Page 70 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2016

KIDS sportsmanship & life lessons
Kids and sports: parents can help or hinder
story by Lynn Lofton
PLAYINGBYTHERULES
There are many good reasons for kids to participate in sports, but when should parents push and when should they pull back? What is positive encouragement and what is too much pressure, and what is the appropriate age for kids to become involved in organized sports?
Gulfport child psychiatrist Brad Berger, M.D., feels there’s no one- size-fits-all answer to that question. “The right age to begin has more to do with the maturity of kids and parents know their kids,” he said. “Age five is pretty good to start soccer but parents have to do the research to determine that. And they should remember that there’s nothing wrong with trying
and pulling their children out if the children don’t like it.”
John Charman, executive director of
South Mississippi Soccer Club thinks programs based on physical literacy and socialization can begin as early as three years old. “These programs are focused around movement, learning with a leader and often with parents involved, and incorporate a ball as part of the activity,” he said. “Exercises at these ages are directed towards the individual and should be geared towards how three and four year olds play. Exercises are highly repetitive, often create imaginative scenarios, and the program does not represent adult soccer.”
He adds that parents simply need to be supportive and encouraging at the youngest ages. “Engaging with your child makes a huge impact on their enjoyment as the parent is the center of their universe,” he said. “Parents need to be aware that this is about
play, activity and meeting new people and not sport.”
Berger agrees. “Parents should stress having fun; winning is not the goal. Even in high school, it’s not the pros,” he said. “The positive push should
be getting involved, learning to play with others, sharing and being part of a team.”
Charman says that in his 25-year career he’s seen more positive moments than negative ones. “I think as a sporting culture we are starting to understand children need to be treated more age appropriately.
As children engage in older age groups, recognizing your child’s achievements in terms of developing new skills, cheering without criticism, and helping your child to understand sportsmanship and the concept of team are things parents can do to
70 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • April 2016
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