Author Archive

23
Jun

Are you too involved in your kids sports?

Posted by angela (0) Comment

I came across a very interesting article in The Christian Science Monitor about teaching parent how to be better sports.  The article addressed how parents today view youth sports differently than before.  Some parents have such a desire for the kids to excel in sports that they lose sight of what youth sports are all about.  Youth sports have so many benefits such as teaching your child about team work, social interaction, physical exercise, discipline, etc., even if your child doesn’t excel at a certain sports they still will benefit just by participating.

I played softball when I was young and loved it. I was fortunate that my dad could care less if I was MVP or not, he just wanted me to have fun, which is exactly what I did.  I remember parents screaming at their kids if they missed a ball, or yelling at the referee if they called them out.  I use to feel so sorry for the kids and as I got older I started feeling sorry for the parents too.  Didn’t they get it? It was a youth softball game not the World Series…

Many kids drop out of athletics by the time they are 13 because it is no longer fun for them, it becomes too competitive and they decide not to do it anymore.  (please see my last blog about how youth sports can prevent childhood obesity) these kids could be putting themselves at risk for childhood obesity.

Years ago sports were fun, kids played sports for enjoyment. Parents need to remember this and focus more on the enjoyment of the sport and less on the competitiveness.

Experts say that parents need to walk a fine line between caring to much about how their kids perform and not caring enough.  Parents should encourage their kids to do well but also realize that they are not professional athletes.  A parent should be a cheerleader for their child, not a coach.

Children that are passionate about sports will usually be the ones that excel in sports. Passion comes from loving what you do and doing it because you want to not because your parents want you to.
Category : Uncategorized | Blog
16
Jun

Youth sports can help prevent childhood obesity

Posted by angela (4) Comment

Did you know childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years?  One out of three children in America is obese. This is the result of a caloric imbalance ( too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed). Children are not getting the exercise they need.  Children today could benefit greatly by getting involved in youth sports, and spending less time in front of the television or playing on the computer.

Professional sports organizations are trying to help rectify this problem, and several professional athletes have started an organization called ‘nPlay. This is a government tax exempt  501(c)3 organization that focuses on financially supporting physical education and sports activities in low income areas. These areas statistically have the highest rates of childhood obesity.  Some of the athletes involved with this organization include Paul Pierce, Jennie Finch, Grant Hill, Evander Holyfield, Summer Sanders and Jay Fielder.

“If a kid enjoys the activity he/she participates, he/she will want to continue doing it on a regular basis,” Fiedler said. “It doesn’t matter where the message comes from, but that we are getting kids more active and teaching them that they need to be conscious of their nutrition.”

You can learn more about this program at nplayfoundation.org

Other interesting facts I obtained from this website:
  • Studies show that nearly 34 percent of children and teens in America are either overweight or at risk of becoming overweight.
  • Studies show that childhood obesity has surpassed smoking as the #1 concern among parents in the United States today.
    • Category : Uncategorized | Blog
    16
    Jun

    Welcome to the Westpoint Insurance blog!!

    Posted by angela (0) Comment

    We’re happy to introduce our new blog!!  Have questions? Want to know more about sports insurance and how it affects you? Come back often for posts about sports, insurance and all things in between.

    Have something specific you want to discuss or know about? Leave us a comment!

    Category : Uncategorized | Blog
    Previous Page

    Bad Behavior has blocked 285 access attempts in the last 7 days.