Go team! A look at youth sports

As parents, we always want to expose our children to experiences that will benefit them in both the short and long term.

We take them to the libraries or places like the Museum of Innovation and Science in Schenectady or the Via Aquarium in Rotterdam or the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center in Delmar to learn and see new things.

But how about the experience of youth sports? The fields of the Capital Region, from Bethlehem to Ballston Spa, are filled with youngsters playing football, soccer, field hockey and fall baseball these days.

Is that right for your child?

The perils of youth sports are in the news these days with all the talk of concussions in football. Still, youth sports can be a huge positive for both boys and girls as they grow up.

Some of the benefits:

• Learning to be part of a team at an early age. Life is about teamwork, and there’s no better way to learn at a young age about the need to work together as teammates, say, on the soccer field.
• Having a chance to make new friends outside the classroom. Sharing an interest in the sport is a good start to forming friendships. That social development at a young age is paramount to a child’s future success.
• Learning perseverance. Even the best hitters in baseball make an out two out of every three times they bat. Sports show kids that they won’t succeed every time.
• Meeting children from different backgrounds. Teams draw kids from beyond a school’s boundaries. At a young age, children will get to know others from different cultures and backgrounds -- an important experience to have as they grow up.
• Living with loss. Teams lose and win. Learning to cope with loss and win graciously are important skills to learn early.
• Handling pressure. As children age and move up the ranks, they learn how to handle situations under pressure, such as trying out for a high school team.
• Gaining a lifetime of memories. Participation in youth sports can provide positive memories and experiences. Many adults say their best friends are those whom they met in youth sports.

​Yes, there are negatives. Frequently, they are created when parents and coaches put too much pressure on children to succeed. By tempering your expectations, and watching how the team is structured, your child will be able to have fun. She might find out that softball isn’t for her, and that’s OK. She had the chance to play and be a part of a team. That experience is priceless and will only help her down the road as she goes on to her next event and adventure.