How old was your child when they got involved in team sports?
Like playing on a soccer team, etc… was it through their school or a town league?
I’m just wondering because I think my town has a league that’s for toddlers and preschoolers (like maybe 3 and 4 year olds) and I’d like my daughter to try it out when she’s old enough, but my mom never put me on sports teams so I don’t really know much about it. Do you usually pay to be on town teams and school teams, or just pay for your equipment and uniform?
I have 4 children 11 and under. The 1st three started team sports at 5 because of the cutoff age, but the 4th started tball last year at the age of 3 because he was turning 4 before the cutoff date. He actually learned to walk on the fences at the baseball field because his older brothers played and we were at the fields A LOT.
You normally pay to be on town teams and it is normally for uniforms and field times. In my area of Florida, the fee is for hat, jersey, belt and socks for uniform (you are responsible for pants and cleats) and for the fields and umpires for the older levels. Each child brings their own equipment (gloves, bats, helmet), but they are given team equipment as well and bats and helmets can be shared. I always buy them their own helmets and there is no sharing because it is more hygenic. Gloves are difficult to share on a team since each child needs one to play.
March 4th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
I was 7
thats a good age because they can pick the sport THEY like and will most likely stick with =]
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March 5th, 2010 at 12:11 am
I was in 3rd grade, and I hated it! YUck,but then i tried it again in 6th and LOVED it and did it for several years
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March 5th, 2010 at 12:52 am
I wouldn’t recommend team sports for childs younger than 5.
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Coached youth sports for many years and have 2 kids that play team sports
March 5th, 2010 at 1:04 am
I don’t have children yet myself, but I recall being on a basketball team organized by our church when I was 8. We did have to pay to be on that one, though. I was on another team organized by our community center the following year, and didn’t have to pay for that one.
I was never on a town or a school team, though, so I’m not sure about those. I’m guessing that you won’t have to pay to be on a school team, though, considering that the school would want the best people on their team, paying or not. At my school, there’s no need to pay to be on a team, although you have to try out and the competition to get on the team is rather stiff.
I personally don’t recommend starting a child that young in team sports, though. I don’t really think they’d be able to pick a sport best suited for them or be able to play it with as much dedication than older ones might. I mean, when I was 3 or 4 and had to pick a sport to go with, I probably would’ve just picked something that my parents liked, like baseball (which my dad was especially good at) and might not have enjoyed it as much. When I chose basketball at age 8, it was a serious choice and I still play basketball now. So that’s just a thought to think about.
Good luck!
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March 5th, 2010 at 1:22 am
well school sports dont start until 7th grade, and you should definitely get her involved in as many as possible, because it keeps her active, shes not bored, and makes a lot of friends and has FUN!!!!
town leagues are usually non-competitive and are no more than $50 and you get a jersey, trophy or medal(usually), and a season of fun. you could start soccer around 4, teeball around 5 basketball around 7, volleyball around 8 or 9, cheerleading around 5 or 6, and dance around 4*(although this wouldnt be a town league, you would have to take her to a dance school) then you have to buy some equipment(ex teeball a glove and bat) soccer you would need to buy cleets, basketball just shoes and volleyball shoes and kneepads, but with the exception of teeball, no town league should be more than $75, and tee ball should be around $100, but all the equipment (with exception of clothes and shoes, because they outgrow them) should last 3-4 years.
when she gets older, like around 9-10, she can decide on one or two and get really good at and maybe even play in a competitive league, just if she wants to quit, dont force her to play, she will hate playin and eventually because of that hate all sports and school and anything else you make her do and will turn out to be a high school drop out and draw unemployment for a livin
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March 5th, 2010 at 1:31 am
I was 3 or 4 when I started soccer and gymnastics. I loved both of them and I also did dance til my senior year of high school. Maybe you could put your daughter in dance I know here they have dance for 3 and 4 year olds.
I am putting my oldest in dance and gymnastics this summer. You can also check at like your community center they have like music classes and tumbling classes or swimming classes.
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mom to three little girls
March 5th, 2010 at 1:37 am
my daughter 6, my son was 7, my other son was 8. Yes you pay to be on the team. Yes you buy equipment if you want. They will have bats, and helmets (buy your own though, think head lice) you will have to buy a T-ball glove.
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March 5th, 2010 at 2:11 am
Push kids too early and they burn out. Mine did basket ball skills at 5. It taught them all the skills needed but not games. They started swimming at 4. My son was in a basketball team for one season at the age of 8 but he became more involved with gymnastics and had to give it up. Both mine are 10 tomorrow and are in gymnastics , Cubs and swimming so no real team sports. My sons gymnastics group compete occasionally
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March 5th, 2010 at 2:57 am
I have 4 children 11 and under. The 1st three started team sports at 5 because of the cutoff age, but the 4th started tball last year at the age of 3 because he was turning 4 before the cutoff date. He actually learned to walk on the fences at the baseball field because his older brothers played and we were at the fields A LOT.
You normally pay to be on town teams and it is normally for uniforms and field times. In my area of Florida, the fee is for hat, jersey, belt and socks for uniform (you are responsible for pants and cleats) and for the fields and umpires for the older levels. Each child brings their own equipment (gloves, bats, helmet), but they are given team equipment as well and bats and helmets can be shared. I always buy them their own helmets and there is no sharing because it is more hygenic. Gloves are difficult to share on a team since each child needs one to play.
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