Pros & Cons of a Child Sportsman

A child sportsman is any child who takes part in one sport or many, which could be at a recreational or at a professional level. Many of the pros and cons of being a child sportsman can be relevant for children who partake in sports, regardless of the level at which they play. While the health and social benefits of partaking in sports can be profound, there are also less-favorable effects of child sportsmanship.

  1. Winning and Losing

    • Participating in sports can help children to understand that life is not only about winning. The child will win some games and lose others, and sport can help them to learn that they won't always get their own way in life. Team sports can also help to teach children the value of teamwork and working with others to reach a common goal. These are all-important life lessons that children will take into adulthood. However, being in an environment where you are either a winner or loser can also have negative consequences. Competitive sports can put pressure on children to win and be the best. If they do not win, children may acquire a low self-esteem.

    Learning

    • Playing sports stimulates the brain, which in turn can help children understand and retain new ideas. Child sportsmen can therefore have a helping hand in the classroom when learning new topics. Sports also teach children to read situations quickly and respond accordingly, which helps to develop their problem solving skills in other situations outside of sport. On the other hand, getting heavily involved in sports can have a negative impact on children's' education. If they are talented at a sport and start training several times a week, their classroom learning can suffer.

    Physical Development

    • With more and more children suffering from weight problems and obesity, undertaking sports is a great opportunity for children to get some physical exercise and keep their bodies healthy. Children are less likely to suffer from weight issues as adults if they are physically active from a young age. However, physical exercise does not only have a positive effect on children's' bodies. As children are still growing, sports can cause long-term injuries due to repetitive movements undertaken in sports. Overuse of joints and tendons as a child can cause joint and tendon problems in later life such as early onset of arthritis.

    Injuries

    • As well as potentially causing long-term joint problems, children who play sports are at high risk of injury. Four million children go to the emergency room every year for sports-related injuries, and a further eight million are treated for sports injuries by their family physicians. It is important that children undertake sports that use safe equipment and that are appropriate for their age, but injuries do still come with the territory of being involved in sports.

    Leadership Skills

    • Sports help children to develop numerous life skills, including the ability to lead and acquire self-discipline. Children who play sports are likely to not only be comfortable in group settings but may gain the ability to take control of a situation when required. Developing the ability to set goals and achieve them is also something that children can learn through sports, and this is another useful skill to have in adulthood.