It has been widely acknowledged that sport can have a positive effect on a kid’s development. As the popularity of basketball surges worldwide, we have provided the five most significant reasons as to why basketball, in particular, is the right sport for your kids.
1. The mental health perspective
In a world where mental health issues are becoming more widely acknowledged and discussed, basketball could be one of the best sports for your kids to try out. Unlike traditional solitary sports such as golf or tennis, basketball is a very social sport and could help your child develop their self-confidence. This can also occur in a more gradual manner than in sports such as Australian football, which have large teams and can often be overwhelming. Some kids aren’t comfortable in large groups, so basketball could be a great starting point as there are only 5 players from each team on the court at one time.
Basketball is also a universally fun game to play, which means it may offer mental health benefits for your kid – it has been proven that there is a link between taking part in sport and the production of endorphins, the happy hormone. Basketball can also help to reduce stress by acting as an outlet or a distraction for pent up emotions.
2. Social Growth, Respect and Communication
In addition to this, another reason why basketball is the right sport for your kids is that these increased levels of social interactivity can greatly improve their communication. For example, when participating in a game, it is expected for players to come together as one, therefore providing your kids with the opportunity to learn appropriate ways of communicating with their peers. They will also develop a sense of teamwork, recognising the role they play within a group, which again is a great transferable skill. This will prove useful throughout their life and will help your kids understand how to better communicate their emotions and how to respond in a more appropriate way when others are upset or hurt, developing empathy.
3. Practical development
As well as the previous psychological reasons as to why your kids should play basketball, more practical developments must of course be taken into account. Basketball can be very strategic, so your children will have the opportunity to develop proficient critical thinking skills, learning how to use tactics to their advantage. This is another major benefit of playing basketball – its cognitive nature allows for the development of problem-solving skills that will be greatly beneficial throughout your kid’s life.
4. Physical development
As basketball is a physically demanding sport, it proffers all sorts of physical benefits for your kids. For example, the significance of hand-eye coordination in basketball is immense. In general terms, basketball greatly relies upon hand-eye coordination to ensure safe passes of the ball between players and when shooting at the hoop. This can have profound benefits for your kid’s developing eyesight and more general athletic practice, eventually leading to greater overall health.
5. Health benefits
Last but not least is the benefits basketball has in terms of health. It is a fast-paced sport, and there are various situations where a player may have to out-run another player. This means that stamina and agility – among other skills – are crucial. Stamina is built up through regular but balanced examples of prolonged physical activity, therefore, it can be developed in your kids through regular games. This will lead to great physical and health benefits, allowing them to build up muscular and cardiovascular strength, for example.
Stamina, in specific relation to basketball, however, would be greatly aided by the type of shoe that your children will wear to play. This is because different types of shoes are created for different types of feet, for example, wide shoes. Ultimately, the right shoe will positively impact your kid’s sporting performance. At AND1, we recognise this, which is why we stock a wide range of shoes for every foot type. We have created guides to greater aid your selection, and have dedicated members of staff on hand to help you with any further queries. For quality basketball shoes Australia wide, contact us at AND1 today.