News You Can Use
Keep priorities straight in youth sports
University Relations
News Bureau (662) 325-3442
Contact: Kasia Haupt
July 16, 2004
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Youth sports can encourage physical activity and teach teamwork, but sometimes parents push youngsters too far. Mississippi State University’s Carla D. Smith says parents should help keep the games fun.
“First, consider what you want your children to gain from sports,” the assistant professor of kinesiology explains.
For most, benefits include physical activity, improved social skills, and fun. Yet many parents let winning become a primary motivation.
“Most youth sport referees will agree the majority of sportsmanship problems do not stem from the players but from parents and coaches,” notes Smith. Adults should model the behavior they’d like to see in children, she emphasizes. Parents also should consider their children’s desires about sports, she added.
“The top two reasons kids cite for sports participation are having fun and making friends,” she said. As youngsters reach adolescence they become more competitive, but parents shouldn’t encourage overly aggressive behavior. Smith recommends finding a coach or league whose values reflect the family’s.
Parents also should allow kids to choose the sports that interest them. “Encouraging a variety of activities will allow kids to gravitate toward sports in which they show promise and in which they receive internal reinforcement,” she said.
Once kids become involved in a sport, encourage practice but never force the issue, she advises. “If they enjoy something, they will want to do it on their own,” Smith said, adding that playing because someone else requires it will take the fun and joy out of it.
A few things to remember if your kids are playing sports:
--To encourage practice, play with your kids.
--Research activities appropriate for your child’s age.
--Make use of instructional books that highlight ways to improve skills.
--Help keep perspective. Teach respect for less skilled players.