Why are most American kids getting turned off by sports by the time they should be really leaping into it?
~Steve Biddulph, author, Raising Boys and Raising Girls
helping children reach important social, emotional and cognitive developmental milestones, plus managing stress and becoming resilient. Payne observes, “In free play, chil-
dren have to actively problem solve and take one another’s feelings into account if the play is to be successful. In sports, the social problem solving is largely ex- trinsic, facilitated by coaches, referees or parents. During a child’s formative stages, between the ages of 5 and 12, having the freedom to develop, create and innovate is critical.” Creativity isn’t limited to only
younger children. How sports are taught in this country at all levels, right up through college, often inhibits ath- letic creativity and problem solving—as Levy has noticed year after year in the freshmen players she trains—rather than fostering these attributes.
A Better Alternative It’s crucial to consider the whole child, not just the budding athlete. To revive a child’s imagination and create better conditions for developing creativity, re- siliency and flexibility, contemplate the option of taking a child out of organized youth sports for a while to provide the time, space and opportunity to redis- cover childhood play and games. Then support them in re-entering organized athletics when they’re a bit older and more physically and emotionally ready. Also, some kids that get heavily in-
volved in highly structured youth sports too early may be prone to behavioral problems and serious physical injuries. The best thing a parent can do for a young child that is active and interested in sports is roll up their sleeves and join in unscripted backyard or playground
family play. Kids thrive in the attention offered from mom or dad, regardless of parental athletic skill levels. Also, or- ganize play dates with other neighbor- hood kids of varying ages, because they love to learn from each other, including how to work out disagreements. Once kids are socially, emotionally
and physically ready, organized sports can be an amazing platform for fun- filled learning. Having already experi- enced healthy free play, a child will be ready for and thrive in a more focused, competitive, organized and structured play environment. Fortified by a creative foundation in earlier years, a youngster is better able to identify and express their own mind, body and spirit.
Luis Fernando Llosa is the co-author of Beyond Winning: Smart Parenting in a Toxic Sports Environment and co-founder of
WholeChildSports.com. A writer, speaker and former Sports Illustrated reporter, he lives in New York City, where he coaches his five kids. For more information, visit
LuisFernandoLlosa.com.
natural awakenings
September 2015
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