We all love to play our favourite team sports, whether football, Aussie Rules, cricket or basketball, aside from the obvious fitness benefits, there are other advantages to playing sports. In this short article, we take a closer look at some of the benefits children can derive from being in a team and competing against others.
The Importance of Teamwork
Being part of a team teaches you how to work with others; all team players work towards a common goal, namely to win. Collaborating with others is a critical life skill, as that is what most people have to do when they start a career, while team sports also help players to understand the importance of making personal sacrifices for the good of the team.
If you have a young child and you are wondering what they can do during school holidays, there is basketball training for 5 year olds with a leading Australian operator, which would be a great experience for any kid.
Understanding Fair Play
Of course, playing a sport means adhering to rules and when you are part of a team, you get to understand the importance of fair play. Sportsmanship is very important and all kids learn what that means and this is something they can apply to their adult lives. Rules are obviously important, not only in sports, but also in life.
Self-Discipline
One of the most important personality traits we all need to develop is self-discipline and sports definitely help in that regard. There are times when you don’t want to train, but with a team to represent, you are pressured into doing the right thing, which is character-building and having discipline in your life is a big plus! Thinking of others is another benefit derived from playing team sports, being considerate of other people is important too! Click here to learn about how to connect parents and teachers.
Responsibility
There will be times when a child really doesn’t want to play, but you can’t let your teammates down; you have a responsibility to the team. Being a member of a squad automatically brings with it a level of responsibility and this really helps children to understand what responsibility is.
Motivation
Sometimes we need to be motivated and when you are one player in a team, you often have to motivate your fellow players, especially when you are losing and the clock is ticking away. Sometimes motivating your teammates is necessary if you want to win and motivation is necessary in adult life.
Engaging in Positive Activities
Parents are always worried about what their kids are up to and the great thing about sports is that you know that your children are doing something positive. Hanging around with the wrong crowd can be an issue and when your son or daughter is training with the local basketball team, you know they are not up to no good.
Sports provide many benefits for children, aside from the physical exercise and whatever the sport, engaging your child in a sport is a very positive thing to do.