Team sports offer more than just physical benefits for kids who participate; it can also help them develop emotionally and mentally.
Whether your child is playing football, rounders or rugby there are also considerable social aspects of team sports that they will enjoy from participating in a team sport; especially you as a parent share an interest in that sport too.
According to the Active Lives Children and Young People (2018) a survey conducted by Sport England looking at a sports participation highlighted that around 3 million children (43.3%) lead active lives, however of that group, only 1.2 million (17.5%) are meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines of more than 60 minutes of activity a day, every day of the week.
For a summary of the report by Sport England – Click here
The most essential benefits that your child can experience when participating in team sport as part of their future development:
- Develop Self-Esteem – children can develop self-confidence and understand more about themselves and their abilities.
- Regular Exercise – through aerobic activity children can ward off future health problems such as diseases associated with obesity.
- Teaches Leadership Skills – Learn about responsibility as they recognize the vital roles they play on their team and sportsmanship.
- Teamwork – learn how to work with others
- Build social skills – learn how to handle themselves better in social situations, in addition to a sense of camaraderie and community, allowing them to maintain and nurture stronger relationships.
- Better Communication skills – learn how to express themselves
- Teaches Respect – respect for authority and rules
- Time Management – learn about time management and discipline
Most importantly, it will help them make right decisions, stop them from joining gangs and causing illegal activity resulting in criminal offences.
Overall, team sports will equip children with the fundamental skills to handle themselves in their future development, whether it is going on further education after secondary education and choosing to go on an apprenticeship after schools.
