The Importance Of Youth Sports

Register to read the introduction… “According to the University of Florida, students of all ages who regularly participate in sports are able to cope better with competition in other areas of their lives.” (synonym) The social interaction that is gained through sports teaches teens and youth to work within a team, solve interpersonal strife and to learn to communicate with others in an effective and well-organized manner. “There’s a lot more to sport than the idea of winning and losing and developing physical skills. Under the right conditions, youth sport can help children develop transferable personal and social skills – citizenship qualities that they’ll retain throughout their lives,” (Côté) Social development is a fundamental skill that is fostered in youth sports. Teaching youth how to handle various situations is an essential skill that youth will carry through high school and onwards into adulthood. Being able to overcome adversity in a positive manner is a key skill that both youth and teens need to develop. “At the most fundamental level, well-designed sport activities that incorporate the best values of sport – self-discipline, respect for one’s opponent, fair play, teamwork, and adherence to mutually agree upon rules – help individuals to build the values and communication skills necessary to prevent and resolve conflict in their own lives.” (UN) The social skills that are taught through youth and teen sports are skills that participants can apply to all aspects of everyday life. Participants will carry these skills with them into …show more content…
Students that participate in sports have reduced behavior problems. They are given discipline in drills, practices and routines. These drills and routines are used to reinforce structure in the participant. They are given the responsibility to perform those tasks correctly, whether it is a basketball play, a football play or a baseball signal. When students perform tasks correctly they are awarded for their behavior and they take pride in their accomplishments. Because of the pride they achieve, they gain better self respect, self esteem, and self confidence. “Participation in school activities, especially athletics, leads to higher self esteem and enhanced status among peers, which some argue is deterrent to antisocial behavior.” (Brown) Between the ages of 12 and 17 is when kids learn to make their own decisions and control their own behavior. This is a critical time for students to be in extracurricular activities such as sports because they are under supervision, guidance, and they are in engaging and enriching learning