When I was younger, I was an absolute sports fanatic. I knew every stat, player, and piece of history of the four major U.S. sports (sorry I was born in the U.S. in the 1970's so no soccer for me yet). But now that I am a father and a teacher, I look at sports through a different sense. I am not as obsessed with professional sports nearly as much as I once was. I now focus on "regular" kids participating in sports. When I say "regular" I simply mean kids who aren't going to grow up to be professional athletes... like my two children and my students.
Sports can play an incredibly important role in children's lives... and that is why I love them today.
First, sports help kids develop healthy bodies. It is far too easy in today's world filled with constant distractions to sit on the couch and watch TV, play video games, or use your phone to watch videos of other people playing video games (I still don't get that one). Sports give an excuse for kids to move. They are also a great motivation for adults in children's lives to move with them. Not only is playing catch with my son or shooting baskets with my daughter great exercise, it provides one on one bonding time with them. You don't have to have any talent to exercise and bond with your kids. Just the time and the knowledge of what is truly important in life. And if you can't physically keep up with them, you can always watch and cheer them on!
Second, sports teach the invaluable lesson of perseverance. Very few people have such natural talent that they can simply walk onto a field and adequately compete in a sport. It takes practice and hard work. Kids need to learn to keep going when a task is difficult. They will need that skill in their future education, jobs... and relationships. Sports provides so many opportunities to practice a new and difficult skill... and then practice it some more.
Sports also offer one of the greatest lessons in life: how to stand strong in the face of adversity. Sports teach you not to back down. They provide a safe way to "test your mettle". They allow a kid to face a humongous challenge or fear and stand strong against it. I have never once cared if my children ever scored a goal, made a basket, swam the fastest, danced the best or got a hit. All I cared about is that when the time came for them to try to do those things... they stepped up and did not wilt. Sometimes they succeeded. Sometimes they failed. But the never wilted. My children have never disappointed me.
Although ballet is an art rather than a sport, for a child, it shares many similarities. Will the dancer wilt? No chance!
Finally, sports allow for kids to have their moment to shine. Every kid loves to have all eyes on them. If you don't believe me, I challenge you to take a kid to the playground and have them not say, "look at me". Even my incredibly shy daughter wants to be acknowledged for her efforts... in safe and small doses. That is what sports provide. They provide a small venue for kids to "show their stuff". They provide a platform for a kid to shine. Although I have never truly cared about the results of my kids' competitions, there have been many times when they have shined. At those moments, I have been very proud of them. More importantly, they have been extremely proud of themselves. As kids advance to higher levels of competition, the spotlight and the accompanying opportunity to shine increases. Everyone deserves to have "their moment". For many kids, sports provides that stage.
So far I have only mentioned my own children. But what about my students with special needs?
Perhaps that is my favorite part about kids' sports. It is another way to highlight the similarities between children rather than their differences.
Develop healthy bodies? How much strength and endurance do your think it takes to maneuver a wheelchair up and down a basketball court?
Perseverance? Have you ever seen a kid with no legs run marathon?
Standing strong in the face of adversity? Have you ever seen a Special Olympic gymnast stand on the corner of a mat with her arms raised in the air ready to perform her individual floor routine in front of a crowded arena?
Providing a moment to shine? I'll just let you look at these pictures and decide that one for yourself.
I created this collage using pictures I found by searching "Special Olympics" on Google. There were so many amazing images... I could have been adding them for days.
So steemsports what are you doing right? You are providing sports fans on the platform with an opportunity to shine. Your group has persevered during tough times and has never wilted under the pressure to provide valuable content. Keep it up!
This is really good man. It would be huge burst on steemit for sports lover :)
Thanks!
Hello friends plz FOLLOW ME i am new on steemit :)
Hey man, sorry I have not been around to a lot of my other friends here, I am finding it a challenge to get off my blog now many days, plus deal with other life stuff but I have been thinking about you.
I have posted a few times now about some of my sports experiences and guys I played with / against getting drafted in some sports etc.....
And the focus has kind of been on the skills acquired - some of which you touch on here, as well as the social aspects/skillls learned - and the frienships bonded and carried on in life, now decades later.
I hope you are well.
Oh and usually when the Special Olympics roll around, I always post on the other SM sites about it-- they often get forgotten about as we know or would have to admit but as you always point out.... they are equally as important in many regards and if you consider the lessons the Special Olympians teach us if we are willing to learn.... the point could be argued they might actually be more important as they touch parts of us that often get ignored.
No worries man. I am happy you are doing well.
thanks for helping to promote the Special Olympics! They are awesome!
Great Post! I love that you included a mention of the Special Olympics.
Check out my post if you'd like to
https://steemit.com/ss2kgiveaway/@livingdreams/steemsports-2k-giveaway-submission-entry
Thanks!
Hi Hanshotfirst,
I know every detail inside your Post-Report,
I have two own kids, they made many kinds of sport, always.
Now both are succesful in theire jobs and definitely all their sports-activity have helped Thema both on their way in own Life.
Thank you for your Report and we wish all the best for you and for your family.
Perhaps we see here again on Steemit
Thanks Zeuss! I am happy your children had a good experience with sports and are doing well.
Thx Hans
Yes, sports is very important for their mental, social and physical development. Thanks for sharing.
For sure!
We were pretty excited to see the Special Olympics torch run down PCH last month. There was this cute little girl that was trying to run with them. I'm really glad they have that program! This is a screenshot of the video I took that I still need to edit.
That is awesome that you caught it on video!
As much as I love sports, I think there's some sports that is just not developed for even playing field. Basketball and Football for instance, if you are not big and tall it's almost impossible to participate.
This is true at advanced levels but in fourth sports, anything is possible!
Even at higher levels there are always examples of smaller athletes excelling.
True , but that is very rare for smaller athletes to excel in those sports. I prefer sports that are more leveled, such as Tennis , Soccer, Ping Pong, Golf etc. I am not short or small by any means but I just feel that when playing in a sport it should be fair for all that plays. I am into fairness as you can see :) Same reason why I don't condone the use of anabolic steriods, that destroys the point of a competition.
LOL. Me too!!! Basically my job is leveling the play field for students with special needs.
that is good to hear, I can appreciate that.
@hanshotfirst The collage developed by you is really worth downloading for someone like me, who loves sports and essentially the special olympics.
Thanks! I had fun putting that together.
Oh man, every post about development and encouraging kids for better and healthy life is great. Develops the spirit of competition and the desire for victory. That will help them move confidently in future.
Enjoyed it a lot!)
For sure. There were several things I left out... like teamwork, pulling your weight, learning how to win and lose with grace. I could have wrote a book lol!
Great work there. Sports also develop leadership, teamwork and confidence in oneself which is the most important value we want in our kids. Technologies have helped us but at the same time also causing a lot problems if we do not know how to appropriately utilise them.
Excellent points. I agree. I could have added so much more to this. I am glad you reminded me of those.
This is spam. It has nothing to do with this post at all. Will you please delete it ASAP?
Hey hanshotfirst
it seems that you are a great father !
all my hobbies with I have now is because of my parents sending me for different sport activities.
@kam.ila
Thanks! That is really cool. I hope some of them stick with my kids.
In my first year of teaching I taught a student that was blind and he had some kind of degenerative disease. His name was Gregory. I will never ever forget that child. He was not able to walk properly and was in wheelchair for comfort sake. He was in a mainstream school so that he felt more "normal" He was one of the most clever kids I have ever taught. Once we had an athletics meeting at school and I took him to the sand where they did longjump. It was the first time in his life on the athletic field and he said he felt so empowered...just by walking slowly with me across the field. He died a few years later as his life expectancy was not long. Just one little thing can change someone's view about something. I will always remember this.
And now so will I! thank you for sharing that.
Thanks for posting, this post should be shared also outside Steemit, because contains a nice path to follow and a reminder to parents when the sport can not be called a sport anymore. As grandfather I saw too many times parents with completely wrong attitude for kids sport and children under really unnecessary pressure, crying for nothing, waiting the reactions of parents instead of following the coaches, listening to parents instead of enjoying the game and ending with sport after all this. So , yes keep going with perseverance and keep involving kids in real sport and not attraction like nowadays e sports, where kids are playing all days computer game and similar. This is wrong and I will also support post like yours Thanks !!
Thanks! I think it is a problem when parents want their kids to live their own sports dream. It is good to encourage and challenge kids... as long as the goal is to benefit the child not the parent.
absolutely true, sometimes the best option is to kick the parents from the arena and allow the kids to follow the practice and listen to the coach without any pressure
One of the best sports :) Yes, sports is very important for their mental, social and physical development. Thanks for sharing. (y)
Thanks. I agree.
Great post and we all must be lover of sport because to stay healthy you need to engaged in one activity or another which is sport. I love basketball and thats what I play
Very cool. You are right about making sure to stay active. I'm glad basketball is your way.
I still try to involve in sports activity as much I can. Although due to my job, I cannot do it much but I never miss any chance. All the secrets of my good health lie in the sports. Even I have noy left dancing til now. Regularly practise it.
Dancing is amazing exercise! Actually probably my favorite!
sports fan from downunder - sport is top for developing character
I agree. What is your favorite sport in Australia?
big fan of Cricket and Rugby League - i am a fossecker so i go out and dig up sapphires in the bush - i also play electric guitar and paint. I enjoy American basketball and football too
Wow! I have never heard of a "fossecker" before. Have you ever posted about it?
yes - it is called prospector in USA and i posted a bit about it yesterday and a couple of weeks ago too
https://steemit.com/steem/@daydreams4rock/money-i-dig-out-the-ground
hope you enjoyed - i see you upvoted my lao tzu post and many thanks for dropping and having a chat -- i hope you enjoyed learning about sapphire fossecking and we can chat again soon - i have to go to bed its 2am. see you on the flip side
Hi, friend
I love to post you this one, Gives me a lot of motivation.
Hopefully you always post news like this, and give benefits to everyone.
May God always bless you and your family. 😍
You're so right!!!
Thanks!
Thank you for doing this !
wow you have to keep it. sport is very good.
Keren keren bro @hanshotfirst
Thanks!
Great post ! Thank you for well-organized article.
This is really good man. God bless you :)
Good job here
Hi guys follow me back
hello~ nice to meet you^^
i followed you^^
hello~ nice to meet you^^
i followed you^^
baseball is very entertaining and also fun to play! and it brings people together as you mentioned!
good luck in the contest i also god a submission, will be hard to beat me ;)
https://steemit.com/football/@funfails/funny-dizzy-penalty-soccer
watch it here the funny Dizzy penalty of mine, upvote it if you liked it and also follow me for more and do share with your friends.