After the long, cold, snow-filled winter we had this year, any signs of spring are a welcome sight.
The piles of snow are finally melting and giving way to patches of grass, crocuses are beginning to pop through the thawed ground and song birds have begun their early morning serenading. The curtains of winter are slowly pulling back to reveal the transformation and splendor of spring. And, while the long rein of winter begins to fade away, skis and skates are replaced with soccer cleats and baseball bats, hats and mittens are replaced with softball gloves, shin guards and lacrosse helmets. As the colors and fragrance and beauty of spring begin their symphony, empty fields across the city begin to fill with children; children running, sprinting, jumping, kicking, hitting, catching, sliding. Sidelines and bleachers will soon overflow with enthusiastic parents and younger siblings, lawn chairs and sprawled out blankets. Spring sports are underway!
Whether your child plays tennis, baseball, lacrosse, soccer or softball, participating in sports provides far more than an outlet for pent up energy and a way to burn calories. Research shows that children who are members of a team reap many benefits. To name a few, they do better academically, develop personal discipline and learn to work and get along with other children. This holds true regardless of the child’s skill or ability on the field or court.
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Through sports, strategic thinking is developed as players must calculate plays and figure out the best way to get around opponents or to score a goal. In baseball, outfielders must strategize the best place to throw a ball and players on base must calculate the risk of stealing a base and when to run. Also, calculating scores and statistics develops math skills. Research has shown a positive relationship between academic achievement and athletic participation, siting that exercise is good for the brain, and teamwork and strategy that are central to most sports are applicable as well to many academic areas.
As players learn to set goals and then work to achieve those goals they develop personal discipline, or “self-control.” Part of having discipline comes from dedication, setting specific achievable goals and woking towards them. The personal discipline that flows from reliability and consistency and which is gained on the field often spills over into other areas of life.
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Involvement in athletics is very much a social endeavor. Being on a sports team helps children develop risk taking, leadership and teamwork skills. When they take an interest in the success of the team, seeing the value of achieving for the whole team, they learn the all-for-one and one-for-all mentality that is the hallmark for success. As a member of a team, children must learn to be respectful and supportive of one another as they works towards solidarity.
The qualities of academic achievement, discipline and teamwork which are developed and strengthened on the athletic field translate to success off the filed as well. In the classroom, at home and at the park, the benefits of sports are woven into every facet of life making your children more successful, happier people. For more information on spring sports, contact the Marlborough Recreation Department at (508) 624-6925 or visit their website.
