It’s a fact that playing team sports is great for kids on many levels, and it’s become more important than ever in these modern days of handheld devices and social media taking up so much of a child’s time. If you are looking for a really fun, easy-to-learn sport to entice your kid away from video games and onto a team, then one of your best options is definitely basketball! basketball holiday program enjoys a huge worldwide popularity, people love to play and watch it, and the pro players are international superstars!
Basketball has some distinct advantages over some other popular team sports. It doesn’t need much in the way of equipment, just a pair of sneakers, a basketball, and a hoop. The hoop doesn’t need to be fancy, it’s pretty easy to put one together from junk you can find in most garages! Another perk is that basketball can be enjoyed year-round, it can be played either outdoors or indoors, and you can even enroll your child in a basketball holiday program to keep them busy during the school break! There are a lot of good reasons why basketball is always near the top of the top ten list of most popular team sports!
Let’s take a closer look at some of the things that make it so great for kids!
- Fun – Reason number one? Basketball is fun! Getting together with your friends for a rousing game is exciting, giving kids the chance to use some teamwork and also show off their skills. It’s always good to be the winning team, but win or lose, just playing is a rewarding experience kids will cherish for the rest of their lives.
- Teamwork – This is an incredibly important skill that kids will carry with them into adulthood, and be able to use throughout their business and personal lives. Learning to work together with a group, and respecting each other, the coaches, and even the opposing team, are gifts that playing basketball gives in plenty. Teach kids how to work together as a team to reach a common goal, which happens to be putting that ball into the hoop, builds camaraderie and friendships that can last a lifetime.
- Relationship Building – It’s all too easy for today’s youth to drift off into their own digital worlds on the computer or over their smartphones, and while that isn’t always necessarily a bad thing in moderation, it can easily be too much, and deprive them of a chance to build real-life personal relationships with their peers and elders. Team sports like basketball are one of the best and most accessible ways for kids to meet new people form friendships and maintain them.
- Boys and Girls – The basketball holiday program is a game that can be played by both boys and girls and is equally popular with either sex. In recent years both professional and college women’s basketball have risen to join the men’s game as an international sensation, with millions tuning in to watch them play their championships! And while the two sexes play competitively on separate teams, nothing is stopping them from playing mixed matches for fun, thanks to the relatively hard contact-free nature of the game.
- Goal Setting – Being able to set goals and see them through is a skill that basketball teaches early on, with kids working hard to improve their dribbling and shooting game. Being able to follow through with personal goals is one of the most important life lessons we have, and team sports like the basketball holiday program teach it well, adding the additional level of working together to achieve team goals as a group. Playing basketball inspires kids to reach for a goal, and then learn what it takes to make it happen. Once that goal has been accomplished they will be rewarded with the joy and confidence boost that comes from getting it done!
- Being Physically Active – There is a real danger in kids spending too much time on the sofa or at the computer desk, leading a sedentary lifestyle when their young bodies need to be active and growing. Learning to spend sufficient amounts of time engaged in rigorous physical activities is critical for a child’s healthy natural development, developing musculature and cardiovascular stamina as well as learning to be dextrous and agile while maintaining good balance- all of the things that the basketball holiday program excels at! Establishing a physically active lifestyle early in life is a gift that will carry a child into adulthood, where they will be healthier and happier for having accomplished it, then teach it to their own future children.
Conclusion
The Australian Sports Commission is dedicated to promoting youth participation in team sport including basketball, visit their website for more information on the value these programs provide our kids.
We hope this has inspired you to get your kids involved in youth basketball, it’s a very healthy experience for the mind and the body, and it’s a lot of fun too!
