Understanding why will shape your goals in sport
Consider why children play sports and why parents want their children to play sports and develop an evidence-based pathway.
Roughly forty million boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 18 in the U.S. participate in organized athletic activities, most of which are not school-based. The majority play in recreational leagues. Then, from these recreational leagues, the better players are siphoned off to join select "travel teams." The thought of a college scholarship or professional contract is one selling point for these travel teams. Despite your chance of a college athletic scholarship being small, these dreams are based on the belief that your child deserves opportunities, is valued, and has the potential to develop. Utah State has some great resources for Families in Sports. Check out this TedTalk: Sports and the Commodification of America's Youth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcxiKP8ONkg.
Another popular notion is that sports build character. This idea has its roots in the nineteenth-century movement known as "muscular Christianity." The development of recreational sports and emphasis on physical fitness in British schools in Victorian Britain was the beginning. Proponents of Muscular Christianity believed that sport could instill young people with various virtues, teaching them to play fairly and with honor.
But when you consider sports today, this notion comes under scrutiny because of spoiled athletes, stories about steroids, scandals, crime, and the overall degeneration of athletes.
Perhaps it's best to consult the winningest basketball coach of all time, "Sports do not build character; they reveal it," said John Wooden, quoting the influential sportswriter Heywood Hale Broun.
Check out this video about True Success by John Wooden https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s_hlvhwmvg.
Read scripture to discover the secret to success: 1 Timothy 4:4-16 (click here to download: Bible Discovery PDF The Secret of Success).