Sports Benefits
There are many benefits to physical exercise, and it can also be done by playing sports. Exercise helps to develop a stronger mind, body and spirit. Sports (especially team sports) can help individuals learn accountability, dedication, and leadership, among many other traits. Putting it all together by playing a sport is a winning combination. Team sports helps to build a camaraderie with fellow teammates which probably would not have happened if not participating in the activity.
Many athletes do better socially.
Playing a sport requires a lot of time and energy. Fortunately this energy spent allows you to build relationships with people from different backgrounds. Larry Bird grew up playing basketball with African Americans because as he stated they were the best at the time. His upbringing allowed him to not see race despite growing up in Indiana, where the presence of the KKK at the time was dominant. It is team sports which brings people together no matter what ethnicity you are in a combined effort to achieve a common goal. Professional team sports provides great opportunities nowadays to play anywhere on earth. To experience life in which you must adapt to different cultures can end up being a pleasant experience.
Sports teach teamwork and help achieve goals.
This goes back to the social aspect in the benefits of playing team sports. Fighting for a common goal with a host of other players, coaches, managers and community members teaches you how to build a collective team synergy and effectively communicate the best way to solve problems en route to a victory. This proves to be very helpful in life when encountering problems at work, at home, or in any arena.
Sports offer many health benefits
Sports will obviously improve your fitness and weight goals. Team sports also encourage healthy decisions such as not smoking or drinking if you take the sport serious. Sports offer hidden health benefits such as a lower chance of getting osteoporosis or breast cancer later in life. A team relying on you to show up and work hard is plenty of motivation for you to get to the gym day in and day out.
Sports boost self-esteem.
Watching your hard work pay off and accomplishing your dreams bring about tons of self-confidence. The recognition and admiration that comes with playing sports is an added bonus to self esteem. If you can achieve something in a sport or with a fitness goal, then you know you can achieve any other goal you set. This is a very fulfilling and exhilarating process.
Playing a sport cuts down on pressure and stress.
Exercising is a natural way to loosen up and let go of stress. Also, the ability to make many new friends on the team who can be there for you as a support system. When you find you are having a lot of stress, you can call up teammates and head to the gym to talk it out and play it out.
For all of these reasons, it is always a great decision to get involved in team sports.
Financial Stability
The opportunity to play professional sports usually provides you with tremendous financial gains. Many different sports are played worldwide, so the ability to earn a living is more numerous for people looking to play sports as a way of life. However, the lifespan of a professional athlete is typically shorter than people that work in different fields.
To be smart with your financial gains and success is key to maintaining a lifestyle you may become accustomed to as a professional athlete. Being famous may be a good or bad thing depending on who you are, but I am confident to say the majority of us would rather be famous.
Benefits of playing professional sports leads to recognition which is a stimulant to an improved self esteem.
This was a good article that I’ll have my son read, because even sports like tennis– which don’t require team members per se, do require social skills and sportsmanship. Self-esteem and exercise go hand-in-hand (or so says all the research out there), so getting involved with a sport of any kind will help anyone to reap SEVERAL benefits, as the article points out.
Thanks for the detailed post!
My best,
Nerissa S.
I am glad you enjoyed the article. I use to play basketball and it use to be my goal to play professional. Now I wish I continued playing because there are more opportunities to play professional than from what I observed as a child. Tennis is a sport you play or your son. I found it to be very difficult to play tennis and you really have to be in good shape, well that goes for all sports if you want to be really good at whatever it is you are playing.
Excellent post, Darryl.
You describe the many benefits of playing organized team sports, very well. Building character, self-esteem, physical exercise, and teamwork are just a few of the many benefits that belong here.
All this time spent pursuing goals and dreams are excellent character builders for young men and women.
This burning need to succeed can create a positive pressure to be in top form, and hopefully, keep our children too occupied to fall into the pits of evil where monsters can consume them.
Which benefits do you find the most useful to these young athletes?
Were you involved in sports as a child?
Did you acquire a mentor from your life in sports?
Paul
Staying out of trouble and being in good condition is some of the most useful benefits of being involved with some kind of sport when you are young. Nowadays you see kids that are out of shape because of an unhealthy lifestyle, which is a not good to see from a very young person.
I was involved in basketball as a child.
I did not acquire a mentor, but I try to be one towards my little brother so he can stay out of trouble and have a sharp mind by avoiding temptations in developing bad habits like his pairs.