A strong and beneficial relation: Sports and children

Why Is Sports More Than Just A Game- Sports & Children

Sports are engaging and exciting to teach kids life skills. Sports is not just a physical activity-sports are more than that. It has a significant impact on life, especially from childhood. It helps promote an active lifestyle and encourages them to be more confident and responsible. Practicing a sport ensures a child socializes, follows the rules, is disciplined, is physically healthy, has time-management skills, self-esteem, and is a team player.

Sports and Childhood

Incorporating sports activities from childhood has an influential role in child development. More than physical activity, sports have a vital role in child development. It helps them with exercise, develops their physical skill, builds self-esteem, plays a fair game, works as a team, and to makes friends. The best thing about sports is that kids remember and follow what they learn. So, it is our responsibility to raise our kids with good sportsmanship.

Children carry the behavior and attitude taught in sports into their adult life, and we have to help them get the most out of sports. By,

• Understanding the child’s involvement in the sport and supporting them.
• Having realistic expectations for our kids.
• Being a respectful spectator.
• Attend our children’s games and talk about them.
• Encouraging them to talk about the practice session.
• Offering positive comments and emotional support.
• Supporting them to handle disappointments.

It is challenging and time-consuming, but the fruits of the effort are priceless. The knowledge about behavior, attitude, team value, and coaching reflects the development of the child.

According to a report, 1.7 million kids between the ages 5 and 14 years take part in sports outside their school. But more than 25% of the children are obese and overweight, so we have to instill children to be physically active. The number of girls taking part in sports is comparatively lesser than the number of boys.

It is the responsibility of the parents, schools, and society to support and bring children into sports or any physical activity. We can start from basic physical training by participating in 45 to 60 minutes of moderate to intense walking every day.

Impact of Sports In Child Development

Sports has an ample impact on our child’s physical, psychological, and health. It is a perfect outlet for them to learn an astounding skill while having fun.

Children become physically fit with strong muscles, bones, and joints. A report based on the physical benefits of playing sports states that children participating in physical activity have fewer chances of getting type 2 diabetes, controlling body fat, healthy heart, stable knee, and improved fitness.

Along with physical health, mental health benefits are equally impressive. When the human body is physically fit, it releases serotonin, which helps regulate the mood naturally, enhances good night sleep, promotes a sharp mind, and keeps us emotionally stable.

Similarly, sports help build social skills, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Sports teaches the kids to act independently, play a fair game, ownership quality. Sports is a great way to keep the kids active and healthy.

Sports As A Career

Sports is one of the rewarding career options of the passionate youths of the country. Some many institutions and universities offer certified programs to pursue sports as a career.

If the child is interested in sports and wants to take it up as their career, there are diverse options available in sports and sports-related industries.

Professional Player: As professional players, athletes spend their time training, competing, and traveling for competition. Some players have a contract with any sports organization and receive a regular income, while some athletes earn through sponsors and prize money.

Sports Instructor/Coach: To become a coach/instructor, a qualifying certification from a governing body is a must. They can work for sports governing local bodies, schools, colleges, clubs, gyms, community, and charity groups.

PE Teachers: A degree and QTS(Qualified Teacher Status) are needed to qualify as a PE teacher. Also, there are UG and PG courses available. As sports teachers, they can work at schools and colleges and arrange for inter-competitions.

Sports Development Officer: Takes care of sports initiatives and tasks related to planning and organizing sports events, managing trainers/coaches, tracking budgets, and funding resources. The job can be under any charity or community association, sports association, the local governing body, or club.

Sports Therapist: With a degree in the Society of Sports Therapists, there is a wide range of options in the sports industry. The degree includes a distinguished training program that focuses on sports injuries prevention and treatment. Sports therapists are experts in musculoskeletal disorders and help athletes get back to their occupational and functional abilities.

Sports Physiotherapist: It is a specific study within the physiotherapy department that concentrates on sports injuries. They are responsible for planning treatment and delivering it, setting exercise, hydrotherapy, and massage. Work with a private physiotherapy clinic or have an own clinic and treat professional athletes.

Sports Lawyers: As sports lawyers, they can cover the legal aspects related to sports and cover commercial agreements related to ads, sponsorships, employment contracts, disciplinary manners, sports regulations, transfers, broadcasting sporting events, etc.

Sports PR & Marketing Manager: Promote sports and sports-related information and events in the digital medium. The nature of the job includes producing content like running social media channels, press releases, writing articles, videos, planning and organizing campaigns, overseeing and tracking budget, contacting media organizations.

Sports Journalist & Photographer: As sports journalists, they can focus on sports matters on websites, newspapers, TV, and radio stations. Similarly, sports photographers can work in the media department as a freelancer or an employee.

There are so many sports-related careers available, and it’s the children’s choice to choose their career path. Sports is not a hobby. There are various ways by which one can land on their dream career in sports. With interest and strong knowledge in sports, one can easily land a sports career.

Conclusion

Involving our children in sports enables them to make friends, build social interactions, make them physically fit, and learn more about themselves and their environment. Sports give the children a chance to explore their strengths and abilities.

We have the responsibility to guide our children into the right sport that matches their abilities. Once they become a part of a sport, our job does not end there. We have to encourage them and adhere to concerns related to coaching style or teamwork. End of the day, children should play sports out of their interest and not because of peer pressure.