Differences Between Competition Sports and Little League

Participation in sports has been linked to building confidence in children and has been said to help them develop socialization skills, leadership qualities, the ability to accept responsibility and the ability to express emotion in a controlled way. As good as many of these qualities are, it is also important to note that when children are forced into competition too early, they can also develop stress, get injured or burn out on their sport and not want to play anymore. This article will examine the differences between Little League and competitive sports.

  1. Little League

    • Over 3 million children in the U.S. alone participate in Little League. Although every year a Little League Baseball World Series is played that is very competitive, many children join Little League to have fun, learn the game and make friends. Little League emphasizes fair play and good behavior by players and parents. In contrast to more competitive sports, Little League teams are often coached by parents or community members. The teams are divided into age groups with a focus on teaching the game and allowing equal playing time for each team member.

    Competitive Sports

    • Competitive sports also focus on fair play and good behavior from the players and the fans. However, competitive sports like basketball and football often have tryouts where only the best athletes make the team. More and more college and high school coaches feel pressure to win and start scouting athletes in these competitive sports at young ages. These athletes feel immense pressure to perform at a very high level at a very young age. Coaches are often chosen based on their athletic expertise and can be paid, whereas Little League coaches are usually volunteers. While Little League promotes having fun and learning the game, competitive sports focus more on winning and losing.

    Parenting Pressure

    • In both Little League and competitive sports, parents can put excessive pressure on their kids. If kids feel too much pressure to win, they may not want to play anymore and develop negative feelings toward the game, as well as other children who are participating. Although there may be pressure from kids to perform better or to win more games, the number of parents who pressure their kids increases dramatically in competitive sports. The parents focus too much on practicing and winning at all costs and create "burnout" in their children.

    Benefits of Participation

    • Besides the benefits discussed earlier, participation in sports offers kids long-term pluses. With the increase of childhood obesity in our nation, Little League participation keeps kids active and teaches them to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Also, it has been shown that students who play a sport are more likely to graduate from high school and college. This is believed to be due to the work ethic learned through managing time and being competitive.