Remember the good old days, the Saturday mornings as a toddler spent waddling around the soccer field, not knowing or caring what the score was, much less where your team’s goal was?

Since that time as a little kid, though, many sports have become a stressful, competitive burden for students, causing them to quit the sports they love due to the all-consuming pressure. Additionally, this strain causes competition between teammates, with every player lobbying for the coach’s attention and scouting opportunities.  

As a result of this intense competition, kids have started specializing in sports even earlier than in previous years, which is a devastating loss because sports are not only enjoyable activities for students, but are also very beneficial to their mental health. Sports have proven to help children handle anxiety and reduce stress and depression. Playing sports also helps athletes build confidence and helps with emotional regulation, all essential aspects of growing up. 

However, all of these benefits are lost when kids are forced to compare themselves to other athletes and aren’t given space to grow and improve on their own timeline. Without having the freedom to try different sports, make mistakes, and find the sport that speaks to them, adolescents are missing out on a key part of childhood. However, not only this, words can’t describe how embarrassing it is to see a small kid who is better than you at your sport! 

Sports as a concept have lost their main purposes: teamwork, confidence building, and improved mental health, such as reducing stress and promoting self-esteem. The joyous nature of sports has transformed from a joy for young kids and students, a time when they can forget their problems and move their bodies, to a source of stress. Overall, sports have lost their main purposes for children and students, but there are ways to save them. Some solutions include allowing children to spend more time trying all different types of sports, instead of specializing too early. Or forming more non-competitive leagues, so children and students can experience the joy of playing sports, without the unnecessary pressure.

Sports aren’t quite the same as they were when we were kids because of the added pressure to perform and the fact that kids are forced to specialize too early. •