Advantages of Participating in Youth Sports

In the past, many of my blog posts have dealt with what I believe to be the pitfalls of youth sports.

·      The spiraling cost of youth sports.

·      Violence against youth sports officials.

·      Specialization in youth sports; and much more.

As I’ve stated in the past, I was an active participant in youth sports from my town recreation leagues through high school and intramurals throughout college and I cherished every one of those moments. Over the years, the stories that get told when I meet up with old friends have been exaggerated like the angler who talks about landing the “big one.” The home run that just cleared the fence as an eighth grader has now become a “450-foot blast” to dead centerfield and the laughs that follow each story are more than worth it. These stories got me thinking about looking at the positive aspects of youth sports and how they are beneficial for our youth. 

For years we have been hearing about childhood obesity and the effect it has on children as they grow into adolescence and later in life. According to the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States putting children and adolescences at risk for poor health. Obesity prevalence among children and adolescents is still too high.

According to the CDC, for children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years old in 2017 through 2020:

·      The prevalence of obesity was 19.7% and affected about 14.7 million children and adolescents.

·      Obesity prevalence was 12.7% among 2-to-5-year old’s, 20.7% among 6-to-11-year old’s, and 22% among 12-to-19 year old’s. Childhood obesity is also more common among certain populations.

·      Obesity prevalence was 26.2% among Hispanic children, 24.8% among non-Hispanic children, 16.6%, among non-Hispanic white children, and 9% among non-Hispanic Asian children; and,

·      Obesity related conditions include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type two diabetes, breathing problems such as asthma, sleep apnea, and joint problems.

It is for the reasons stated above children need to be active and youth sports participation is a great way to get children active and moving.

 Research indicates a youth sport has many benefits for our youth, including, but not limited to the following:

·      Improved physical and mental health.

·      Improved academic performance.

·      Promotes social connections.

·      They are a positive outlet for kids who are struggling with anxiety and other behavioral problems.

·      They help to develop a good work ethic.

·      They help children to understand teamwork. 

·      They help with leadership, skills; and,

·      They build a foundation for lifelong health.

(Sources: article by Connie Harrington in “Jersey Watch;” article by Michael Kinkler, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, raising Arizona.com, September 25, 2022; Scripps health, March 16, 2023)

Further, research shows that employees who engage in sports at the youth level through college stand a better chance of being hired into the “C” suite (CEO’s, CFO’s, COO’s, etc.)  In a January 11, 2017 article for CNBC written by Abigail Johnson, she states that “a disproportionate number of CEOs played sports when they were younger”. For example: former Whole Foods CEO, Walter Robb was the captain of the Stanford soccer team, Bank of America CEO, Brian Moynihan played rugby at Brown and even Mark Zuckerberg was a high school fencing star. Additionally, Ernst & Young surveyed 821 high-level executives and found that a whopping 90% of the women sampled played sports. Among women holding C-Suite positions, this proportion grows to 96%.

In a separate article written for CNBC by Nancy Altobello on March 4, 2017, she states that her research shows at  94% of females in the C-Suite played sports. She further states that tapping into that pool of talent she found that women:

·      See projects through to completion.

·      Have an uncanny ability to motivate themselves and others; and,

·      Know how to collaborate as a team.

The conclusion of the Altobello article states “The drive, discipline, and dedication that athletes exhibit all contribute to their career success. Some organizations look no further than to the traditional hallmarks found on a résumé such as past work experience and internships, which elite athletes may miss out on due to time commitments and extensive training. Companies overlooking this talent pool are missing out.”  While the conclusion is at the end of the Altobello article, it fits both articles and companies that ignore athletic prowess do so at their own risk.

To sum up, while there are many pitfalls to youth sports and they need to be examined, there are many more advantages for the children who participate, and those advantages go beyond on the possible college scholarships and professional contract that may or may not be there in the end.