Sometimes parents struggle with whether or not to sign their kids up for team sports. Do team sports put too much pressure on kids to perform? Do we risk overscheduling them and stifling their creativity?

While you should keep in mind some potential drawbacks and make efforts to avoid signing up for too much at once, you should definitely consider signing your kids up. The fact is, team sports offer a lot of benefits for kids.

Teamwork

One of the big benefits kids get from team sports is learning teamwork. There is nothing quite like working with your peers to accomplish a common goal. The level of cooperation required for team sports really teaches kids to work together and to do their part.

Making Friends

The teamwork that sports instills in kids helps them to make lasting friendships. Working in a group on the same side really helps kids value each other and look out for their new friends.

Learning New Sports

Signing kids up for team sports enables them to learn the skills of that sport. Even if they decide not to play the sport again after a season or two, they at least gain a level of competency that can serve them well in the future. They can apply the skills they learn to school sports or later on as adults. The more sports they learn, the more likely they are to find one that really appeals to them that they can enjoy for years to come.

Team sports also build skills common to other activities. The footwork they learn in basketball can help them with boxing, for example.

The Importance of Practice

To gain a level of skill in any sport requires practice. This is a valuable life lesson for kids; to get good at anything requires working at it. They can apply this lesson to other skills like music, art, school subjects, virtually anything. Kids need to learn that it takes work to master a skill, and team sports help teach them that.

Physical Activity

This one becomes more important all the time as we tend to live more sedentary lifestyles. Getting out and playing sports is valuable exercise for anyone, especially kids. It teaches them new ways to exercise and keep fit.

Decision Making

Team sports also teach kids how to make decisions, particularly in high-stress situations when they have to act immediately. While the thought of putting kids into stressful situations might make some parents think twice, decision making is a valuable skill, and learning to do it in a fun environment like sports is a great way to develop it.

Communication Skills

Kids also learn strong communication skills by playing team sports. They have to learn to relay information quickly and concisely in the moment. Learning the terminology of a sport is good practice for learning how to communicate in other subjects like future jobs as well. Plus, they learn how to cheer up a teammate who struck out, or express themselves with other teams after the game, either congratulating them on the win or learning how to be humble winners.

Self Esteem

Overall, participation in team sports is a great way to build self-esteem. This is something that goes a long way in life. It takes confidence to face the many challenges we encounter in life, and playing team sports can help build a child’s self-esteem by helping them be fit, feel like a member of a team who belongs, and take on new obstacles.

One sport that really excels in building confidence is boxing. People of all ages, including kids, learn new skills that challenge them and help them feel strong and capable. Plus, each Legends Boxing gym includes a team of students and teachers who build each other up and push each other to new accomplishments. Enlist in a Legends Boxing gym today!

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