Playing more than one sport made me a better…
Taking part in a multi-sports program can give an advantage in not only a sporting context by developing physical literacy such as throwing/catching, running and jumping just to name a few. But also develop and improve social skills, essential attributes to succeed in the 21st century. As a Physical Education and Outdoor Education practitioner when seeing children participate in both competitive or recreational sport and outdoor pursuits, children that participated in the multi-sport program stood out for the crowd. Displaying confidence, teamwork, creativity as well as sporting skills.
The multi-sport approach is about getting children to play a greater variety of sports, rather than specializing in one sport at too young an age. Athletes and sports science/coaching experts agree that taking part in a multi-sports program can offer children a solid building block to achieve not only in sport but succeed in life. Biographies of several elite sportsmen and women share their advantage of having a multi-sports background.
Children playing a variety of sports at an early age will be confident in the basic movement skills such as running, jumping, throwing and catching, which can be transferred to a variety of sports.
Playing a multitude of sports will make you an adaptable person in situations outside of sport but also adaptable when faced with a new sport as you have the fundamental and transferable skills such as coordination, agility, and speed. Children participating in more than one sport will become adaptable and creative in the sessions. They will develop important skills, such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork and working independently. Attributes that will allow one to succeed in life.
At Sport4kids we offer a multi-sports program, that will help grow and develop fundamental sports skills and social life skills through the enjoyment of playing multiple sports, ultimately inspiring and developing a passion for sports which will help them keep active throughout their life.
“You can’t be a good footballer and average at everything else. Running, jumping, throwing, catching and general skills that you put little thought into all add up when you take to the field. Coordination and balance are vital tools to possess in most sports and these skills should, sometimes unknowingly, be ingrained into us at an early age.”
Michael Owen, former England International
So change it up…playing more sports will only make you better.
By Naomi Lander
