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In my previous article, ” Childhood Injuries: Post Concussion Syndrome & Recovery & Safety Measures To Prevent Concussions” I went over what parents should do after a concussion, the impact of it on females, post-concussion syndrome, & how to keep our kids safe from concussions. The impact of concussions can be very serious, especially if repeated incidents of it occur. Parents need to keep close tabs on any signs of a concussion, especially after a sports event.
and basketball, and know what it feels like
and to have someone say 'Just rub some dirt on it,
and get back in there.”
-Billy Corgan
Today I want to look into Youth Sports to explore the benefits of participation in such a program and the negative impacts it may have on our children. Most parents want their children to be healthy, happy engaging, smart and athletic. They want their children to have every opportunity to excel in whatever they choose. For many parents, participation in youth sports is important because they feel it will help their children grow and learn to cooperate with others in a team sport. They feel that this will build character and a healthy lifestyle. In most cases this is really the case.
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Benefits of Youth Sports
Most children are eager to run, jump and play. They have a lot of energy that needs a place to go. Channeling this natural energy into a youth sport program can keep these energetic children healthy, active and engaged. Many competitive sports can teach our children important life skills like teamwork and playing fair. According to an article called, ”Top 10 Benefits of Youth Sports”by Arlington Little League (http://arlingtonlittleleague.org/Page.asp?n=109716) they list the top 10 benefits of youth sports for both child and parent:
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- Socialization skills: Learning to share is a skill children are introduced to very early on, but being socialized and "playing well" with others requires a lot more than that! Sports give children a way to practice a range of critical social skills including effective communication and conflict resolution; all while making new friends!
- New friends: Not for the kids this time...but for the parents! New to the area? Stay-at-home-mom? Busy professional?? Youth sports are beneficial to parents also because they provide parents an opportunity to meet other parents in the community, and those parents who share a similar interest of engaging their youngsters (an added benefit!)
- Community Awareness: Do you want to learn more about where you live? What better way than by participating in a youth athletic league! (YAL) parents can learn a great deal about their communities through increased knowledge of local parks and recreation offerings; volunteering, by attending league or local government meeting; and by associating with community members and parents from neigboring schools.
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- Parent/Child Involvement: Speaking of being involved in the community, sports also helps parents to be more engaged with their children--even if finding time can be a predicament sometimes! Parents can bond with their children by helping them with practice sessions, volunteering (of course!), attending games, or by engaging them in good 'ole baseball chat around the dinner table or during car rides. Sharing stories about your own involvement in sports as a kid, or recent news events about sports events or baseball can also be interesting. Consider attending a professional game with your child as a reward or special treat! Tip: Youth leagues occasionally offer tickets to professional games as a fundraiser. Check with your league.
- Energy Aversion: Too much energy and hyperactivity are some of the most common gripes of parents to young children; but children sometimes only need more options for applying their endless energy...or more challenging options. Sports are a great solution. The physical demands of training, practices and games, can return children home feeling accomplished, yet tuckered out and ready for a good nights rest! Physical fitness: With physical fitness programs being cut in many schools, the need for extracurricular sports activities is even more important. Kids get exercise benefits through sports without even realizing that it is exercise!
Have fun.
Enjoy the game.”
-Michael Jordan
- Mental fitness: Sports are a natural outlet for stress. Tantrums, mood swings, and occasional irritability are all part of being a kid, but instead of throwing in the towel, try an athletic league! Sports also are a self-esteem enhancer. Children gain a sense of pride as family and friends cheer for them. Sports provide a sense of connectedness and community, which are critical to development and overall well-being.
- Mentoring: A great coach not only motivates a team, but also is a great role model. Be sure that when you are choosing a youth league, that you also take the time to choose your coach! Send your coach an email introducing yourself, attend any meet-and-greets offered, or...volunteer to be a coach! Who know how to be a great coach other than you?
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- Free time: Need to run a quick errand, get apples at the grocery? Practices can afford parents a little much-needed time occasionally. Parents can also find creative time-saving options such as car-pooling, or arranging pickups and drop-offs with other parents.
- Academic performance: Sports equals discipline, and good discipline equals increased school performance. When children learn the essence of being rounded, its easier for them to apply the same principles in other areas such as work, school, and personal life.
- Discipline/Life Skills: Speaking of work, sports teach important leadership skills, provides cultural exposure, and helps kids to learn how to manage difficult situations or difficult people! Respect, listening, arriving on time, training on regular schedule, eating well (plenty of fruits and veggies) and staying focused from distraction; are rules of almost any game. Winning and losing also teach kids fundamentals of pride and humility.
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So in general, there are many benefits from participation in a youth sports programs. The child will derive physical benefits including increased coordination & stamina and will benefit from being involved and away from too much indoors video games that can lead to inactivity. So there is a weight management benefit here as well. Also by interacting with team mates and other players, as well as coaches, they learn more social skills. They learn sportsmanship, to respect others and work as a team.
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Another benefit from team sports is children learn how to compete and get exposure to both winning and losing which are good life skills to know and have. Also by playing in a team, they have a sense of belonging which improves one’s self-esteem which is an important element in healthy well-being. Finally with all the practices they go through, they learn and understand the value of exercise and being active. So overall, children do benefit from participating in a youth sports program. And the parents benefit too!
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But there is a downside to sports as well. In STAT News (https://www.statnews.com/2016/06/20/concussions-kids-sports) it was reported that a study was done regarding concussions from sports to play activities in the US of children and teens and found that each year there were nearly 2 million concussions and many received no treatment. In another article, “Sport and Gender Specific Trends in the Epidemiology of Concussions Suffered by High School Athletes” (http://newsroom.aaos.org/images/9064/media_gallery/ConcussionAbstractAAOS2017.pdf) stated that “approximately 300,000 adolescents suffer concussions annually while participating in organized athletics.” They went on to say that this mild form of traumatic brain injury is a serious health concern in this population.
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The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com) in an article called ”New poll shows Americans’ growing awareness about concussions in youth sports” stated that 80% of Americans who completed this poll said that they believe that children under the age of 14 should not play tackle football. 72% of men now believe that playing tackle football is inappropriate for children under 14 after all the reports about Pro athletes who have suffered from effects of concussion. The strongest opposition to this young group playing football is strongest among women where 84% are opposed to it. The percentage went up to 94% for any children under 10 playing tackle football. 3 out of 5 respondents to the survey also felt that heading a soccer ball was unsafe for young athletes. There is a growing concern about sports safety, head injuries and public health implications of concussion and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
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Future Safety Efforts For Youth Sports?
In The Week (http://theweek.com/articles/591831/how-solve-problem-like-concussions-youth-sports) they talked about how Dr. Bennet Omalu is urging parents, coaches and physicians to stop kids from playing football. Dr. Omalu said, “Our children are minors who have not reached the age of consent. It is our moral duty as a society to protect the most vulnerable of us." He is against young children from playing football because concussions lead to the risk of CTE.
Because of this, researchers feel that it is practical to focus on finding new ways to help athletes, physicians and coaches monitor and prevent concussions. In youth football, they are exploring the helmets. VICIS is a company that are having scientist, neurosurgeons and engineers working on a helmet that is designed to prevent more concussions by having the helmet absorb more force before it can reach the player. Unfortunately helmets will not work for all sports like swimming.
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The article also talked about an accelerometer which monitors the impact players absorb and log the data so the player, coach or physician can use the data to reference. But the cost of this technology may be too expensive. Some suggest that it would be more cost effective to hire an athletic trainer who can assist with concussions, dehydration, broken bones and other injury issues. According to the article, only 37% secondary schools have an athletic trainer on staff.
In Safe Kids (https://www.safekids.org/sites/default/files/documents/ResearchReports/skw_sports_study_2014_8-11-14.pdf) in an article called, ”Changing the Culture of Youth Sports,” they provided some good information on keeping the athletes healthy and injury-free so that the children can keep playing to their greatest potential. They gave five ways that kids, parents and coaches can work together to keep the children from getting injured:
- Set the ground rules at the beginning of the season. Coaches bring together parents and athletes before the season begins to agree on the team’s approach to prevent injuries.
- Teach athletes ways to prevent injuries. Proper technique, strength training, warm-up exercises and stretching can go a long way to prevent injuries.
- Prevent overuse injuries. Encourage athletes to take time off from playing only one sport to prevent overuse injuries and give them an opportunity to get stronger and develop skills learned in another sport.
- Encourage athletes to speak up when they’re injured. Remove injured athletes from play.
- Put an end to dirty play and rule breaking. Call fouls that could cause injuries.
- Get certified. Learn first aid, CPR, AED use and injury prevention skills.
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Unfortunately there is no one solution that can eliminate the risk of concussion for youth athletes but hopefully in the near future there will be better research, technology and training to help minimize this growing area. Parents should make the coaches accountable for their actions, especially if your child had an injury prior to reentry into the game.
It is agreed that youth sports are very important in a healthy childhood but safety and preventative measures should be in the forefront. Children are too vulnerable, especially when they are very young. We all need to take responsibility to ensure the future of our youth.
In my next article I would like to explore concussion in pro sports, especially football, because of the many incidents in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a horrific brain trauma related condition and it may be helpful to learn more about it. I hope you will join me in this next journey!
Thank-you for reading my article on Youth Sports: The Benefits of Youth Sports & Increase Incidents of Concussions If you would like to follow me, please check HERE
These are my previous articles. if you are interested in reading it:
Neuroplasticity: Hope For People With Anxiety?
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Neuroplasticity: How to deal with Anxiety Disorders Like Panic Attacks
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Neuroplasticity: Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
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Neuroplasticity: Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy
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Neuroplasticity: Self-Directed Neuroplasticity Exercises
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Neuroplasticity: Music & Music Therapy
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Neuroplasticity: Meditation and Anxiety
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Neuroplasticity: Brainwave Entrainment
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Anxiety and CBD: An Introduction to Cannabinoid
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Childhood Injuries: Concussions
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Childhood Injuries: Post Concussion Syndrome & Recovery & Safety Measures To Prevent Concussions
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