Playing sports regularly (including netball drills) can have a whole host of positive effects, notably on levels of physical fitness and general health. But the advantages gained can certainly be a lot more than just physical.
Regular sporting activity can help to improve stamina and coordination, as well as reduce levels of obesity. In addition, taking part in sports (particularly a team sport) can help to build a great range of life skills in children. Children from disadvantaged or deprived backgrounds can reap especially great benefits from participating.
What Skills Can Be Gained From Team Sports?
The benefits of sports are many, and according to the Guardian, they include higher levels of academic attainment. Children who partake in a team sport have been shown to be more likely to stay in education after compulsory school age. Also, being a member of a sporting squad can encourage determination, teamwork, and good cooperation, which are skills that children can carry through life.
The Role of Coach
The role of a coach to a sporting team should be to provide encouragement and inspiration to the team you manage: in short, to be a “good role model”. All children benefit from any extra positive influence in their lives, but for a child from a troubled background, the coach really can play right here a pivotal role. In some cases, the child’s sports coach may be the only adult in their lives who can serve as a positive role model and can use their influence to make a major difference to the child’s worldview. The attitudes absorbed in childhood can stay with us all through life, so of course, this is a great responsibility for the coach.
One way to keep your team motivated and focused on the task at hand is to make sure that training sessions are kept fresh and interesting. For instance, if you are running a netball team, you will need to ensure that your training does not become dull and repetitive.
In short, taking part in team sports has obvious advantages for all children. But for children being brought up in difficult surroundings, it can make all the difference in the course of their lives.
