Sports for Non-Athletic Teenagers
Finding Physical Activities for Teens Who Hate Team Sports
Oct 24, 2009
Although many sports clubs encourage children to participate in sports for the enjoyment and exercise and try to downplay the competitive aspects, kids know when they don’t play well and often feel that they've let down the team. And as kids grow older, the teams become more and more competitive with fewer recreational leagues available. Kids who have difficulty with physical coordination or don't perform well under stress usually don't continue with sports when they become pre-teenagers or teenagers. Instead, they spend more and more time in sedentary activities like reading, playing video and computer games, or watching TV.
How Parents Can Help Non-athletic Teenagers Develop a Healthy, Active Lifestyle
If children don't excel in sports and aren't interested in playing on teams, forcing them to participate will only cause resentment, and they will quit as soon as they have the opportunity. Instead of insisting they join a team for regular exercise, teach them the importance of including physical activity into their life for enjoyment and health rather than competition and glory. Model an active lifestyle and help them to find physical activities they enjoy.
Physical Activity Doesn't Necessarily Mean Team Sports
If teenagers abhor team sports, encourage them to explore individual activities where they can focus on setting personal goals to improve their skills and conditioning at their own pace. Although individual activities can be done alone, it is often more motivating to be part of a group. But, unlike team sports, the advantage to individual sports, is that one person's performance doesn't impact the group.
Options for Individual Physical Activity
Martial arts –Tae kwon do, karate, jujitsu, and many other forms of martial arts focus on individual improvement and skill. They usually include cardiovascular activities, as well as strength-building and coordination. In some cases, they also expand their teachings to Include lifeskills and attitudes such as respecting family, dealing with bullies, avoiding violence, healthy living, eating well, avoiding drugs and smoking and so on.
Hiking – This walking activity gets teenagers outside and can offer a good workout depending on the terrain and speed. An excellent opportunity to try hiking, as well as camping, is the Scouts. Scouting offers boys and girls the opportunity to spend time outdoors, learn about the environment, personal safety, independence, and leadership. Much of their activities include hiking and camping, but they often explore other physical activities such as rock climbing, paddling, and biking. Although, the scouting programs starts for young kids, programs are also available for teenagers and it has the advantage of providing group camping and hiking opportunities so teens aren't going out alone.
Canoeing and Kayaking – For outdoor enthusiasts, canoeing and kayaking offer a great upper body workout. To get started, look for lessons that cover basic strokes and canoe or kayak control, as well as water safety. The scouts may offer canoe or kayaking opportunities, as well, but a canoe and kayak club will have more regular time on the water. While learning, teens should be paired with someone in a tandem canoe or kayak, but as they gain more skills, they could advance to solo paddling. Some canoe and kayak clubs also offer the chance to combine sports, like a "plod n' paddle" where half the participants canoe or kayak across a lake while the rest run around the lake. Then they switch parts and the runners canoe or kayak back while the initial paddlers run.
Swimming – basic swimming skills are useful for almost everyone and once teenagers master the basics, swimming provides a great way to build muscle and cardiovasular strength without breaking a sweat. Developing a regular swimming routine is a healthy alternative to competitive sports and it has the added benefit of ensuring teenagers have regular showers too! Paired with Canoing or Kayaking, which are seasonal activities, swimming provides a winter activity and the chance to develop a useful skill should their canoe or kayak ever tip over.
Physical Activity for Life-Long Health
An active lifestyle doesn't have to include team sport or competitions. If teenagers are not athletically inclined, encourage them to explore individual activities to find one they enjoy. If they are having fun, they are more likely to make it a part of their lifestyle and keep at if long after they have finished school and moved on into adulthood – and that will have more lifelong benefits than focusing on competition and achievement.
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