Youth sports are ramping up in ways that athletes decades ago could never have dreamed.  Camps, clinics, traveling teams, personal trainers and more make becoming an elite player far more of a reality than it once was.  And with that can also come an overwhelming amount of pressure to become more and measure.  But oddly enough, it also comes at a time that America’s youth are more inactive and sedentary than ever.

Sports done right can play a critical role in the healthy development of children and adolescents, regardless of their experience, skill level or athleticism.  But there are those critics voicing concerns that youth sports have far more drawbacks than benefits.  So who is right and what is the best choice for youth these days? 

  The CDC has reported that less than 25% of kids from six to seventeen have at least sixty minutes of physical activity every day.  In fact, 90% of American kids are considered inactive with 10 million kids easily fitting the description of “couch potato.”  Even with recess and scheduled PE, too many children are becoming sedentary, an epidemic that will have far reaching effects.

These statistics prove a great need for youth athletics to help the growing future have the strength, stamina and endurance for a long healthy life.  But anyone that has been involved in sports knows that there are far more benefits than just staying in shape.

Everyone knows that sports involvement will lead to greater strength and  cardiovascular health.   But often they overlook many other key physical benefits of regular sports involvement, especially for growing bodies.  The healthy stress on bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments will lead to denser bones, tighter joints, and stronger ligaments and tendons.  Elevated heart rate and blood pressure during activities help more efficiently and completely distribute blood flow throughout the body which is key for healthy growth and development.  

Sports involvement is as beneficial to mental health as it is physical.  Endorphins released in exercise are natural mood enhancers that can help combat problems with and reduce anxiety, depression and stress.  In addition, healthy competition can be a great way to release built up tension and frustrations, so long as they are channeled in a positive way.

There are beneficial lessons from both individual sports as well as team sports.  Individual sports force an athlete to learn independence, self-motivation, and discipline because their losses and achievements are due solely to themselves.  Team sports help athletes learn to work in concert with their teammates.  Sometimes those teammates can be inspiring and a great support, while other times they might help teach lessons of patience and working with
challenging people.

Coaches, leaders and mentors help players learn about responsibility and accountability.  With expectations on and off the court, athletes know they have a standard to play and live by that will affect far more than just themselves.  Natural leadership opportunities will teach them how to encourage, direct and guide others for success.

There are many social benefits from sports activities.  From making new friends to community connection, youth can find a greater circle of life-long supporters.

As youth begin to develop strong physical and mental strength, learn life lessons and make new connections, their self confidence and image will naturally improve.  They will see that they can do hard things and be disciplined as they work towards goals.  They will find greater satisfaction in earned victories over entitled handouts.

Unfortunately, there are some drawbacks that make youth sports a challenge.  The greatest challenges most parents admit to are the expenses and time that organized sports cost.  In order to be competitive, more and more is being asked of athletes, including their time and money.  Any physical activity will have the inherent risk of injury.  Coupling that with a healthy dose of competition and physical contact can increase the possibility even more.  Some worry that the pressure of competition, expectations of coaches, parents and peers, especially early on, is leading to too much stress and burnout.

Like all things, moderation and balance in sports is best for any athlete from the most gifted player to the most unathletic.  To get the greatest benefits out of their sporting experience athletes should set realistic goals, listen to their bodies to ensure they remain sound, and have healthy communication with their coaches and parents to help reduce competitive stress and pressure.  With a focus on the real purpose of athletics, the development of youth and players through the game, sports will have a great role in the life of an athlete.