How to find out which sport is best for your child
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Tomorrow, fall sports officially kick off.
Student-athletes will put full pads on and make contact for the first time. This comes after players, cheerleaders, and bandmembers spent a week in heat acclimation practices.
The goal of the week was to get the players out on the field in their equipment and running drills, to get used to the weather's impact.
Teams ran drills and went over conditioning, but had little to no contact.
Playing sports is a good way to keep kids active. It also allows them to make friends, learn teamwork, and have fun.
But it can be hard to figure out which sport fits a child.
Doctor Elizabeth Davis said the best way to get your child interested in a sport, is to let them choose.
"If a kid sees on tv gymnastics or figure skating or football and they decide they want to try that, let them try that," Dr. Elizabeth Davis said. Davis works in Pediatric Sports Medicine with the Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.
If your child doesn't have a preference, let them try several sports. Sign them up for lessons. If it sticks, great.
But if it doesn't, move on to something else. And if they lose interest in a sport, doctors said you'll know best as to whether to pull them from the sport.
But in general, children should honor their commitment.
"You really should encourage your child, unless they're in a dangerous situation or they're getting hurt or you're really concerned for their safety, that they really do need to finish the season," Dr. Davis added.
Sometimes, it's hard to know when to start a child in a sport. Davis said it's usually best to start when they can follow directions and their attention span is longer.
She suggests around the age of four.