As we shed the long, slow days of summer, many households switch gears to the grind of a new school year—adjusting to new schedules, enforcing earlier bedtimes, and preparing our children for a challenging academic year.
And for the young athlete, gearing up for fall sports.
Field hockey, football, soccer, volleyball, each can create some of the most memorable experiences in your teen’s life. Embracing your child’s unique interests—helping to grow their athletic ability and confidence—supports a lifestyle of fitness, mental toughness, and competitive play to help them become a balanced, thriving adult.
As your child gets into the game this season, give them what they need to succeed, both on and off the field.
Power Their Practice
Most parents know the struggle for kids to buy into healthy eating habits. The right nutrition1 for young athletes takes knowing the fuel their body needs pre-, mid-, and post-workout. Adolescents are rapidly growing and developing, and the proper macronutrients, micronutrients, and hydration can optimize their performance. *
Every kid needs healthy nutrition and proper hydration to have energy for schoolwork. But sports require even more fuel in the tank—kids and teens who participate in all-day competitions or strenuous endurance sports may need to consume more calories during the season.
Replace processed drinks and snacks with whole foods that offer plenty of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals to build healthy bodies. Add a daily teen multivitamin to help support their nutritional needs.*
Healthy Body, Healthy Brain
Foundational teenage years are the perfect time to teach your kids to enjoy regular exercise. Their developing brain is especially malleable to lifestyle factors, like aerobic exercise. Inspiring your child to embrace healthy activities today can boost future neural and cognition pathways.
Studies2 have found that regular, structured physical exercise enhances brain function. And while encouraging your adolescent’s interest in sports and physical fitness may add some stress to the family carpool schedule, it could pay off with a healthy boost to their GPA.
Support Lifelong Success
Physical activity and psychological well-being are essential to healthy development and quality of life in adolescence. Engaging in childhood sports is tied to lifelong movement, a more positive well-being, reduced stress, and less depression.
Here are a few ways to support your young athlete:
· Be an active participant. Being supportive doesn't mean attending every practice, game, or meet. Your child will know if you are making a meaningful effort to watch them compete. Be present in their wins, support them through the heartbreaking losses, and everything in between. Your positive, encouraging feedback is vital to help keep them on track.
· Maintain perspective. Be realistic about what your child can accomplish. Not every adolescent athlete will go pro, win a college scholarship, or become the captain of the team. Your role is to help your child deal with disappointments and celebrate wins. Remain positive, but pragmatic. Too many expectations can put undue pressure on your child. Simply participating in sports instills healthy and lasting life lessons.
· Be a role model. Staying fit can be a lifelong struggle. Your young athlete needs to know that keeping their body in good shape will help them compete and reduce the risk of injury. And while practicing their sport with their coach and teammates is influential, healthy habits start at home. Eat nutritious meals as a family and exercise regularly. Plan workouts together—run team drills or let them teach you something they learned in practice.
Practicing a Balanced Life
Sports can have countless benefits for your children off the field, too. Establishing healthy habits early in life strongly correlates to future health and success. As you gear up for another action-packed sports season, focus on all the fun and memories you’ll make this fall.
You’re not only creating a balanced, healthy lifestyle for your kids, they’re also developing social skills, teamwork, drive, determination, leadership experience, and learning skills to organize and balance their time to help them succeed as adults.
Being a supportive parent may be a bit tricky a times, but the benefits3 of youth sports can give your kids an edge, both today and for their future. Now, get out there and cheer them on!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
References:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3805623/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5973814/
3. https://www.athleticscholarships.net/benefits-risks-youth-sport.htm
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