7 Benefits of Enrolling Your Child in Elementary Sports
Playing a sport offers more for a child than simply developing a skill. Here are some reasons we think athletics are beneficial for even young children and how we incorporate them into the Academy experience.
With the early morning games, commutes to practice, and trying to remember which kid is playing at which location on which week, you may be wondering if elementary sports is worth the hassle, especially when you could just enroll them in Saturday morning cartoons instead. But don’t worry, the benefit is worth way more than just the participation trophy they’ll get. There are plenty of great reasons to sign your kids up for athletics, even when they are still young.
1. Physical Fitness
Academy students can begin participating in the Phoenix soccer program as they reach upper elementary school. Developmental teams allow for students to progress in their skills through practices.
Obviously, one of the first benefits that pops into most people’s minds is the physical training they receive. Kids involved in sports are given opportunities to improve their balance, coordination, and agility, all of which have benefits that exceed far beyond their time on the field or court. It begins helping kids get in tune with their bodies, which is advantageous for setting them up for a healthy lifestyle in the future.
2. Develop Friendships
Sports are a great way for kids to deepen their friendships with their peers. It provides fun, structured activity which allows them to add a new dynamic to their relationships as they bond over a shared interest.
3. Learn Teamwork
Outside of developing friendships, sports often include elements of teamwork which help kids learn how to better collaborate with others. Organized sports give participants a chance to work together to meet a common goal (by scoring a goal).
4. Observe Personal Growth
Another reason sports are good for a kid's development is because it allows them to see their growth. Whether it is comparing their past and current cross-country meet times or noticing how much further they can kick the ball than during their first practice, athletics allows children to better understand how hard work can pay off as they recognize the progress they make. It encourages them to try and to look for potential in themselves.
The elementary boys cross-country team took home a first place team championship along with several individual runner awards.
5. Prove You’re Their Biggest Fan
As their parent, you already are their biggest fan, but athletic events give you an appropriate venue to cheer for them as loud as you want. It allows you to see how they act in a different environment, which can help you learn them better, and it also gives you and your kid shared experiences which they will remember as they get older.
6. Learn a Skill
Learning a skill not only boosts one’s self-esteem, but can make participation in that activity all the more enjoyable. Their knowledge and skills connected with that sport can be a source of confidence for them as it helps build a part of their identity.
7. Life Lessons
We know it's cliché, but sports really do teach kids life lessons. It can be used as an analogy to help children understand certain concepts which they may not be able to fully grasp detached from an immersive experience. Whether it’s trusting and obeying your coach, enduring through tiredness, training to overcome, or learning to work as a team to accomplish what you couldn’t on your own, there are a plethora of lessons you can communicate to your children through the use of sports, and what better way to teach them than to let them play.