The Importance of Youth Sports

Video games, social media, and online education have become the norm for kids today. In a 2003-2004 study by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, it was found that kids were sedentary for 7 hours daily. By 2009, that number had increased to 8.6 hours, or 62% of daily waking hours. Today, this problem has only worsened; even parents struggle to make time for regular exercise. Sedentary activity is widespread across the nation, and this makes staying active more important than ever.

Youth sports are a great way to keep kids on their feet. Additionally, it can help develop their social skills, build confidence, and teach them important life lessons. Read more to find out why youth sports are important and how they can benefit your child.

Regular Exercise and a Way to Release Energy

Kids are full of energy, and they need a physical outlet of some kind. Youth sports encourage children to release their feelings in a positive way. In addition, it helps them stay healthy. According to the Mayo Clinic, kids 6 years and older need at least one hour a day of moderate to vigorous activity. Vigorous activity (such as running, hiking or riding a bike) is recommended at least 3 days out of the week. By signing up for youth sports, kids will automatically have a chance to exercise and have fun while doing it. 

Forming Close Friendships with Teammates

By participating in youth sports, kids have the chance to get to know their teammates and build meaningful connections. If your child is struggling to meet friends, this can be a great way to introduce them to other kids in the community. Together, teammates learn how to depend on one another and work towards a common goal. Team sports also teach them that in order to succeed, they have to support each other.

Learning How to Lose

In youth sports, winning a game or a competition can be exciting and rewarding. However, it’s likely that at some point, your child’s team will lose. This is an excellent learning experience, as it shows kids how to cope with failure. As they grow, your children will face many complex challenges and pitfalls. Perseverance and learning how to lose are highly valuable skills. Similarly, when teams win, it’s equally important for kids to learn how to win respectfully. There are few other activities in which kids can encounter concepts of failure and success in such a direct way.

Finally, it’s essential to recognize that youth sports aren’t for everyone. While you shouldn’t hesitate to encourage your child to take part in any sport they enjoy, no child should feel pressured. If they try youth sports and tell you they aren’t benefiting from it, listen. In the future, they can try many other engaging activities that interest them.

Learn More about Youth Sports at Lead4Life, Inc.

At Lead4Life, we strive to empower every participant in our programs so that they may find their purpose, achieve their goals, and become poised, productive members of their community. We advocate for those in need and assist each and every individual by providing compassionate education and valuable resources and tools so that they can make the very best decisions and develop important life, social, and competency skills.

Does your child need a non-parent mentor? Visit our website and check out our mentoring initiative for more information, or contact us at 240-499-8949.