Parenting :: Building Self-Esteem Through Sports

Image courtesy of The New Agenda

Recently my daughter has become very interested in soccer.  This newfound love comes with a big sigh of relief for me because I too, was a soccer player for over 10 years.  I remember when this “new sport from England” (that is how it was described by our PE teacher) was introduced to me at the age of 8 while in second grade.  I immediately fell in love with the soccer and went on to play for many years.  When my daughter played for the first time last fall she didn’t seem particularly interested in it – in fact I practically had to beg her (and my husband) to give it another chance as she didn’t really get much coaching that season.  Fast forward to this past season where she was coached by two fantastic dads who understood the importance of good coaching.  They were absolutely amazing and taught the girls not only about the game itself, but talked about the importance of being an “honorable” person on and off the field.  They would do things like after every game and practice have each girl talk about something honorable they did during the week.  They would share things they did like cleaning up their rooms without being asked or helping their mom out with a sibling.  Then the coaches would decide who would get the “Honor Ball” for the good deeds they did either on the field or at home or school.

I feel strongly about my daughter playing sports because I know firsthand what sports can do for a person. It was through my ability as a soccer player and playing on a team that helped me meet new friends when we moved several times when I was young. My daughter has found new confidence in her skills and now feels comfortable playing soccer at recess.  After spending nearly the whole year of first grade floating from group to group and not really having a group of kids to hang out with – she finally found her crew – the soccer players who happen to be mostly boys! It brings a smile to my face to see how happy she is and that she loves playing soccer every day.  She even insists on wearing only soccer gear to school so she is ready and rearing to go.  This newfound confidence has affected her schoolwork as well.  She is a much better reader and I do feel these two things are connected. In fact research has found that girls who play sports do better in school. You might think that athletics will take up all your study time. But research shows that girls who play sports do better in school than those who don’t. Exercise improves learning, memory, and concentration, which can give active girls an advantage in the classroom. (Source: Kids Health).

Finding A Sport That Your Child Enjoys:

Ask them what they would like to try:  My husband and I sat down with my daughter and talked about the different sports available and a bit about each one.  I asked if she would like to try out a sport (soccer) that I played as a kid.  You can outline what each sport is about and see what they might like to try.  But don’t be afraid to make some suggestions based on what you enjoyed – they are your child and may (or may not) have similar preferences when it comes to sports.

Try several sports: We had tried several different sports before we found a good fit for her personality. You never know what might be a good fit until they have tried it.  And even then, let them try a couple seasons to see if a different coach brings something new to the game.  I am so glad that I insisted on her giving soccer another shot because I had a feeling this just might be her sport – which does secretly make this former soccer player extremely happy!

Join a Sports Camp:  We plan to have her attend a basketball camp this summer through our local university.  Check your city listings to see what camps are available over the summer.  This is a great way to get an introduction to a new sport and less intimating as they usually focus on the fun aspects of the game and less about competing.

Some of the benefits we see with girls that play sports include:

~ High school girls who play sports are less likely to be involved in an unintended pregnancy; more likely to get better grades in school and more likely to graduate than girls who do not play sports.

~ Girls and women who play sports have higher levels of confidence and self-esteem and lower levels of depression.

~ Girls and women who play sports have a more positive body image and experience higher states of psychological well-being than girls and women who do not play sports.

What sports do your children enjoy?

References:

Women’s Sports Foundation