Having participated in competitive sports in high school, intramurals in college, and casual sports leagues to this day, I’m happy to say that sports have been an integral part of my life. I’d like to think that this was all thanks to my own natural inclination for sports, but the people I should really be thanking are my parents. Those weekends at the park playing Horse on the basketball courts with my dad probably contributed more than anything else to my love and eventual participation in sports.
That said, it’s a great idea to get your kids active early on, and with summer break coming up they’ll have a lot of free time to put towards something like sports. There are more ways than one to get your kid started but here are a few suggestions that can get the ball rolling.
Sports Camp
There are tons of summer sports camps around that you can sign your child up for. These are great if you’re working long days and don’t have a lot of free time to spend looking after your kids uring the day. Also, one of the best parts about this is that it really encourages your kid to make friends and learn how to work with others.
Hire a Coach
If you are serious about your kid getting into a specific sport, hiring a coach may be the best way to get them going with a strong base in the fundamentals. There are coaches that do group lessons with other kids which is a great alternative to private one on one lessons which tend to be more expensive and stressful for your child.
The most important thing to think about when considering this option is how your child feels about getting these lessons. It should be an activity that they enjoy and look forward to, which depends heavily on finding the right coach for your child. Make sure you talk with your child and get feedback from them because after all, they are the ones going through the lesson, not you.
Teach Them Yourself
There’s nothing better than spending quality time with your child and sharing your passion for sports with them. Having enough energy and time is always going to be an issue for busy parents, but you should always remember that they’re only kids once and you’re not going to get the time back once it passes you by.
In the end, it’s all about getting your kids active and giving them a chance to grow through sports, so talk to them and see what they’re interested in. You both will be happy to see the results after it’s all said and done.
This article was written by Andrew Poon of the Bluefields Coaching Blog. Bluefields is a free online platform where you can communicate with and organize your sports team with ease. We believe that the time you spend on the court should be as simple and fun as the time you spend on it. Get started today at Bluefields.com
