Community Corner
Creating a Positive Experience for Child Athletes May Help Make Them a Star One Day
Oswegoland Park District offers six competitive leagues where nurturing the child is more important than the outcome of the game.
The football season came to an end on Super Bowl Sunday and we couldn’t help but feel the excitement and yes, the stress of it.
Regardless of which team you were pulling for, it was obvious that the players on both sides were wearing either the joy or the heartbreak of the day on their battered shoulder pads. And 111 million people watched and judged them.
We judged them not only for their skillful plays, but we chattered post game about their attitudes, their expressions, their dedication, and how they encouraged their teammates. All of the characteristics that we value in celebrity players we strive to foster and grow in our children.
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Every player on that field was a little boy once experiencing their first brush with team sports. It’s likely they started the same way most kids do, in a city or park district run program with volunteer coaches who emphasized play rather than competition.
Early noncompetitive sports programs develop the child first by building self- confidence and offering skill development laced with encouragement. Kids learn to share the ball, support their teammates, and cheer for each other’s successes.
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Everyone has the opportunity to play, not just the kids who are considered the best or the fastest. Nurturing the child is more important than the team’s record.
Of course there is always a little undercurrent of competition in youth sports. It’s difficult to avoid completely because as adults, we thrive on it. But if we keep it in balance and allow each child to have a positive team experience, they’ll be more likely to stick with it.
And who knows, perhaps one day they may end up on the sidelines or on the field of one of the biggest games of the year while millions watch to see if they remember what they learned when they were 10.
Team sports offered by the Oswegoland Park District include soccer, T-ball & baseball, gymnastics, swimming, basketball, and flag football. Contact the Park District for more information or to volunteer.
