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Written by Susan Haine
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Youth Athletics
Matt Banford, 17, has participated in Doylestown Athletic Association’s basketball
program since he was 9 years old—as a player, a spectator when his siblings were
on the court, and, now, as a coach. The most important thing he learned as part of
the organization: confi dence.
“It’s a fun league, there’s not a lot of pressure,” he said. “Kids go
out, they play, they have a good time—and they understand that win or
lose, it’s just a game. That really helps you when you’re older and
playing at a high school level.”
The DAA serves about 3,000 children in Bucks County annually, with programs in softball and
baseball, field hockey, lacrosse, volleyball and basketball. Art Bass, DAA president, said no matter
what sport a child plays, the focus should be that they enjoy themselves.
“We promote seminars for our coaches and parents through the Positive
Coaching Alliance from Stanford University,” he said. “The main
objective that I try to impress on our parents and coaches is for the
kids to have fun, and then more fun.”
The DAA’s approach to youth athletics ensures that a child, no matter
what his or her skill level, is able to participate in every game. For
example, on every DAA basketball team, it is required that each child
play four minutes every quarter.
“We want to make sure that kids aren’t sitting on the bench the whole
game and then put in at the very end,” said Bass. “Every player gets
equal time and an equal opportunity to succeed.”
Additionally, when parents sign their child up for a DAA league, they
are required to sign a zero tolerance policy through which, under no
circumstances, can coaches, players, spectators or parents yell out, or
question officials during a game. Angry tones, criticism and sarcasm
are prohibited, as are profanity, and abusive language.
Bass said this fosters an environment where kids can learn to love a sport—they play simply because they like to play.
In an age where playing a sports game on Nintendo Wii is considered
exercise, where athletic programs are being cut from schools, and where
the average American child watches nearly 20 hours of television per
week, more and more adults and community organizations are getting
involved with keeping kids active. An estimated 41 million American
kids participate in competitive youth sports.
According to Laurence Steinberg, a professor of psychology at Temple
University whose studies focus on adolescent development, participation
in athletics not only occupies children in a healthy activity, but it
also teaches kids lessons about perseverance, teamwork, cooperation and
communication. But beyond the more immediate social and physical
benefits that come with participation in athletics, studies show that
children who are active are less likely to develop diseases in
adulthood, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
According to the American Heart Association, more than 10 percent of
American children between the ages of 2 and 5 are already overweight or
obese. If these children engage in about an hour and a half of physical
activity daily—structured or unstructured—they are more likely to
maintain a healthy weight as they grow older. In short, active kids
become active adults.
The key to keeping children interested in a sport—any sport—is to be a
conscientious sport parent.
Dr. Joel Fish, director of the Center for Sport Psychology in
Philadelphia and author of “101 Ways to be a Terrific Sports Parent,”
said participation in athletics should be enjoyable, whether or not a
child is a star player. Win or lose, every experience is a learning
experience.
“I think sports can represent a great opportunity to handle
frustration, disappointment, to learn that you can’t always get what
you want, to learn how to be more assertive,” said Fish, who is also a
parent to three student athletes. “The biggest responsibility as a
parent is not to define success through statistics—how many times a
child scores. Instead, I remind parents, athletes and coaches that
winning isn’t everything.”
Fish has worked with such sporting organizations as the Philadelphia
Phillies, the 76ers and the USA Women’s National Soccer Team. He hosts
workshops and conferences nationwide, addressing professional athletes,
as well as youth athletes, coaches and parents about reaching full
athletic potential, teaching them how to relax while participating in a
stressful sporting environment, and how to become a more positive
player.
“I’ve had the same conversation with parents in Philadelphia as I’ve
had in Maine and Florida—parents are concerned about their children
being successful. I remind parents that they control the messages they
give their kids about competition,” he said. “It is up to parents to
teach kids a way to keep perspective and learn how to handle the highs
and lows that come along with competition. This will prepare them to
better handle the highs and lows that come along with life.”
Susan Haine is the editor of LifeStyle Magazine.
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