Team Sports Can Bring Out the Best in Children

Team Sports Can Bring Out the Best in Children

by Keith Barrett 

With obesity on the rise, sports are becoming increasingly important for children to participate in. Aside from the obvious health benefits, team sports bring along a myriad of other positive effects including teaching social and teamwork skills that will be beneficial for the child's future. Similarly to music and art programs, team sports programs are being threatened due to the fact that schools are unable to stretch their budgets out enough in order to be able to fully fund the programs. That is why it is so important for the benefits of team sports to be widely publicized.

Exercise and team sports

Team sports are a great way for children to keep active on a daily basis. With the introduction of sedentary activities such as television and video games, children have become less involved in team sports.

Currently, in the United States, sixteen to thirty-three percent of all children are obese and this extra weight leads to further health problems later in life with over 300,000 people dying every year due to health complications related to being obese or severely overweight. Many doctors estimate that children should be exercising at least one hour every day. Being involved in team sports is a great way to fulfil this recommendation.

Team sports and social skills

Additionally, team sports are particularly wonderful in helping children with their social skills. This is due to the fact that children are interacting with other children and are therefore being exposed to new relationships. If a child is particularly shy or uncomfortable in social situations, team sports present a safer, less pressurized atmosphere where the child can interact with those who have similar interests.

One of the biggest criticisms of team sports is the competitive atmosphere that it often inspires; however, it should be noted that competition is typically healthy and safe as many countries, including the United States, have thrived due to this spirit of competitiveness.

Team sports and teamwork

Team sports teach children how to work together to accomplish something, otherwise known as teamwork. This is an extremely important and vital concept which will serve the child throughout their entire lives.  Team sports show children that they must combine their efforts and skills in order to succeed or win. Playing video games and watching television may be fun, but it is a solitary activity which trains a person to only look out or depend on themselves.

Variety of team sports

There is virtually a sport for each child and their differing interests. Soccer, basketball, and football are some of the well known team sports and are particularly effective in building teamwork and social skills. There are many other choices in addition to these such as volleyball, gymnastics, cheer-leading, tennis, track and field, hockey, and baseball.

Author Profile

Keith Barrett takes a lead role in a number of sporting organisations. He makes use of football trophies to encourage kids, seeing them as a key motivational aid.