Pro-Social Issues of Children in Sports

Participating in sports has more benefits than physical well-being. Although engaging in sports seems like just entertainment, there is a deeper level of benefit. Through sports, children will begin to learn positive social standards and behavior. Engaging in sports at a young age will introduce children to many issues, and the socially accepted way to handle them.

  1. Self Confidence and Esteem

    • Participating in sports-related activities -- in school, organized teams, or with friends -- can positively impact a child's self confidence and self esteem. Positive reinforcement through praise from a coach, teammates, parents and spectators will raise the confidence of the child, as well as improve her sense of self worth. Bonding with other teammates can also create friendships that can last for the rest of a child's life.

    Proper Emotion Management

    • Participating in sports familiarizes children with the joy of victory and the anguish of defeat. With each loss, a child will experience a subset of emotions, including disappointment, frustration and anger. Sports allows children to learn how to constructively react to negative emotions. Children will then be able to use the coping mechanisms learned from sports in other components of their life -- including issues with school, family and friends. They will learn to use the same tools first realized in sports to manage emotions and resolve conflicts in other aspects of their lives without violence or negative behavior.

    Goal Setting and Attainment

    • Sports often have a set of goals that, if achieved, signifies success. Basketball, for example, sets common goals such as scoring more points than your opponent, out performing an opposing player who plays the same position, or committing the fewest turnoverrs. A player who often sets goals in a game will feel a sense of accomplishment with himself and with teammates. Children can apply the same concepts in other aspects of their life. Setting goals such as good grades, completing daily chores and other enrichment activities will enhance a child's life once attained.

    Acceptance

    • Often a child who participates in a sport will have teammates of different races, personalities, religions or even genders. Constant interaction with these teammates will create lasting bonds. Additionally, the child will learn to accept people who may look or act differently from themselves as equals. As a child becomes an adult, she will be less likely to engage in sexism, racism, elitism or any other prejudice.