Getting your kid in Sport

OK posted this one on the Saffer board and look like we have some parents and a lot of sport lovers here. Myself having three kids and all of them enjoy their sport and this is the way I have gone about it. Would like to know the way you Aussies (which I have a huge amount of respect when it come to sport) do it.

All of us we love sport have a big role to play in teaching and getting our kids in sport. My big Kiwi pal, Red Beard, have the worthy saying about kids not doing sport being in jail, so fathers or mothers to be take note of that one.

To get a kid in sports , you have to teach him or her ball sense. Forget about the saying you are born with it, no it is something teach him. That start from baby day. The only precent you buy them has to be something to do with a ball. I start mine from day 1 to play with a balloon. The older they get the more ball sense they will get and the more you have to teach him. Once they hit the school they must be on the way to sports. In these parts they have "PlayBall" course at schools for the 4 to 6 year old. In other words the Pre Primary age. Dont worry spending money on this because you will get double your money back on the ball sense value of your kid. Once they have to pick which sport they want to play you have to lead them in the correct direction. NEVER force him in any sport , just lead them. Being a x rugby player and the sport I love, I want mine in that direction but I did not force them. This is a desition he have to take on himself and he have to ENJOY it. I only try to manage him in the direction by taking him to life rugby games, watch with him life rugby and never said no if he want to kick or play ball. This is one of the most important time you can spent with your kid, called QUALITY time. Even 5 minutes is enough as long as its quality time.

If he start play rugby, try to get involve in the school rugby setup. Help the coach rather then critizise. I get a allmighty kak in parents trying their outmost best to moan about stuff like my boy need to be in the A team (if you lead the kid positive in this regard you teach him a life lesson in working harder to get the better result) or the A team kids dad is a docter or whatever reason. Many kids stop doing sport for this reason for parents giving the wrong leadership. If you know rugby and have a bit spare time, get involve in coaching. School coaches are in heaven and do their bit to help make the world a better place.

The Games Generation. You have to make peace with this. Me and the Mrs give the kids a timeframe for this. If I have to spend money on this its always a sport game but only for special occations like birthday or Xmast. If he want to buy skateboarding, well he can do it with his own money. This sport games give them a lot of knowledge in the sport. They will learn the rules, players and a bit of hand eye coordination in no time. For me its unbelievable to see the kids excitement when a WC is on and he recodnise the real Johny Wilkinson or KP on TV. Mine even do there bowling action (cricket) or kicking action (rugby).

Once they hit High School your part has been done. Then its time to support them. They dont want to hear you now, only want to see you. Me and my Mrs get a lot of stick for this one. Dont matter what appointment you got on a weekend, if the kid is on the sportfield, he need you along the field.

One thing I have seen so many times with school age aporting kids , is the influense a girlfriend can make on their sport. Thats something else.

You know what I find hard? That fine line between correction and discouragement.

With my daughter, especially, I show her something really basic (like hold the racquet in your right hand 'cause you're right-handed) she gets the shits and chucks her toys.

The boy is easier. He just does what I tell him.

Scraf thats just a girl thing. Must say boys are just more naturals when it come to sport.

At our local schools we have what they call "kleure byeenkomste" colour sport. Thats where they start the kids off. Paarl Gym colours are green, maroon & yellow, so they diivide them according to their surnames into the three teams. Then they take the top lot and they play for their school.

Today we have swimming colour sports on a coldies day. They do this with athletics also this time of year, cricket, hockey & rugby. The kids make up the pavillion with their colours banners and have their sing songs to encourage the players. Thats where it all start on school level.

A photo essay on my daughter coming second (just) in her school's age races (that's me holding the tape).

Run!!

Dive!!

So close .

Noddy myself a rugby nutter but my two sons both field hockey players. I havent played that game myself but I learned it through them. Very important to let them do sport, any sport but you can manage them to rugby, make no mistake. Nothing beats taking my two boys or my whole family to Newlands and enjoy the day. That way they sort of get into rugby all by them self. My two boys also love poofball and are Man United fanatics. Me and them have this thing going the reason why I call it poofball but thats just to tease them. Pretty sure if we had poofball at school my youngest one would have played the game, I watch with them the English Premier League games but always shout for opposite Man United, just to get the vibe going.

That's taking fatherly indulgence too far.

If my kids see RL on TV I just tell them it's rugby. They don't know there's another code.

By the way - my daughter's house is WARATAH. That has made her a big fan of the Tahs. Plus, TahMan.

Dont know the way it works in Aus but in SA our kids do sport for their schools. Kids always love to be cool with their mates in school and if there is a rugby vibe, you can be sure he'll play rugby. I am pretty sure my youngest would not have played rugby if he wasnt in Paarl Gim because all the boys play rugby & hockey in Prymary School.

Scarf love that photos. Do they do athletics in winter over there? Looking like a pretty cold day.

About 5 degrees, hence the long pants.

Noddy, you've made my day: a staunch Reds supporter whose son supports Lachie Turner and the Waratahs. I'll bet your wife's a very intelligent woman. Which probably means your eldest son's smarter than you. ;D ;D ;D

I have an inkling how you feel: for a while my son barracked for the two Bs, Brumbies and Broncos. Take heart Noddy, he grew out of it and at 17 is now a fierce supporter of the Tahs and Blues.

What prep school are your boys down for? Surely it's Terrace with a name like yours. I don't envy you with three of them.

Lachie Turner. Great role model for every little kid who thinks he's (or she's) fast.

Gawd. Mine are the opposite. Not interested. :angryfire: They seem to like individual sports (Martial arts, swimming, long distance etc), but can't be bothered with the team sport thing. My son is only just showing an interest in teams sports now and he's 10. My daughter? Forgetabout it. She's good at Martial Arts and swimming though. She's showing a bit of interest in netball because she is ace at goal shooting, but trying to get them to go into teams? Nup. Neither of them can see the point in it and don't get excited.

I've got 5 kids. They are all their own little personality.
The eldest could take or leave footy.
The nsxt one is obsessed.
The others are too young.
Our view is: we won't be pushy parents, but they have to play sport. Winter and summer, even if they are crap, as long as there is enjoyment.
My boys could name just about every NRL player going around. One of them asked me if he could play NRL next year!!!!
I hate to say it, but the bogan ball marketing machine kills rugby in this department - always has - as long as there are footy cards!

My two year old already loves watching "rugbyball" on TV and is disappointed when we tell him its not on 24/7.

Vok broer , you sure dont have a single lazy ball hair, thats for sure. :thumb

Agree with that enjoyment part. My small kid was 3 and they press him into tennis lessons. Was quite something special to see a dummy sucking boytjie of 3 years old and hitting 7 out of 10 tennis balls with both hands back over the net. Well that coach press him to hard at a to young age and he havent touched a racket again. Tennis is quite a popular sport in his school but he had it. Thats when I decided to never ever force him in a single sport. We have in most sports this extra coaching, they called academies specially rugby & cricket costing you extra. Our rugby one goes on for 12 months when they do extra coaching on things like conditioning, dietting exct with the kids. I ask him every year if he want to attend but he dont want to, so I'll just leave it. Might put him in the cricket one in a year or so when he start to do better. We have a indoor one here and they use the bowling machine exct and learn them everything extra. The thing about sport in these valleys is that the parents expect the coaches to learn the kids everything in the sport. If you want your kid to perform , you need to teach him daily and only leave the coaches to give him the match and team skills.

I love playing backyard sport with the kids and mine even have their own little hockey field. Once and again you just hear one hit the other with stick over the head or on the feet or maer merrie. Still believe thats where kids learn the most of their skills, specially the younger ones. If a 10 year old can survive against a 21 year old he sure is years ahead of his age group.