David Felt of Houston, Texas coached his children’s little league and softball teams for over 10 years. Now, his grandchildren are active participants in youth sports, and David takes pride in their accomplishments both on and off the field. David feels that his children’s involvement in athletics lead them to their success in their professional and personal lives. In the following article, David Felt discusses the various benefits of young athletics, from childhood through adulthood, in the classroom and beyond.
Every parent wants their children to be “well-rounded” individuals. These prospects include extracurricular activities, learning the importance of hard work and responsibility, working as a team and being physically active.
David Felt of Houston says that among these reasons are why many children are encouraged to participate in sports from a young age. Whether they show exceptional talent, or they view it as a fun hobby, active participation in extracurricular or local club teams are highly rewarding and can reap a variety of benefits for years to come.
The Physical Benefits
David Felt of Houston explains that exercise is regularly encouraged for adults, but it is crucial to a child’s overall health, too. Studies show that starting in kindergarten, or around age 5, children who participated on athletic teams presented with a lower risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, and insomnia.
Physical activity from a young age helps to strengthen a child’s small frame and can improve posture. Now-a-days, tablets and TVs are impacting not just our brains, but our posture and eyesight as well. Blue-light has been found to have detrimental impacts on sleep, brain health, and damaging the retina in the back of the eye, which can lead to uncurable eye diseases later in life.
David Felt of Texas says that getting kids to put down the tablets and step away from the TV is just the start. Utilize available free time by joining a local sports team, or rec-center. Doing so will put our children on the path to develop good physical habits that will spread into adulthood.
The Psychological Benefits
A great deal of governmental research revealed that children who participated in sports benefited from improved psychological health in comparison to peers who did not participate reports David Felt of Texas.
From lower depression and anxiety rates, to decreased risk of developing substance addictions later in life, the psychological benefits from being involved in sporting activities when young are staggering.
David Felt of Houston says that in ways that might otherwise go unnoticed, involvement in youth sports boosts confidence, improves sleep and concentration. Young athletes have been found to have greater levels of concentration and sharper memory in the classroom, according to various studies.
The Importance of Healthy Competition
David Felt of Texas says that some parents refrain from enrolling their children in sports when they’re young simply because they don’t want their child to become disheartened or dejected when they lose a race, match, or competition, fearing this can impact self-confidence and the sense of self-worth.
But as all adults can attest, life is rarely a breezy, uncomplicated journey. There are roadblocks to success for every adult, and youth sports can equip children very early on with the skills they will need as adults to navigate tough areas of their lives explains David Felt of Houston.
It is because of healthy competition that children learn how to get up and try again when they fall, or when they are knocked down (both literally and figuratively, in the case of some sports). Competition teaches children the importance of perseverance through difficult situations, as well as knowing when to rely on friends and teammates. Being able to work as a team, with each person taking on a role of responsibility impacts young brains in the classroom as well as the boardroom later in life. Working together is a skill that must be taught, practiced, and carried out to be successful.
Children learn that loss does not equate failure, a very important distinction, and one that may explain why those who play sports are reported to have much higher levels of self-esteem and confidence. This is due not so much to their unrivalled success, but to learning how to work toward a successful outcome even when things are difficult.
A Boost Toward Higher Education
College sports are among the most popular in the country according to David Felt of Texas, but those who apply for college (without attempting to get in on an athletic scholarship) are still more likely to be accepted if they played sports as a child or adolescent.
This is due to the high regard colleges place on youth sports because of the skills that they believe prospective applicants have developed with years of team participation. The value of teamwork, self-discipline, dedication, and perseverance are all greatly valued within the working world and are therefore sought after as personal attributes in the world of education, too.
College applicants who have engaged in youth sports are more likely to catch the eye of those reading their applications, even if sports are not their focus in college. These applicants will still retain these valued qualities learned in childhood teamwork situations. If the applicant decides to pursue competitive sports in college, having participated in a youth program can give a competitive edge.
Expense
Not all parents wish to have their children attend youth sports, and not all parents can afford to. There can be significant time and financial commitments associated with athletics. Gear and equipment can also pose a financial strain, as well as insufficient time management with other educational pursuits.
However, the government is more determined than ever to shift children out of the slower gears of the recent Covid pandemic lockdown and have dedicated grants and other funding to local areas to improve youth sport participation. So much so, that they have declared November 13th Annual National Youth Sports Day.
Without young people actively engaging in athletic endeavors, the future of professional sports, may lack future MVPs both on and off the field. Colleges and businesses alike will also be short of their important leadership and problem-solvers of the future. As you can see, being a young athlete has many benefits throughout life, creating a confident, poised, cooperative individual that can be creative, work as a team member, and lead others through difficult situations.
