2023 Author: Anita Thornton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-22 03:30
Does your child play a team sport? Research is unanimous: team sports are beneficial for children, both on the playground and in their lives in general!
The benefits of team sports
Many parents enroll their child in a team sport in order to keep them physically active. But organized sports aren't just there to get kids moving! They bring them a lot of skills and qualities that will serve them throughout their lives.
We asked Mario Benvenuto, a physical education teacher at Michelangelo International Elementary School, to tell us about the benefits he has seen in children who play team sports. According to him, these children learn to develop their team spirit rather than the competitive aspect: “When a child plays in a team, he must learn to cooperate, communicate and rely on his peers to develop strategies. »
Organized sport also allows children to define their role within the team, according to their abilities and skills. “We will see children who develop their sense of leadership, while others will specializein problem solving. They learn to feel comfortable in their role and to understand that each member of the team is important in order to achieve their goal,” explains Mr. Benvenuto.
Benefits Beyond the Playground
At its core, team sports encourage children to develop social skills that will serve them in all other areas of their lives. Think of your child's team as a mini-society: your child must learn to live with people who have different personalities and together find a way to achieve their goals. The child is able to express his opinion within the group, to find a point of agreement and to manage conflicts. All these skills will help him take his place in society and will serve him in his school, social and professional life.
The role of coaches
For children to have a positive experience within their team, it is important that they have a coach with a positive attitude. “The coach should avoid focusing only on competition, points and performance. We can be happy to have won a game, but we must rather value the efforts that have been made by the team, whether we are winners or losers. It's the effort that counts, not the result,” says Mario Benvenuto.
The child who doesn't want to play
Some kids seem reluctant to play organized sports. This does not necessarily mean that theydon't like it, but maybe they haven't found the right sport, the one that picks them up and makes them want to participate. It could also be because they are more shy and the idea of being in a group and having to take their place makes them uncomfortable.
What can parents do to help their child feel more confident and to encourage them to participate in a team sport? Mr. Benvenuto advises parents to diversify the team sports to which their children are exposed to help them see the particularities of each sport. Just because you had fun playing soccer doesn't mean your child won't prefer basketball!
Clearly explain your expectations too. A parent who insists too much on performance could cause their child not to want to play because they don't feel good enough and are afraid of disappointing. It's important that he understands that getting good at anything takes practice, and even if he's not the best on his team, you're still proud of him.
Team sports: for everyone?
Although we would like our child to get involved with joy and motivation in a team sport, this is not always the case. Some children are more independent in nature and do not derive pleasure from team sports. If this is the case, do not force the child against his will since doing a sporting activity is not just about exercising,it's mostly fun! It is better to take the time to find a sporting activity that he likes. It can be an individual sport in a sports team like swimming, tennis, badminton or karate, or a less supervised sport like cycling, jumping rope or cardio exercises at home. Exposing him to several sports is the best way to identify his preferences.
Thanks to Mario Benvenuto, physical education teacher at Michelangelo International Primary School.
Check our file Physical Activities and Sportsfor ideas and tips.
