How Playing Sports as a Child Positively Affects Your Life
As a kid, many of us played recreational sports. Basketball, baseball, football, soccer, swimming, etc. We did it for the fun, not ever realizing the benefits it would bestow upon us growing into adults.
Benefits of Sports on Kids
The most obvious reason sports help kids is the physical activity. This constant and consistent physical activity from a sport not only helps to keep a child healthy on the outside, but the inside as well. Sports have been proven to help children's brain grow from several aspects:
- Sports require concentration, helping kids think and get smarter without even realizing it.
- Sports lift up your mood, helping kids to be more willing to learn at school knowing they have practice later that day.
- Sports tire you out, resulting in better sleep at night and better learning the next day at school.
Benefits of Sports on Teens and Adults
As kids grow into teens, the benefits become even greater. Sports are proven to help reduce stress and depression, leaving an outlet for the teenager overwhelmed by high school course load.
Other benefits seen throughout life include:
- An ability to work well with others, learned by playing team sports.
- Higher self-esteem and an increase in confidence from positive sports experiences.
- Accountability gained from having teammates rely on your ability.
Sign Your Kid Up For Sports
As a parent, you never want to force your kids to do things they don't want to. However, the benefit of sports and physical activity for a child outweighs the negatives of a resentful child. Just like when you force your kids to eat vegetables, they'll forgive you eventually and see why you did it. If you have a child that is reluctant to join a sports team, gauge which sport they like the most or seem most interested in and sign them up. One at a time if they are reluctant, don't force the to join three teams if they don't even want to do one.
Sources:
http://www.rochester.edu/team/benefits-of-sports-to-students/
http://www.healthline.com/health/mental-benefits-sports
http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/positive-effects-sports-kids-5686.html
As always, don't forget to upvote, resteem, and follow me @brianm4
I played football (soccer) from my childhood to high school. It was the best period of my life considering health. It's not just physical condition but communication and teamplay, social skills. Later on everyone just went online and few continued to do sports. I do enjoy hill/mountain climbing now though. Thanks for sharing.
I also played soccer from the time I was 4 until I was 18. The best aspects truly are outside of the physical fitness. Although being able to eat 4000-5000 calories a day and LOSE weight in high school because of my 3-4 hours of practice on 2 different teams was pretty awesome lol
It sure beats video games! One invigorates the mind. The other destroys it.
Definitely. Although video games can be fun, I much prefer a good soccer game
My personal experience with sports as a kid and teenager were mixed but in no way do I think it was without value. It was. My daughter I have in martial arts, which, for her, is the right choice to build confidence on her terms.
That's awesome! I never got into martial arts or karate but it sure looks fun, and a great workout!
I think the Teamwork aspect is hugely significant - I know I gained from it {the one team sport I did do ].
And you make an impactful statement, when You say "Sports are proven to help reduce stress and depression."
In my opinion, sports can DEFINITELY help lift one's mood (so that a Student can concentrate better, rather than wallowing in his/her depression & thoughts at school ).
I can recall sitting by a young gal (at High school) who did just this (wallow). And I don't think she did any sports. I'll bet that could've helped her.
If parents have the kids try sports, & they are yet depressed - well, then at least the Parent wd realize something is SERIOUS & could endeavor to send 'em to a therapist !
@brianm4 - great post. Sports are REAL LIFE lessons in so many ways. It's kind of like STEEMIT - if you want to be incredible, you have to EARN it.
Agree that kids can learn so much by participating in sports. I'm going from my personal experience being in sports, where I learned about teamwork, being positive, and sportsmanship. The friendships made with like-minded people is unshakable.