Growing up, I dabbled in gymnastics and ice skating but never joined a team or had formal training. When I had children, I wasn't opposed to any of the four of them playing sports if they wanted to, but it wasn't a priority. My oldest three showed a fleeting interest in athletics, but nothing ever stuck. We tried soccer for tots, tennis in early elementary school, a rec basketball team that anyone could walk on to, and Girls on the Run, a non-competitive program for young girls. However, none of my younger kids showed much interest in playing at a higher level in a club. I briefly looked into club sports, but lost all interest once I discovered they cost thousands of dollars and require an extensive time commitment from the entire family on weeknights and weekends. That's particularly true for travel teams, which involve more serious coaching and play than rec teams. I never regretted not signing my kids up for tryouts until my youngest son developed a passion for soccer and dove headlong into the sport. Now I see what my older kids were missing, and I regret not encouraging them to try club sports, too. My son started playing soccer during recess at school. Before long, he was taking a skills class and playing soccer after school, too. Then came a rec team. He had fun, but I didn't feel like the parent leading the team had enough coaching experience to help him improve. My son trained hard in our backyard and at school, and his skills soon surpassed his teammates. In fourth grade, he asked to try out for a club with an advanced travel team. He already had a passion for the sport and showed talent, but I still hesitated before saying yes. The cost and grueling schedule gave me pause, and I wasn't sure I wanted him to focus heavily on one activity while he was still so young. Nevertheless, I begrudgingly filled out the necessary paperwork and drove him to multiple rounds of tryouts. Part of me hoped he wouldn't get a spot, but I wanted to give him the chance to shine. When the email offering my son a place on the team arrived, I surprised myself by being thrilled. After getting over my sticker shock and confusion about how club sports actually work, I handed over my credit card and, just like that, we were all in. I bought my son multiple uniforms and worked out a complex schedule with my husband to get our son to practices and games near and far. Since joining a club team over a year ago, my son has improved tremendously in soccer, as expected. While he may never achieve his goal of playing in the World Cup, he now passes with precision and defends the ball admirably. In a short time, I've also noticed how the benefits of a club sport go far beyond better coaching. At least three times a week, I watch from the sidelines as my son takes direction and correction with grace. Being open to suggestions for improvement is a new skill I see spilling over into other parts of life, whether it's ideas about keeping his homework organized or a better approach to keeping his room clean. Every time Jamie Davis Smith publishes a story, you'll get an alert straight to your inbox! Stay connected to Jamie Davis Smith and get more of their work as it publishes. By clicking 'Sign up', you agree to receive emails from Business Insider. In addition, you accept Insider's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Add BI in Google so our reporting is easier to find when you’re searching for what matters. Additionally, although I love seeing my son's joy when his team wins, he is slowly but surely learning to handle losses better, too. Instead of getting upset immediately as he used to, he now talks through what he could have done differently. Sometimes, he accepts that his team simply had bad luck or that an unfair referee made a win more difficult than it should have been. I see these skills spilling over into other parts of his life when things don't go his way. He has also dealt with adversity, playing in the cold and rain, dealing with aches and pains, and learning to cope with the disappointment of not making the team.
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