Choosing a Sport for Your Child
Growing up, my father involved me in sports from an early age. He made sure that I tried a variety of activities to see what I was suited for and what I liked to do, and. I finally settled on basketball and baseball in high school, but not before I had tried every other seasonal sport that was offered. Now in my 13th year as a Director of Athletics and 19th as a high school boys basketball coach, I am frequently asked: “How do I choose a sport for my child?”
Picking a sport for your child is not an exact science; there is no perfect sport for a child because no one sport does it all. For potential young athletes, participating in a variety of sports is the your best bet. Playing several different sports keeps children active and develops a range of sports skills. This approach also cross- trains different muscle groups and avoids the under or overtraining of specific muscles which could lead to sports injuries groups. A final advantage of this approach is that it builds the habit of staying active, which will hopefully accompany your child well into adulthood.
Sports are a great educational tool for your child, as they teach many lessons about teamwork, fitness habits, skill acquisition, confidence and self-esteem, responsibility and commitment, how to listen to and follow directions, and how to achieve goals. As parents, you should research potential sports organizations to see what values they emphasize and be ready to reinforce these positive lessons to your young athlete.
When considering your child’s potential sport choice there are a few things to keep in mind. First, what does your child like to do? Observe your child at free play; what does he gravitate towards? What does she spend the most time doing? While this can provide some insight, you should also ask your child what it is that he thinks would be the most fun. Ask frequently, as children change their minds and their abilities often.
Next, find out what your child’s friends are doing. The social factor plays a big role for young ones in choosing an activity. Many a successful athlete has begun his or her sport merely because friends were involved. Keep in mind that an individual sport does not mean there is no social or “team” aspect to it; it merely means that your child competes individually. Many individual sports have a tremendous team culture.
You should also consider whether your child is competitive, and how advanced their skill level is. Is she ready for a more advanced program or would an instructional environment suit her better? A child should feel neither over- nor underwhelmed by the sports experience, as this is a proven path to dissatisfaction and possibly dropping out of the sport altogether. Many travel and club sport environments do not offer much in the way of teaching remedial skills, but instead focus on taking children with a proven level of skill and improving upon it. Make sure to fit your child’s skill level to the program. Consider the level of competition, instruction, time involvement, travel, expense and reputation of their coaching staffs.
Be patient and know your limits. Your child most likely will not find his sport of choice on the first try, nor will success be the first thing you are likely to see. You may have to try several different sports to see what your child truly enjoys and what their strengths are. Alternatively, you may have to revisit the same sport a couple of times before things stick. Start with this mindset and know how far you are both willing to push your child to commit to one particular sport. Support your child with your time, energy and finances. Remember, you are in this together.
Finally, make your child’s experience fun. Some levels of sport strive to reward their players immediately to keep them interested, but at the more advanced levels of sport the rewards can be delayed. Both are fine, but your child’s level of patience and skill will dictate how much of a delayed reward will be accepted. Generally, the more novice the level of play, the more frequently the players are rewarded while more advanced levels of sport rely on more intrinsic or internal rewards and a work-like environment is maintained. Ask yourself where your child falls in this spectrum.
Sports can be both a challenging and rewarding experience. If you know your child, know the organization and program, and commit to it together, you will realize a positive and successful athletic experience for your child.
Tim Williams is the Director of Athletics and Co-Head Coach for the boys basketball team at Princeton Day School. An independent, coeducational day school for students from Pre-K through Grade 12, PDS offers a wide variety of boys and girls sports, with athletes ranging from those trying sports for the first time to college-bound players. To learn more about PDS visit www.pds.org or call (609) 924-6700.