Benefits of kids playing sports

Recently in one week, I went to four ball games. Two were baseball games, the USF Bulls and the Tampa Bay Rays and the other two were my girl’s softball games. As I was thinking about the games, I was reminded about how good it is for kids to be involved in sports.

Graci, center, helped announce the lineup during
the fourth inning of the USF Bulls Baseball game
 on March 16. She is pictured with USF baseball
announcer Alfredo Muente and Marketing
Coordinator Allison Minisce. 

My two daughters’ have been playing sports since they were 4 and 5 years old. The first sport they wanted to play was tennis. I think they started out with tennis because their cousins played tennis. The next sport was soccer, than T-ball, baseball and this year they’re playing softball.

Being in sports has helped my girls in so many ways. They learn how to win and to lose. They learn how to play as a team and as an individual. They learn how work for a goal. They also learn camaraderie and sportsmanship. Another benefit is they are exercising.

Since my kids are young only 8 and 9 years old, they are still learning how to play. This is the first year they have played softball. Most of the kids on the team are learning the positions, how to throw, pitch and catch. In just a few weeks, I have already seen an improvement.

My husband and I always try to encourage out kids.  Sometimes they get upset if they strike out, don’t get a hit or make a bad play. While we were at the Rays spring training game, we were able to show the girls that even the professionals strike out and don’t get hits every time.  They even make errors, but they don’t let it get them down and get right back in the game.

Kristi Bulluck sings National Anthem
at USF Bulls Baseball Game March 16.

My daughter Graci and I attended the USF baseball game to watch one of my sister, Kristi, sing the National Anthem. While we were there we not only saw the baseball game, but had the chance to see the girl’s softball team play for a few minutes. It was a great chance to tell my daughter that if she gets good enough, she could get a scholarship and play softball for college if she wants.

By the way, if you haven’t been to USF for a game it’s pretty neat how the baseball and softball fields are right next to each other. The stadiums are beautiful and kids get in free to the games. It’s a wonderful experience. Graci even got to be the kid announcer during the 4^th inning and go into the press box to announce the Bulls players who were batting that inning. That made her day!

I know from my own experience that when I was playing sports and going to school, I didn’t have time to do much else. I played soccer, basketball and softball. I wasn’t good enough to go to college on a scholarship, but I still enjoyed playing.

If I can encourage parents to help your kids find a sport they like to do, whether it’s a team sport or an individual sport. It can make a big difference in your child’s life.

Here's a clip of Graci announcing the game: