New parents often wonder if their child needs to be a part of a team sport to realize his or her full potential for growth. It doesn’t matter what the sport is. Be it Basketball, Football, Netball, Cricket, or even Cheerleading, all team sports have some very obvious advantages. For one, they give your child a sense of belonging. It makes them feel like they are bigger than just themselves as individuals and instills in them the responsibility of knowing that their actions impact the success of their team or those around them. Likewise, it allows them to trust others to have their back. Second, it allows them to accept that life brings forth winning as well as losing and that it is important to lose with respect and win with humility. Third, the clear physical advantages to the body that comes from partaking in sports in general. Keeping these benefits in mind the question arises just how important are team sports for children?
Of course, a lot of us have never explored athletics. It simply does not speak to us the way that it does to others. Does that mean that there has been a flaw in our upbringing? Not really. Physical exercise is important, but team sports are not the only way to go about it. Perhaps, children could find an alternative in solo cycling or jogging. Similarly, the other life lessons learned in team sports can be taught through various substitutes. If anything, forcing an athletic lifestyle on your child can bring more harm than good.
To sum it up, if children show an interest in sports, then it can be really advantageous to encourage their passion and let them participate in them. If they don’t, it may be a good idea to introduce them to team sports to try to develop an interest, but there is no harm in skipping the activity altogether.