Get Out

One thing that I wish I would been more involved with while I was younger is sports.  Many positive things can occur as a result of being active in sports while you are young.

1.      It forces you to get out- while many teens come home, retreat to their room, and turn on the tv and the gaming system, it is much healthier (literally) for that person to get out and get active. 

2.      It teaches you to work with a team- working on a team is hard.  So is leadership.  By playing sports, you learn both.

3.      It builds relationships- I have had many strong relationships form as a result of sports in the past. 

4.      It teaches you discipline- discipline is one key trait that helps determine how far you will go in life.  if you live an undisciplined life, it will catch up to you. 

There are just a few of the benefits that can occur as a result of being involved in sports.  However, even with all of these positives, you need to be cautious:

Here’s why

1.      Sports add stress- people have expectations.  Parents, coaches, and friends will all expect you to live up to a certain standard.  Don’t let any unrealistic or negative standards get you down.  And parents; you need to support your son and daughter when it comes to them and sports. 

2.      Sports add peer pressure- even if sports help you to be a part of the in crowd, you need to be cautious.  Being involved in sports can connect you to parties, sex, drugs, and drinking; just to name a few.  Sports add peer pressure.  

Sports are great.  Some of the things that go with it- not so much.  But if you are careful and participate for the positives-while avoiding the negatives- then there is much good that can come from it.  

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Clark, Chap. Hurt 2.0: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers (youth, Family, and Culture). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2011.