Why children should play sport.
We here, at Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust all know that physical activity is one of the best benefits of sports participation – getting outside and away from the lures of television and video games (all in good measure obviously!)
But, whilst sports and games give opportunities for exercise; to keep children in shape and healthy, there are also a vast variety of benefits over and above the physical side that will last long beyond the team or playing of the sport.
Self-esteem and confidence boosting
Sports and physical activity, we know from experience, has huge, positive impact on a child’s self-esteem. Learning to trust their own abilities as they grow and to push themselves.
They can teach motivation, help them excel in academics and improve social skills. Participation can also teach children the importance of goal setting and ambition - persistence is needed when you are a sportsperson and learning to deal with victories and set backs is all part and parcel of growing confidence.
Respecting the strengths and weaknesses of others and learning how to support and be inspired in equal measures is a wonderful thing to learn from a young age and being part of a sports team will always throw up that kind of mix. All important reasons to be encouraging our children to get moving and get involved in school sports or outside clubs.
Social skills
There really is nothing like being part of a team to build social skills! These skills not only benefit within that sporting moment but will benefit throughout life. Dealing with difficult people or difficult situations – all skills that can be learnt on the field, in the dojo, the sports-hall or swimming pool.
Social skills are not limited to simply interacting with peers but also prepare us for leadership skills, team building, and communication; valuable life skills that can be applied to school, future careers and personal relationships. As an aside, it also allows children to confidently engage with those outside of their peers, communicating with older children and adults allowing them to express themselves appropriately, a skill so often forgotten about.
Lifelong wellness
Finally, lifelong health is something important to us, health and wellness shouldn’t be limited to children but encouraged into adulthood. Being active (we hope) brings with it an awareness of healthy life choices for example eating well and ensuring the right nutrition is fuelling all that energy, sleeping well, learning how to deal with daily stress and more - and that can only be a positive thing.
So, if you have a team that needs funding – get in touch, we know how important team spirit is as a whole, and to the individual.
