*This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/POWERADE. All thoughts belong to me.*
My oldest son was never interested in sports. We had him in a soccer clinic when he was just a few years old and he hated it. He never asked to join any sports and seemed content to sit on the sidelines while his younger brother played. Then one day he showed an interest in learning how to play lacrosse. A young athlete was born that day and he has been playing ever since he picked up a stick. While he wasn’t/isn’t the best player, he learned so much from being a part of a team. When you have young athletes in the family is takes a lot of commitment from parents to get them to and from their sports practices and games. You invest your time and you invest your money. My non-sports parent friends are always questioning my time commitment to these activities. Even on days when I just want to surrender I remember how empowering it has been for my boys.
How to empower young athletes:
- From the beginning let them know that every player is a valuable part of the team. ( My boys have been bench warmers for many sports. They keep their heads up and still enjoy the game because they are part of a team and know it’s not about any one player, but the team as a whole.)
- Make sure your young athletes know that you love them not because of their performance, but because they tried their best. (Remember it’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.)
- Learn the game. It’s hard to empower young athletes when you can’t talk about the game with them. (Even better: Learn about it together! Watch a YouTube video, go see a real game or even read a book it.)
- Remind them that every practice, every game, isn’t going to be the same. You are always going to have bad and good days. Don’t let the bad ones define you.
- Don’t bad talk other players or coaches in front of your athlete. These people are part of their team. No one is perfect. We all make mistakes.
The POWERADE “Just a Kid” Campaign:
At the end of the day, we are all “just a kid” from somewhere. POWERADE believes that everyday athletes can realize their potential. They believe that sports play an important part in our communities and that every young athlete has a story to tell.
- Represent your somewhere with custom “Just a Kid” apparel that features where you’re from here. All net proceeds from the sale of “Just a Kid” apparel goes to the Boys & Girls Club of America.
Get a free POWERADE custom sports bottle from Walmart:
- Visit Walmart and purchase two 8-packs of 20 fl. ounce POWERADE® and/or POWERADE ZERO™ products in a single transaction.
- Register/log in to the program site: http://www.us.powerade.com/walmart/#pov2
- Snap a photo of your receipt & upload it to the site.
*Offer is good until April 4, 2016 or while supplies last*
How do you empower your athletes?
I’m happy your son is now taking part in sports. I believe kids should take part in any sports activities. It helps them to stay fit and strong.
Encouragement, support, enough sleep, and rest. I think those are the things that will matter the most to kids.
Playing and interacting with other children is important to development, it doesn’t necessarily have to be sports
As a kid I loved organized sports even though I was no world champ player. My little girl just started showing interest in ballet and I’m excited to see how far she’ll go with it.
Kids now adays needs to be diverted to sports, with the influence of technology and social media they tend to stay home i front of computer and tablets. My son is into soccer and plays for the city’s team and some national competition. I alwasy encourage him to be as active as possible.
These are some great tips. My daughter is on a different kind of team – she is an equestrian jumper. Some of what she does is team based but most is based on her individual skills.
Encouragement, support, healthy diet and rest. I think those are the most important things! Love your post!
Very well said. I love the pointers. It’s important to support our kids especially with their interests. If they are very passionate about sports then that is awesome!
I’m like you. I support my boys in whatever they do. My son plays basketball and you can always find me at his games or cheering him on during practice. Powerade is his go to drink as well.
Big Powered fans here too. I wonder if we have LaCrosse here.
Very smart tips for encouraging kids to be active and learn how to be on a team.
What a great post. I see so many parents at my nephews games exhibiting bad behavior. I love that you teach your boys to love the game and being part of a team.
My son isn’t active in sports, but is extremely involved in JROTC. He has learned so much from being a part of a community!
I encourage all my kids to take parts in sports, they all love doing things like this!
The most important for me was that he found a sport that HE was interested in playing instead of being miserable doing something that he hated.
We are a baseball family with the season in full swing (pun intended 😉 ) right now. Powerade is at every game. It’s a favorite among the players actually. Three of my grandchildren opted to sit out the ball season this year and their Mom let them. No need to force them to do something they don’t want to do.
Encouragement is super important. My girls each enjoy a different sport so I am constantly learning new things. I love the Powerade bottle. Such a cute idea.
My kids all enjoy playing sports too. These are all wonderful ways to help empower young athletes.
We have our girls try out different sports each season so they can decide for themselves what they like and don’t like. Then we back them 100% in whatever they choose.
That’s all I need to do??? Awesome! How long do you know it will take them to deliver it?
Your tips are spot on. I believe in giving kids positive reinforcement regardless of the outcome of the game.
My parents didn’t believe in sports for my sister and I. When I had 3 kids we put them in when they were 5, They all love them, and we still are part of many sports activities
We are just now getting involved in the sports with the kids. So far we are enjoying dance for Teagan and Taekwondo for our son Jude. So much fun!! I love it.
For me, what matters the most is that you support your child what they really love to do.
Mhaan | http://www.mommyrockininstyle.com
Today, children use technology equipment such as smartphone or tablet so much, they rarely play sports. So encouragement is super important. When you play sports, not only helps the body healthy but also learns new things. Thanks for article because of all great ways to help empower young athletes.