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When do you recommend introducing kids to organized sports? It can begin at an early age. The goal is to try different sports and have fun. It’s about beginning to learn the sport, developing those motor skills, and falling in love with the sport. In the early years, the goal is to have fun, so the child will develop an interest in that sport. We’re not thinking about the Masters Tournament at 7.
What are the benefits? Hopefully, what children develop along the way is an ability to work in a group setting and contribute to a team. They learn how to communicate better. This builds competence, and competence is the foundation for confidence. Sports should also help with emotional regulation. No one likes to lose, but losing is not all bad, because it teaches us things—that maybe I didn’t do my job today or that I’m not always going to win, and I need to know how to lose with grace.
Are team sports better than individual sports? I think it’s really healthy to try different sports in general. The last decade has seen a big push to specialize at a very early age, but research shows you’ll have a higher drop-out rate from sports and a higher injury rate if you only play one sport. Also, kids are not developing all their motor and visual skills when they specialize early, so playing other sports early is actually helpful later.
How can adults be supportive without adding too much pressure? From a coaching perspective, what kids want is feedback that is positive but realistic, and technically specific, so it helps them know what to change or fix. Then end with something positive again. It’s called the sandwich technique, and it gives them good, quality feedback that they can work with while maintaining their motivation and confidence.
Beyond a coaching perspective, what role should parents play in providing support or feedback? Research shows that when you ask kids what the toughest part of a game day is, it’s the ride home. So, from a parenting perspective, what I suggest is to ask two questions after a game: “Did you have fun?” and “Is there anything I can help you with or that you need from me?” That’s it. That’s hard to do, but if they’ve got quality coaches, they’re already getting feedback. So let the coaches coach.
Should I push my child now, so he or she will get an athletic scholarship later? What I always tell parents is this: There are about 25 times more academic scholarships than there are available in sports. And, at the college level, a sports scholarship is a one-year contract that could go down in value. It’s not a guarantee. So, if you want your kids to get a college scholarship, help them earn good grades.
