There’s no question that involving our children in organized sports is as much a commitment for us as it is for them. And it can be really challenging to deal with overly intense parents who have us muttering under our breath, “It’s only a game….It’s only a game….” And it is particularly disheartening when we hear stories of poor sportsmanship among coaches, like the one that came out of South Pasadena last month about high school pole vaulter Robin Laird, whose winning leap was disqualified as a result of complaints from the opposing team’s coach because Laird was wearing a string friendship bracelet during her successful jump.
All that said, when parents ask me what they can do to boost their daughter’s self-esteem, always near the top of my list is the recommendation to get her involved in organized sports as early as possible. In spite of the many car rides we have to provide to multiple practices and games each week, signing on for snack duty and some financial commitment that will inevitably be required, the positive impact on our daughters’ overall well-being makes participation in organized sports an invaluable investment in her future.
1. Most importantly, participation increases self-esteem. This is extremely critical, as a girl going through adolescence is constantly being bombarded by media and peer messages, suggesting that her self-worth is determined only by her appearance and popularity. Being on an organized sports team helps build her confidence related to something she is doing rather than how she looks and talks.
2. Research confirms that girls who participate in sports do better in school. Regular exercise improves memory, concentration and learning which translates into a beautiful relationship between athletic involvement and academic success.
3. She will develop a healthy relationship with her body. In the present, it will serve her greatly to be in touch with how her body moves and feels and how she can establish a healthy balance between what she eats, how much and how well her body will perform based on the fuel she provides for it. Looking ahead, it will serve her throughout her life if she builds a strong, healthy body. A study out of Harvard Medical School reports that women who were physically active as girls have reduced incidence of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, endometrial cancer and breast cancer in their adult life.
4. Regular exercise is shown to diminish stress and mood swings. This is especially important in light of the fact that adolescent girls are faced with increasing sources of stress on all fronts. As parents we can also appreciate the outlet it provides for the roller coaster of emotions she is experiencing with increasing frequency. Physical activity is a healthy and effective outlet and will make her less likely to turn those emotions inward where they can become overwhelming.
5. She is less likely to engage in risky behavior. Studies show that girls who play sports begin having sex later, have fewer partners, lower pregnancy rates and are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol.
6. Sports require a sense of commitment. The ability to make and follow-through with a commitment and overcome challenge is essential to your daughter’s success in her future relationships, both personal and professional.
7. Organized sports teach the invaluable lesson of teamwork. Your daughter will be served throughout her life by skills that enable her to be a team player on the field, in the classroom, out in the work world and even within her own family.
8. Participation requires a girl to step up whenever it is her turn. Assuming responsibility, stepping into the spotlight and being measured publicly for her efforts is part of life in the real world. Learning how to do her best, even under pressure, and accepting the results will prove valuable in current and future endeavors.
9. Being on a team can build lifelong friendships. Strong bonds are often formed when uniting in a common and often challenging goal. At a time when your daughter may be dealing with “catty” behavior at school, the more experience she has building camaraderie with other girls, the better and stronger she will be as an individual.
