Fall is the perfect weather for sports. Temperatures are often cooler, meaning you won’t be miserable in the heat during outdoor sporting events. Sports are a wonderful, healthy hobby for children. Physical activity is excellent for the body and mind, and overall health can improve with regular activity. A new sport can help your child make friends, build confidence, learn teamwork and potentially decrease screen time by providing other distractions, such as practices and training. Football may be the first fall sport that comes to mind, but it most certainly is not the only fall sport. If you are considering signing your child up for a fall sport, here are four other sports to consider.
Cross Country
Cross country running is great for those with endurance and stamina. For those unfamiliar with the sport, cross country is where athletes race a set distance. Racers can compete individually, and team scoring is completed by adding the finishing places of the top five members of the team to cross the finish line. The race distances are typically 2 miles for junior high athletes and 3.1 miles for high school athletes. Elementary programs may consist of half-mile or 1-mile distances.
If you run or are thinking about starting to lace up your running shoes, this could be a sport that you and your child enjoy together. While your child will typically run with their teammates, you can help them train during the off-season or on non-race weekends.
To see if this sport is something your child might be interested in, go on a short run and gradually increase length. Practicing a healthy diet, vitamins and viewing le-vel thrive reviews is a good habit. You might also consider entering a road race. Another perk of this sport is the limited amount of gear, as a good pair of running shoes, race cleats and some running clothes are usually all that is needed.
Soccer
Soccer is a fun sport that can be started as young as three or four years old, depending on the recreational league. Have you ever seen a youth soccer game? It can be a cluster of kids grouped. Some of the players are paying attention, others picking flowers. Talk about adorable and entertaining! Soccer is a great sport for a child who has never participated in an organized sport before.
Time commitment is a massive benefit of soccer. Games are a set length. For the youngest players, games consist of 6-minute quarters. The duration of the quarters or halves increases as age increases, up to 45-minute halves for high schoolers. The practice is usually 1 or 2 hours long once or twice a week.
Ice Hockey
Ice hockey avoids outdoor elements altogether, with games being played inside an arena. Ice hockey requires players to skate on ice while using sticks to move a puck across the ice, with the end goal of scoring in the opponent’s net. Kids can pick up ice skating at a young age, making this a good fit for most ages.
If considering hockey, equipment costs could be something to think about beforehand. Another consideration is whether the league is contained in one arena or if you will have to travel to your opponents. Distance between arenas could be a deterrent.
Lacrosse
You may be unfamiliar with this sport, but lacrosse is quickly gaining popularity. Players use a lacrosse stick, which is a stick with a net on it, to move the lacrosse ball down the field by throwing it to teammates and trying to score in the opponent’s net. Game length is another perk for many parents, as it ranges from 32-60 minutes depending on the age group and the league.
Sports are a healthy and fun hobby to introduce your kids to at an early age. The games are often very entertaining in the youngest leagues. Your child’s skills and confidence will grow through the season. There are pros and cons to each sport, but what is most important is to choose one that interests your child. Fall is a great time to spark that interest!
