Signing Your Child Up for Sports

The number of youth involved in organized sports in the United States is estimated to be over 50 million (United States Census Bureau, 2000). If you are a parent living in the United States, this means the odds are very good that you will, at some point, consider signing your son or daughter up to participate in a sport. When thinking about this course of action, though, there are several things to keep in mind ahead of time.

1. Does your child want to participate in the sport? This is the first question you need to ask yourself when considering signing your child up for a sport. It may seem like common sense, but some parents attempt to live vicariously through their children by forcing them to play sports.

If a child is placed into a sport he or she does not want to play, it will become a headache for you to get them to practices, they can be disruptive to the team as a whole, and you might end wasting a lot of your time and money.

To prevent this from happening, simply ask your child ahead of time. Be sure to ask as neutrally as possible, because children are incredibly perceptive and will answer "yes," if that is the answer they think you want to hear. Make sure they understand that it is up to them.

2. Is your child willing to take on the commitment? Participating in a sport requires a lot of time and effort on behalf of the child. Practices, on top of school, will take up time during the week and often sporting events take place on the weekend.

When asking your child if he/she wants to participate in the sport, make it clear how much of a commitment is at stake. Explain how frequently practices will occur and establish expectations for staying on top of schoolwork. Also, make sure your child knows if the sporting events do take place on the weekends, because that can be a major time commitment for their days "off."

3. Are you willing to take on the commitment? Driving, fund raising, and watching events are all part of being a sport parent. The school or recreational center where your child practices will probably host events (tournaments, games, meets, etc.), but the events might occur at other venues, as well. Are you prepared to drive to a different school?

Fund raising is often needed for sports teams of all types. Your child might need to sell candy bars or work at a carwash to raise money for the team. As a parent, you will probably be expected to help out in some capacity. Perhaps you will need to drive your child to relatives' homes and help sell candy or supply buckets and rags for the big carwash.

Depending on the sport, watching a meet or tournament could take up an entire weekend. If you've had a long week at work, that is an incredible time commitment. Is it worth it for you, though, to see your child perform at a sport they have worked so hard at all week long? The time commitment is definitely something you will need to keep in mind.

4. Sports can be expensive. This factor does depend, to at least a fair extent, on the sport in which your child/children will be playing. The equipment needed to join a swim team, for example, is considerably less than what is needed for hockey. Additionally, some athletic programs may supply equipment, thereby reducing some of the cost.

Even if a program does have some of the equipment, though, the odds are still high that you will have to supply something or other. Equipment, admission to events, and gifts for coaches are all expenses that add up.

Ultimately you need to ask yourself if the potential rewards of healthy social interaction, sense of accomplishment and improved physical well-being are worth the time and effort required of both you and your future athlete.