The Benefits of Having Your Child Join a Little League Team
Youth sports are a great way to help your child learn about dedication and teamwork. Check out these benefits of having your child join a little league team.
American kids have been playing baseball since the game first swept the nation, but it wasn't until Carl Stotz organized an actual league of pre-teen players in 1938 that little league was born.
If your child is interested in sports and looking for a way to get involved, joining a little league team may be the perfect solution! There are tons of great reasons to sign your kids up for little league, and we're here to talk about them.
Believe it or not, joining a little league team isn't just about learning how to play baseball--although that is one of the great perks! (Plus, some of the greats did start on a little league team!)
There's so much to be gained from playing this fun, youth-oriented team sport. Read on for eight reasons why joining a little league team can be a huge benefit for your child!
Kids tend to have a ton of energy, but it's becoming increasingly easy to get that energy out without working up a sweat. When you sign your child up for a sport that meets regularly, you can help improve their health and get them in the habit of exercising.
Whether they're infield or outfield, little league players are almost always in motion! Baseball is a great way to increase your heart rate, build muscle, and increase flexibility.
2. Little League Teaches the Value of Teamwork
Learning how to work with a team is beneficial for people of all ages. When you're a good team player, you typically have strong communication skills, understand the importance of putting your best foot forward, and feel greater pride in your achievements.
Encouraging your kids to exercise is always a positive thing to do. However, when you encourage exercise through team sports, you also help teach your child the value of teamwork.
3. Playing Baseball Improves Coordination
Pre-teens are still developing cognitive and physical skills. Hand-eye coordination is an important part of this development, and it doesn't come naturally.
When kids play baseball, they're sharpening their hand-eye coordination constantly. Whether they're lining up the swing of their bat with the trajectory of the ball or chasing down a home run, they're always exercising those cognitive and physical skills.
4. Joining a Sports Team Decreases Screen Time
Kids growing up today are inundated with screens. They've got phones, tablets, computers, and televisions to stare at all day long. Most of the time, they even have to stare at a screen for hours on end to complete their schoolwork.
By signing your kids up for a little league team, you create designated times when screens are nowhere in sight. By decreasing screen time, you can help improve their sleep, lower their potential for mental health issues, increase their attention spans, and more.
5. Little League Is a Great Place to Make Friends
Some kids are natural social butterflies and seem to make friends wherever they go. Others are on the quiet side and may not find it so easy to strike up a conversation with just anyone.
When pre-teens are placed on sports teams, they gain an opportunity to bond with others. Sports teams help kids to create an identity, whether they're wearing their uniform on the field or sporting their team pin off the field. Little League gets kids together and gives them a common ground upon which strong friendships can be forged.
6. Playing Baseball Teaches Good Sportsmanship
While winning is fun, it's a fact of life that we don't always win. Knowing how to accept a loss and even feel happy for others who do win when we lose is an important life skill.
Little league creates an environment in which the game matters more than the outcome. In the end, whether your child wins or loses, they still get to have fun. Learning how to lose gracefully in a more low-stakes environment can help kids learn how to accept losses later in life without feeling angry, dejected, or overwhelmed.
7. Joining a Little League Team Boosts Confidence
Confidence is another trait that seems to come naturally to some kids and not to others. At the end of the day, confidence is something that we all have to learn. When we learn how to feel confident from a young age, we can bring that trait into adulthood.
Almost everything we've listed here boils down to building confidence. On a neurological level, exercising can help release feel-good neurochemicals that help us stay positive and regulate negative emotions. On an emotional level, being part of a team can boost our sense of self-esteem and the pride we feel in the things we set our minds to.
8. Playing on a Little League Team Is A Lot of Fun
At the end of the day, playing on a little league team is a ton of fun. Joining a team sport is a great way for kids to let loose and have a good time. Plus, playing little league leaves our kids with lasting, happy memories that they'll cherish for years to come!
Ready for Some Team Boosting? Make Baseball Trading Pins for Your Little Leaguers
If you and your kids have been looking for a fun extracurricular activity, joining a little league team may be just what the doctor ordered! There are countless benefits to playing sports and being part of a team. Little league baseball just so happens to be one of the most widespread and enjoyable sports a kid can play!
Is your child part of a little league team already? Are you looking for ways to boost the team and get them excited? Contact us to find out how you can make custom baseball pins that your little leaguers will love to show off.
