“Court” a Kid
By: Neil Siskind, Esq.
www.siskindlawfirm.com
www.neilsiskindsupports.com

 

Sports are good for kids for so many reasons. First and foremost, they promote exercise. They teach kids about competition, working with others, setting goals, the great feelings that come from success, and the lessons that come from losing. Playing sports is also a great way for kids to make friends, and, if they are good at a sport, to build self-confidence.

Almost every kid has one sport or athletic activity which they find appealing. With all of the options, it is easy to find one. Kids hanging around after school being unproductive and who lack a father figure to teach them about sports can be headed for trouble in one form or another. If you know of a youth who lacks positive, present, or involved parents, try to find a sport they enjoy as a way to get the youth involved with other kids and with their community in general.

Sports and athletic events include baseball, basketball, football, soccer, hockey, tennis, wrestling, badminton, ping pong, bowling, volleyball, weight lifting, running, swimming, skiing, hiking, rock climbing, biking, yoga, squash, gymnastics, and numerous other activities. Teams can be from public schools, specialty sports centers, towns, or just pick-ups for fun.

Once you determine a sport that a youth enjoys, help him or her practice or join with other kids with the same interest. It may just take one try to get an aimless child with no father to see hope and promise in his or her life by achieving a sense of belonging, having fun and excelling. While sports have saved the lives of many professional athletes who turned to athletics during troubled youths, playing sports does not have to be a road to a professional career in order to have value. It just has to engender a social, healthy and purposeful youth. So whether it’s tennis, basketball, racquetball or volleyball- find a court- and court a kid.

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