There are so many different youth sports leagues, programs, clubs, and personal coaching options available to our kids. How do you find the best fit? I’m going to provide some methods to help you narrow down your options and find the optimal sports experience for your child.
What type of experience does each major sport provide for your child?
Although there are many options for youth sports like track, cheerleading, dance, golf, hockey, tennis, to name a few, I’m going to focus primarily on the four major recreational youth sports (Basketball, Soccer, Baseball/T-Ball, Flag Football). While participating in one of the four major sports, they all can offer some similar experiences. All four of the major sports are team sports and build sportsmanship in your youth. They teach the values of working together, following directions, physical activity, taking turns, learning from mistakes, building self-esteem and having fun.
Many parents look for team sports as a way for children to make friends and improve social skills. Your child may just be more introverted and enjoy individual sports better. It just depends on your child’s personality. Does your child have good reflexes? Does your child have a competitive streak? Does your child care more about being with others than being in a highly skilled sport? Is your child very active? Ask them what they like to do. All these factors can help identify the right sport and the best experience for your child.
It helps to have a basic understanding of some of the skills utilized in the sport to determine if it’s the right sport for your child or what level you should start your child at. It may be that you have found a good recreational league, but your child has more advanced skills, so putting them in that recreational league could bore your child, and cause them to be disinterested in the sport. Determining your child’s skill set may help in finding the right sport for them. If they are better skilled for a specific sport, they will probably have more success, which can lead to more enjoyment of that sport. It is still a good idea to explore a variety of sports, especially for beginners, and skill development can continue over time.
Let’s take a closer look at what types of skills and traits are utilized in each of the major sports helping you determine which sport is going to be the best option for your child.
Basketball is a fast paced game that utilizes a wide array of skills. It is important for youth to be able to think and process things fairly quickly, since the game moves at a fast pace. Basketball is a cardiovascular sport which consists of a lot of running or moving from spot to spot on the court. Balance, pivoting, jumping, arm strength (dribble, passing, and shooting) are all some skills that are prevalent in the game.
Soccer is another sport that utilizes the cardiovascular system, so being able to run for long periods of time is essential. Being agile with your feet and being able to move laterally and front to back is important in soccer. Your youth will be using their legs and feet a lot in soccer and will need to be able to move around while controlling a ball with their feet and have the leg strength to kick a ball.
T-Ball/Baseball uses skill sets that involve quick reflex and hand eye coordination. Youth need to be able to go periods of time maintaining focus on the field without much action, but be able to react quickly when a ball is hit at them. A lot of the running in baseball is done in short bursts, like running to a base or running to field a ball. Upper body strength is utilized in baseball to throw as well as hold and swing a bat.
Flag Football is a good combo of cardiovascular and short burst movements. The ability to sprint in short bursts up and down the field while also changing directions is critical in football. Some players utilize throwing motions and the ability to catch a ball are basic skills of flag football.
Now that you’ve thought more about the type of experience you can expect from youth sports, what you hope for your child to gain from youth sports, and which youth sport is the best fit for your child, let’s look at who will be working with your child to help create that optimal experience.
What are you looking for in a coach?
Volunteer– Some leagues and recreational sports are driven by parent volunteer coaches. It can be hit or miss on the experience with a volunteer coach. They may have very little knowledge about the sport, but just act as a positive support for your child. Some have more experience in the sport and can teach skills more effectively, but the main emphasis will be to have fun.
Club Sports– Many club coaches have previous playing experience in the sport and possibly some coaching experience. One thing about club sports is that coaches are in it to make money. This may not be their sole reason for doing it, but they can benefit more financially than someone coaching in the school system. Club coaches are looking for the best athletes to compete in tournaments with elite level athletes. They are focused on winning and may or may not be skilled in teaching player development. It can be a good opportunity for advanced level players to play against the top talent.
Personal coaches– Personal coaches are also in the business of making money. Again, I’m not saying this to deter people from utilizing these types of coach’s, but just to keep that in mind when looking for the right coach. Most coaches are in it for the right reasons, but there are some that aren’t, just like any profession. Personal coaches are often more trained in specific areas and may have some fitness training credentials. They can be great to help your youth to learn fundamentals of a specific sport. Personal coaches are also awesome for strength training, conditioning, or fitness training in sport movements to help youth excel in the sport of their choice.
School Coaches-Coaches in schools can have a variety of experiences. Many school coaches have playing experience or previous coaching experience at various levels, but some are just educators. You can read coaching bios on the school website to get more insight on the background of the coach. All coaches in the educational system are credential with at least a CPR/First Aid certification, background check, Fingerprint Clearance, some basic coaching certifications like courses on concussions, college degrees, and possibly teacher certification. A lot of the coaches in the educational system are usually just paid a small stipend for coaching. Most educational coaches are doing it for the love of the sport and helping mold young minds. They may have aspirations of coaching at a higher level, such as collegiate or professional sports. Following this insight into youth sports will help you to find the right sports for your child to experience youth wellness. Take advantage of getting your child involved in youth sports to gain all the beneficial life lessons that they will provide your child, but most of all help your child to have fun and live life well.
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