DO SPORTS COUNT AS PLAY?

 ** Thank you to The Genius of Play for sponsoring this post **

Some of the best memories from my youth involve playing sports.  Between first and eighth grade, I played on a number of teams with basketball and soccer being two of my favorite activities.  It seemed like all the neighborhood kids were involved in sports playing together on city rec league and school teams during that time in my life.  So from my own inclusive, fun experiences as a kid,  I have to admit being caught off guard twenty years later as a parent as my own young children have become involved in youth sports.  The atmosphere now appears to be so much more commercialized and exclusive then from when I was my kids' age.

Now children as young as first grade are competing in try outs to be on "travel teams" that cost parents thousands of dollars for the privilege of having their kids be a member of the squad.  Instead of promoting the fun of a game, many adults are now using youth sports as a way of getting an edge towards obtaining college athletic scholarships or have even bigger dreams of their child earning a big pay day by being drafted with a professional team.  Coaching in the "recreation" division for a local soccer club, I've noticed the try out teams depleting talent making it harder to field teams that average kids can play on.  Often times too the kids on the rec teams are treated as inferior by the organization's management, coaches, parents and other players compared to the ones who make the try out teams which can be demoralizing for youngsters.

I've also noticed classmates of my kids declining to even give sports a try because they're worried about not being good enough or having to try out.  I do believe that earning a spot on a team and being competitive has an important role in sports as kids get older, but we're talking about first, second and third graders here!  This should be an age where kids are trying out all sorts of new things not being told they are too inexperienced or not good enough to take part in a sport.  This isn't just soccer; it goes on in baseball, basketball, hockey and all sorts of other sports too.

The Genius of Play recently posed the question "do sports count as play" or have athletics just become a business component within the entertainment industry now?  Check out the responses in this video:



So what do you think?  In my opinion youth sports still are essentially opportunities for children to play together.  My kids aren't on try out teams but they still enjoy being involved in sports for the love of the activities and spending time with friends.  My daughter is really into basketball, dance, swimming, and soccer.  My son avidly plays baseball, golf and ultimate frisbee.  Neither will turn down a chance to join in a pick up game of touch football at the playground with friends or play a game of catch with dad in the backyard.  For our family sports is all about getting exercise in an enjoyable way as part of a healthy lifestyle.

I believe children shouldn't be encouraged to participate in sports at an early age primarily for the hope of landing a scholarship for school or desiring them to be good enough to get rich from playing a sport; but rather to assist them in gaining the lifelong skills that can be developed through play.  I personally don't coach with the goal of grooming players to be super stars but rather teach fundamentals while encouraging all the kids to be having fun and appreciating getting some exercise rather than being cooped up inside watching television and playing video games all the time.  For my children and the kids that I coach it is all about healthy living and enjoying the fun of play.

Despite the increased commercialization and exclusiveness of youth athletics that I've witnessed, sports to me still count as play.  If a program seems too ultra competitive for your child don't be dissuaded from being involved in the sport, but rather look for another option that is a better fit for your family.   Being involved in sports provides children with valuable opportunities to interact with others and develop social skills. Sports also incorporates six positive attributes of play that The Genius of Play acknowledges contribute an important role in raising healthy, well-rounded children:

PHYSICAL
Active play helps kids with coordination, balance, motor skills, and exhausting their natural energy.

EMOTIONAL
During play, kids learn to cope with emotions like fear, frustration, anger, and aggression.

SOCIAL
Playing with others helps kids negotiate group dynamics, collaborate, compromise and share.

COGNITIVE
Children learn to think, read, remember, reason and pay attention through play.

CREATIVE
Play promotes kids forming unique ideas and solutions to challenges.

COMMUNICATION
Play lets kids exchange thoughts and information through speech, signals and actions.

The Genius of Play is providing a forum for addressing a variety of questions involving the value of play in children's lives.  Other topics being debated over at thegeniusofplay.org include "should kids play unsupervised," "how much screen time should kids be allowed to have," and "should there be more recess time provided at schools?"  A panel of experts weigh in on these and other issues plus answer questions submitted by parents to the forum.   

The Genius of Play also provides a variety of ideas to promote positive and imaginative play situations and tips for purchasing age appropriate toys.  You can access this information through their website as well as on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.  Also don't forget to sign-up for their useful e-mail newsletter while visiting thegeniusofplay.org.

So do you think sports count as play? Join The Genius of Play conversation!