college, or even a husband or wife, athletes understand that having a competitive edge can be the deciding factor in getting the most out of life. That attitude helps kids become achievement-oriented. Setting goals and working toward those goals creates drive, which leads to lifetime success.
Good sportsmanship is another invaluable lesson. It means winning and losing in a respectable, gracious manner and that an athlete has patience and self-control. The young athlete learns to be humble instead of bragging on a win and to be calm and collected rather than lashing out in rudeness and anger at a loss. These attributes are needed in life when things do not go our way. This builds strong character.
As mentioned before, understanding how to be a team player is crucial. This does not mean everyone has to be best friends, but they must do their part to complete a given task. This skill can be helpful in school projects, job situations and simply getting along with others in life.
If you participate in sports long enough, eventually you will experience intense competition that can lead to adversity. Learning to deal with tough situations in the best manner is fundamental in life. With learned resilience, we can handle lost jobs, car accidents or simple bad days. How we handle difficulty defines character.
The definition of courage is the ability to face difficulty despite fear. In sports, this may mean going against a bigger, stronger, more athletic opponent. In life, there will be plenty of times the odds are against you. Courage will get you through.
Hard work gets you places, and nothing can teach this more than playing a sport. The only way to stay on top if your game is to work hard and practice. The same holds true in life. Whether your children aspire to be an engineer, craftsman, teacher, doctor or lawyer, they need to understand that putting forth the effort is necessary to be successful in any career.
Just because life isn’t fair does not mean you quit. The greatest athletes in any sport, from swimming to gymnastics and beyond, are committed to doing their best whether they win or lose. They learn this from instructors and coaches who train them all along the way to do their best regardless of the outcome. There is always another competition—in sports and in life!
Another lesson taught from being on any team is learning to differentiate between being a player and being a performer. From an early age, children begin to recognize the difference thanks to an instructor or coach helping them understand. For example, when a coach picks one player who is performing well, the others will naturally want to rise to the level of performer.
Some of sports’ lessons may not be recognized for years. For instance, as kids grow up, graduate and move on, many remain lifelong friends with members of their teams because they are the ones they grew with, both emotionally and physically. Sharing the team spirit and receiving that team trophy together is the strongest bond. A child who feels those connections will be happier, better adjusted and hopeful.
Whether watching them, playing them or coaching them, we love the constancy of sports in our lives. And sharing the experience with your son or daughter is one of the most rewarding you’ll have. You’ll learn the best way to encourage your children and share in their wins and losses. Don’t be surprised, too, if you learn a little about yourself along the way.
Here are some famous folks who played sports before they became well-known:
- John Wayne was a guard for the University of Southern California’s football team.
- Matthew Fox, the Lost star, attended Columbia University and played wide receiver for their football team. Mark Harmon, NCIS, was the starting quarterback for the UCLA Bruins.
- Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson played football growing up and attended the University of Miami on a full athletic scholarship and played for their football team. Burt Reynolds went to Florida State University on a full scholarship where he played football. Carl Weathers, before fighting Rocky as Apollo Creed, played football for Long Beach City College and then San Diego State University. He moved on to play for the Oakland Raiders then the BC Lions in the CFL.
Sources: CoachUp.com, Living.ALot.com, TheActiveLife.com
Judy Goppert lives in Lee’s Summit. She enjoys drawing on her personal experiences to write about the nuances of everything wonderful about life.