Sportsmanship is not just about playing the sport, but all those physical and psychological traits you want to develop in your children. Patience, tolerance, determination, and fitness are among many essential qualities that playing a sport develops in your children. That is why most parents want their children to take part in at least one sporting activity. Although not all children are interested in sports, and not every parent gets the opportunity to see their kids playing a team sport such as basketball and donning youth basketball uniforms. It is crucial to coax them into taking up at least one sport for the following reasons.

Developing self-confidence

Self-confidence is the most required quality that children need to develop from a very early age. When young athletes play well, their self-esteem and confidence elevate by praising their coaches, mates, and parents. Their performance shows them the value of making their own identity. You must have seen that even a school-level basketball team outfits the players in custom basketball. Although they don't have to follow the league regulations, they still go to lengths to teach their team that their identity matters. They learn to be confident in their abilities.

On the other hand, young minds should always have a guide to tell them how to handle their confidence and victory with respect and control. It becomes the parent’s role to keep their children focused on the positive things they can learn from sports activities. Parents must encourage them to play sports for enjoyment and not only for winning and praise.

Social development

When a child participates in team sports, he develops a wide range of skills to move in society. A team provides children with a circle outside of their classroom where they learn to make new acquaintances and interact with various personalities in other team members. During training and the game, they develop a tolerance level for others. Synchronizing is a trait that is very difficult for even adults to adopt, but children participating in team sports learn this tactic at a very young age. They know that you have to work together in a team to achieve a goal. They know how to share the glory of winning and the despair of losing. Compromising and sacrificing for others is something that builds a socially responsible and compassionate human being. When a child plays with his team, he learns to put himself in second place to benefit the entire team. All the traits that a child develops through sports participation turn him into a socially successful human in every setting.

Psychological development to cope with failure.

A person succeeds when he learns from failures, and you can only learn from your losses when you accept the defeat with an open mind and heart. Learning to accept and cope with defeat is an essential lesson in life. You can empower your children with this strength by letting them participate in sports activities. Every sport has a winner and a loser. A sportsman learns the value of both experiences at a very early stage. Athletes learn to accept their defeat gracefully, analyze the causes, and work on the mistakes to eliminate them. When your children start their journey in the sports realm, they face losses and failures many times. The experience teaches them to rise again from the fall without being ashamed and discouraged. They learn to control their despair after losing a game. This coping mechanism makes them resilient against all the potential hardships in life.

Development of discipline and respect 

Sports require complete submission to the rules. Every player has to follow the rules and submit to the authorities, such as coaches and referees. Following the disciplines in practice sessions and the game is another essential part of an athlete’s life. An athlete also has to learn that criticism from coaches and management is constructive for them. When children learn to respect the value of discipline, rules, authority, and constructive criticism, they develop traits such as tolerance, patience, and acceptance for the more extensive benefits, even when they disagree with them.

Physical fitness

All sports activities have profound benefits for mental and physical health. Research says that girls who play sports demonstrate a greater acceptance and acknowledgment of their body image. The positive emotional experience and healthy practices of a sport make children mentally and physically strong. Various studies have proved that people who are not physically active are more prone to depression and anxiety than sporty people.

The final words

COVID-19 has limited children and adults indoors, primarily affecting children's engagement in sports activities. But if we look at the US Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (2016), the stats do not give us a perfect picture, even back when the world was free of COVID. According to the survey, 14% of children did not have any physical activity. 27% of children were involved in physical activity for at least 60 minutes each day. The survey also found that 14% of children were facing obesity and 16% were overweight. Although the number of physically active children is more than the number of inactive ones, the number needs to increase for a physically and mentally healthier nation.