Why do we sign our children up for sports? Is it the joy to watch them play a game that we loved growing up and now we can’t perform as well as we did in our glory days? Is it to. Teach them to work together on a team and learn new skills? Maybe it is to give parents a break and allow the kid to release all of their built up energy from school. All of the above are correct answers and it maybe for all reasons.
Sports teaches many great things, a new skill, team work and leadership. Young children are like sponges they absorb every little detail and may never lead on that they learned it until one day BAM! As a parent you whip your head around and asked where did they learn that?
Leadership in sports teaches the basic need to be a good leader in adulthood. Work ethic, details, and support. Have you ever heard of a starting Quarterback in the NFL who was a jerk to his team mates and was successful? Chances after no. How about the MBL slugger who has the best batting average or hits the most home runs but is completely rude to everyone? Again I would think that their career would be short lived.
Leadership is more than just being the best on the team it is about supporting, guiding and overall caring for your team mates. Leaders are the ones who hold up their heads when they are trailing in the game. Leaders are the ones who speak up and encourage the team to dig deeper. They maybe the best on the team and take the final shot or be called upon to make the game winning play, but true leaders will go that extra mile every time for the benefit of the team. Show up first and stay late for practice, we have heard of many professional athletes that do this and 99% of the time they are viewed as a leader on the team. Leadership is unselfish, it does not care about the stats or the endorsements it cares about the good of the team. When leadership comes first and the natural God given talent is there all of the stats, endorsements and etc. will come into play quickly.
Be the leader you were Born 2 Be, with your family, friends, co-workers and yes your team mates. Show kindness and support of others first and the rest will follow in suit.
-Born 2 Play Apparel
