In addition, studies have shown that adolescent athletes are less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, or experiment with drugs than their non-playing peers. Simply placing a child in a sports situation, however, does not guarantee that the youngster will benefit. Sadly, changes in our society over the past 20 years have created conditions that sometimes make sports too stressful for today's children. The fun and exercise that sports can give children has been removed from the game. Living up to this standard is taking its toll on our child athletes, as evidenced by the fact that one-third of all youngsters in sports drop out each year, and 80 percent drop out for good between ages 12 and 16.
Kids participate in sports for two major reasons- to have fun and to feel successful.
Unfortunately, some adults want children to play for other reasons - and that's where the trouble starts. It's perfectly natural for parents to identify with their child, but many adults live their unfulfilled dreams through the youngster. In addition, some adults see their child's performance on the playing field as a reflection of the parent's own self-worth and success. This places unrealistically high goals on the child and takes the fun out of playing. Parents also have to set an example and watch their behavior at games and practices.