When Should Children Begin Competing in Competitive Sports?
- by WONDERMOM
- Feb. 7, 2023
If your kid has an interest in or aptitude for childhood sports, the issue of whether he or she is ready for a competitive sports team (or for solo competition) will arise immediately. The answer depends on the kid; some are better equipped to handle the increased strain that competition brings. Consider these variables while making your choice.
Is Your Child of Adequate Age?
Experts in juvenile sports and child development concur that children are not ready for competition until at least the age of eight. Prior to then, they cannot take the pressures of winning, losing, and being evaluated and assessed on their performance.
Sports should be about physical exercise, having fun, learning new abilities, and establishing the foundation for good sportsmanship for children under the age of eight. Some youngsters may be exposed to competitive sports beyond this age.
This does not imply that all children will be ready for competitive sports by age eight. Before the age of 10, many youngsters are able to comprehend some of the complexities inherent to competition.
Developmentally, children who play competitively must have enough self-control and an extended attention span.
They must be mature enough to listen to and respect the coach and the group teaching norms. If your kid is really enthusiastic about soccer but lacks the patience to repeat practice routines, she may not be ready to join a competitive team.
Is Your Child Adequately Skilled?
Passion does not necessarily equate to skill. Your youngster may like basketball, but if he joins a team that is too advanced for him, he will wind up sitting on the sideline. Naturally, competitive sports teams put a greater priority on winning, which results in less playing time for less gifted players.
Does Your Child Desire Competition?
Before placing a payment, ensure that your child’s heart is really in this endeavor. Do they want to join a team since their buddies are already members? Or because their parents (maybe unconsciously) encouraged them to do so? If they really want to push themselves to the next level, that’s fantastic! But if they don’t, they may still enjoy their chosen sport in a recreational or non-competitive league, or via pickup games with friends and family.
Also assess if your kid might benefit more from team or solo competition.
This depends much on your child’s personality. Some children thrive on team spirit, while others want more autonomy over their own destinies. Some children discover that teamwork alleviates strain. Others are more concerned, fearing they may let their comrades down.
Focus on the Appropriate Motives
The gap between “competing to win” and “competing to excel” is significant. To compete to win is to attempt to “dominate and exceed” others, but to compete to excel is to “perform well and achieve personal ambitions.”
Competing athletes are still determined to achieve success.
Their drive, however, comes from within: “I want to be the greatest that I can be,” rather than “I want to smoke all the other rivals.” Competing for excellence shifts the focus away from winning and losing. The emphasis switches to leveraging competition to motivate individual accomplishment. Competing for excellence is sometimes referred to as “personal development competitiveness,” “task-oriented competition,” and “the urge to do well.”
Even if your kid does not win a race, congratulate her when she accomplishes a personal best. Observe and remark when he makes a significant contribution to his team, regardless of the outcome of the game. Remind him that you are proud of his practice, tenacity, and effort, not simply his triumphs and awards.
Family Preparedness
If your kid joins a team, particularly an elite or travel team, you will make a substantial financial and time investment. You will almost probably be expected to give volunteer hours (and/or fundraising funds) to the team, club, or league, in addition to transporting your kid to practices and games.