One way that we can promote emotional and physical health is through encouraging our youth to participate in organized sports. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that "Participation in organized sports provides an opportunity for young people to increase their physical activity and develop physical and social skills. However, when the demands and expectations of organized sports exceed the maturation and readiness of the participant, the positive aspects of participation can be negated. The nature of parental or adult involvement can also influence the degree to which participation in organized sports is a positive experience for preadolescents."
The AAP recognizes that organized sports help kids physically and socially. They also note that there is controversy in the participation of very young children in such sports because of what their bodies can handle and what they can emotionally endure when it comes to competition and feedback on their performance. It is noted that the pressure to perform well in sports can be difficult for some personality types.
Studies have shown that children do not physically become capable of throwing, hitting, or other motor skills because of early introduction to things like organized sports. Free play promotes the same development in the child's time and gives them more room for learning more overall skills than just the specific ones used by different organized sports. For teens the issue is not really about development so much as the fact that teens who are involved in extra curricular activities typically do not turn to drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity or crime. Teens need things to fill their time and foster good self esteem so that they can withstand the peer pressure to do certain things.
Parents and doctors should work together to decide what any child of any age is capable of and what is good for them physically, mentally and emotionally. It is important to note here that some teens only go to school because they have to get decent grades to play on a football team or other team. If this is what is the motivator to get a student to finish school it may not be the best decision to take the sporting activity away from them. Everyone needs a niche where they are successful, confident and have a feeling of belonging and acceptance.
