Help your kid to be a team player

Between the ages of seven and twelve, most kids want games that have tactics and strategies. During the elementary school years, depending on the curriculum and the facilities available, your child may have the opportunity to try a variety of sports -- indoor and out, summer and winter, unstructured and organized, recreational and competitive.

Swimming, soccer, baseball, and hockey are four of the most popular organized sports at this age. A couple of million Canadian kids head to arenas, to pools, or to playing fields every week to have fun, learn new skills and teamwork, and get their exercise.

Kids love the excitement of sports and the sense of personal accomplishment that comes with their participation on the team. They also enjoy the social aspect. If all the eight-year-olds in your neighbourhood are starting soccer in the spring, your eight-year-old may want to go with them. Lots of children who may have difficulties in other parts of their lives, at school or with friends, build confidence and gain self-esteem on the ice, on the soccer field, or on the baseball diamond.

Your role in learning sports
As a parent, you walk a fine line in guiding your child to the right sports for him. If your child is interested in trying a particular sport, by all means sign him up. But before you do, investigate the league and its coaching style to be sure you're comfortable with the approach. There is an ongoing debate about how appropriate organized competitive sports are for this age group.

Kids between seven and twelve need, more than anything, to have opportunities for broad-based skill development. Heavy practice and game schedules and serious competition can be stressful for your child and require specialization at too early an age. Also, a competitive environment may emphasize applying skills instead of acquiring or improving them. Specializing in one sport during the prepubescent years is inappropriate for the majority of kids. There's little guarantee that a hockey player who's great at the age of ten will still be great at fifteen or sixteen. And specialization can put too much stress on young bodies. Early burnout is not uncommon.