If sports are supposed to be so much fun for kids, why do approximately 70 percent of children stop playing them by the age of 13? According to the National Alliance for Youth Sports, about 20 million kids register each year for competitive sports like hockey, football and baseball, but the majority of them quit around the time they hit their teen years.
“Children quit simply because it is not fun,” says Tim Flannery, Assistant Director for the National Federation of State High School Associations, the organization that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. “If children are not enjoying the experience, feeling a part of the team, are bored because of poorly planned practices, or expected to perform at a level they are not capable of, it stops being fun.”
When kids are in preschool or elementary school, sport participation should not be based on competition, but on having fun and learning new skills and teamwork. “Parents need to stay focused on the big picture rather than the small picture,” says Flannery. “The big picture is what the child is gaining from the experience that will be helpful in their social, psychological and physical development. The small picture is winning, performance and outcomes associated with playing the game.”
Children also develop at different levels, and may start to feel discouraged if they can't perform as well as their more athletic peers. As children reach middle school and high school, the difference in player abilities starts to become more apparent, and the emphasis on winning and losing is much stronger. Suddenly, sports have less to do with having a good time and more to do with making the all-star team. This is the turning point for most kids, when many start dropping out of team sports.
High school sports teams often have demanding practice schedules and frequent away games, making it difficult for teens already overloaded with schoolwork and social activities. “Kids in middle school and high school quit sports for the same reasons that elementary school kids do,” says Dr. Roland A. Carlstedt, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Board Certified Sport Psychologist and Chairman of the American Board of Sport Psychology. “Add to the equation developmental issues including social relationships, girlfriend and boyfriend issues, shifting academic priorities and preparation for future careers, and time constraints associated with these issues.”
Dr. Carlstedt also points to the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, largely due to poor eating habits and a lifestyle centered around television and video games rather than physical activity. About one in three US children are now considered overweight or obese. Overweight and obese kids have increased difficulty with playing sports and exercising, and most can't keep up with the rigorous demands of a competitive high school sports team. Some studies have also linked childhood obesity to asthma, due to increased airway narrowing after physical exercise, so some overweight kids may be unable to participate in sports because of respiratory problems.
“Today's youth are the most obese, out-of-shape and sedentary generation in America's history,” says Dr. Carlstedt. “A large subset of quitters include youth who are overweight as well as sport participants who may not have been good enough to start for or make a team, leading to a lack of caloric expenditure and positive experiences on the playing field. This leads to dropping out and a regression toward passive activities.”
Dr. Carlstedt suggests the following tips to help encourage your child to stay active in sports in a positive way:
*Reward activity, fitness and weight maintenance and find a sport that a child/youth enjoys.
*Ask coaches to make sure that non-starter kids are still given sport-specific drills that facilitate movement and fun; especially when it comes to skill sports with lots of down time like baseball.
*Make sure that a child expends lots of calories through meaningful, extended periods of movement/activity.
If you want your child to continue to participate in team sports, ask yourself if you're a “big picture” or a “small picture” parent – do you put emphasis on whether your child wins or loses games? Do you push your child to be the best, rather than letting them enjoy the sport at their own skill level? You can start fostering healthy competition by asking your child “Did you have fun?” rather than “Did you win?” the next time they come home after a game.
Although encouraging your child to play team sports can help them stay active and fit and learn valuable life skills, listen to your child if they want to quit a particular sport. They may have a valid reason to quit a team if they genuinely dislike the activity, if they feel unsafe or anxious, or if they are experiencing pressure from a coach or other players.
See our video on Healthy Competition for more tips on positive sport participation.
