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I was first exposed to the world of competitive youth sports when my daughter was in second grade and I learned that a few of the girls on her softball team were getting private pitching and batting lessons. I didn't think about it much at that time, but now that my daughter is 14 and has absolutely no desire to pick up a baseball bat, I'm glad I didn't waste my money on private lessons for a 7-year-old. My daughter is fairly athletic and loves playing volleyball for high school and a club team, but I have to wonder about all those young kids who've been pushed by their parents to excel in competitive sports. Some are natural athletes and probably should be urged to give their personal best, but what about those kids who are mediocre athletes? Or what about those children who are naturally unathletic? Are the sports programs that exist today meeting their needs? "One of the problems today," notes Scott Bowman, assistant principal and former P.E. teacher at Rancho San Joaquin Middle School in Irvine, "is that the competitive nature of sports has meant that some kids stop playing by the time they're 11 because they feel they're not the best." Bowman adds that the situation gets worse in high school when only athletic superstars join the teams. "In terms of physical education, I don't worry about the several kids in a class who are proven athletes. I worry about the others who deserve the right to participate in sports." According to Bowman, although some children may be more athletic than others, every child can develop skills and proficiency in at least one sport, dance or game if they are shown the mechanics of the skill. In some cases, parents may have to look beyond traditional soccer and baseball for children who are less athletic and competitive. Carla Mays of Fountain Valley found that the martial arts fit her 9-year-old son, who never enjoyed traditional sports. "My son is the type of kid who doesn't like to play sports or Rollerblade with the neighborhood kids," she says. "But he loves Tae Kwon Do and I've noticed that he's become more coordinated and self-confident since he started this activity." Bowman adds that individual sports also are more appropriate for many children because there is not as much emphasis on winning. "Track is the perfect example," he notes. "You could finish dead last in a race but still improve your time by 15 seconds, which is a big accomplishment." Building coordination is one of the important steps for children who are less athletic. Many uncoordinated children lack a sense of rhythm, yet even if they are unable to play club soccer, they can improve and feel less awkward when participating in sports. Music lessons also help a child develop a sense of rhythm and hand-eye coordination, which are both necessary in physical activities. The best physical education programs for children who are not athletic emphasize fitness instead of team sports. "Some kids may not be able to play football or soccer as well as others, but they are still able to stay fit and enjoy physical activities," says Bowman. "It's important to create a structure that rewards these kids for their physical pursuits and instills an incentive for them to stay fit throughout their lives." As Bowman points out, a person's knowledge and understanding of fitness far outweighs their scores on a particular fitness exercise test or in a specific game. Dr. Daniel Cooper, a pediatrician and professor at UC Irvine, notes that children's motor skills develop at different rates, so parents shouldn't become too concerned if their young child strikes out more than the rest of his teammates. We've all heard the stories of athletes such as Darin Erstad and Michael Jordan, who were first turned down by their schools' sports teams. Jordan could not even make his high school varsity team until after he grew five inches between 10th and 11th grade. Many children who choose to avoid athletic pursuits are at a disadvantage, not only because they lack regular exercise that promotes fitness, but also because they miss out on the other benefits of a sports program. "Participating in sports helps children understand the importance of goal-setting, dedication, motivation, teamwork and other forms of abstract behavior," stresses Bowman. "These are areas that will help them the rest of their lives." Carol Daus is a freelance writer who lives in Huntington Beach with her husband and three children. |
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