Everyone loves spring in many parts of the world. It marks the beginning of warmer weather and time outside. The leaves start to grow on trees again and for many baseball fans it is the beginning of the season. In the greater sports world, we are able to move from indoor based sports to outdoor sports where the fresh air and the sun can be enjoyed.
Sports or other related activities are vital to a kids overall development and helping them reach their future goals. The life lessons provided through sports is phenomenal and provides adults with many teachable moments with their youngsters.
I think we can all agree that a kid working hard towards a goal is a good thing. Also, dealing with the high and lows and the wins and losses during a season helps a kid deal with failure and success. We want well balanced kids that are ready for life and are physically and mentally healthy. Sports provides a great avenue to help kids reach those outcomes.
The spring time provides opportunities for kids to be involved in sports and those life skills and lessons to be developed. Below we will provide an overview of each of the spring sports for kids and provide three tips to help you support kids through their sports journey.
At the end of the day, we are on a journey to support our kids in their journey of life. At sportswarrior365, sports have been a major part of our journey and remains a part of our journey as we coach and provide support for our own kids.
6 Spring Sports for Kids include:
- Baseball
- Softball
- Lacrosse
- Golf
- Track
- Tennis
Baseball
The game that many people have played as little leaguers. Baseball marks the beginning of spring and provides hope for the coming months. Even though baseball is played at a slower pace, many kids fall in love with the game of baseball and start at an early age.
TBall is the first option to get started in the game and usually starts around age 5 or when a kid is in kindergarten. The goal of TBall is to teach the very basics, hit their first ball, run the bases and maybe even stop a ball before it stops on their own. Kids will have a wide range of ability levels and that is perfectly fine. Your kid might be the one picking dandelions in the outfit, but remain calm and supportive.
As kids move up in the levels, the next stop is at coach pitch. This is where the game is played, but the coach of your kids team will pitch, which helps the kids hit the ball, run the bases and the for the defense to have the opportunity to field the ball.
The more advanced levels of coach pitch may get involved in some fun local tournaments known as 8u. This is where the rules are set and the score is kept to see who wins. It is actually a pretty cool level of baseball and is highly entertaining and fun for the kids and parents involved.
Kids then enter into player pitch at around the age of 9 and can play all the way up through high school and beyond if they are good enough! Overall, the game of baseball provides kids the opportunity to deal with teammates and coaches and the reality that they might fail if they strike out or get out.
Dealing with these failures is the key as a parent and to remain encouraging. Just attempt to help your kid fail forward. Do not scream or well and remain patient with your kid.
| Level of Baseball | Age | Pitcher |
| TBall | 5-6 | Tee and Coach |
| Mighty Mites | 7-8 | Coach |
| Minors | 9-10 | Player |
| Majors | 11-12 | Player |
| Pony | 13-14 | Player |
| Colt | 15-16 | Player |
Softball
A game very similar to baseball and one that many girls will play. Most of the TBall leagues are co-ed as boys and girls are both on the team. The teams then split up at the next age level around 7 or 8 and like baseball, softball will move onto coach pitch as well. The game once again is very fun and highly entertaining.
We are big fans of coach pitch as the majority of the players hit the ball which allows the majority to run the bases and the defense gets plenty of opportunities to field the ball and make the proper throw. This is the basics of baseball and softball and this level provides great opportunities for growth.
Lacrosse
A game that continues to grow in popularity. In many parts of the country it has overtaken baseball as the main spring sport at the high school level.
There are many benefits to it and it doesn’t take up plenty of activity and provides a great workout. There are levels for both boys and girls and brings a healthy level of competition. Most kids will start the sport at around 8 or 9 years old.
Golf
A game that can be played for a lifetime. Truly, a sport that is filled with class and that people play well into their 80s. It is a game that is great for enjoying time outside, getting some quality exercise by walking and learning how to interact with others while trying to shoot your best score possible.
For kids, the key is to have them experience some little successes early on. Start on the practice green with some putting and some simple chipping. Help them see the ball get up into the air and then putt it into the hole. Try not to be too structured if you go out on the course with your kids and make sure they are having fun.
The long term benefits of golf are fantastic as it is a great activity for the business world and just about every adult that plays the game wishes they had started earlier and that they could play better. If you are looking to get your kid started, many local driving ranges or courses run group lessons to help the young golfers understand the basics such as grip, stance and the swinging motion.
Another great option is to find a par 3 course for the first trip onto an actual course and help the kid have success. Do not stress about the grip, the stance and the swing, but instead be excited when the ball gets in the air and let them tee up every shot!
As golfers advance there are plenty of spring and summer junior golf tournaments that kids can compete in. Many courses might offer leagues for junior level golfers. While the game can be somewhat expensive, it does provide a very valuable skill later on in life. It is also great for teaching life lessons and how to control your anger and deal with others! For free golf tips, check out this great resource.
Track
Most kids have a ton of energy and love to get outside and run. Track is a great sport for the kid with high energy that is fast or just simply loves to run. Many local recreation departments run a local track camp or have a running group for more distance based activities.
Track remains a popular sport at the middle school and high school levels as it can pull students from different sports together during the spring months. If you kid enjoys running, but there are no track opportunities around, simply taking them to a local high school to utilize the track is an option.
The sport overall is relatively inexpensive and is a great sport from an athletic and social standpoint once a kid reaches middle school. Many adults turn to running to try to keep weight off, lose weight or just to simply get or stay in shape. The sport can be enjoyed by people of all ages and simply running around and enjoying the outdoors is a major benefit from physically and mental.
Tennis
Similar to golf, tennis is a great sport for the ages. It is a classy sport that can be cheap to get started in because of the number of tennis courts found throughout most cities. A tennis racket and a pack of three balls is a great way to start.
There are always options to play outside and all it takes is one other person to play. Once again, many recreational departments or schools will run a summer or spring camp on tennis. This will help players establish the basics of the game and get excited to play more often.
The game takes a lot of movement and some skill, but the earlier you start (just like golf) the easier it is to pick the game up and reach a high level of skill. Once a kid reaches a certain level, individual coaching can help a kid get to the next level and continue on with their growth and development.
As kids advance further there are junior tournaments and opportunities to play all throughout the United States. The highest levels of tennis are pretty serious, or a kid can play simply for fun!
3 Tips For Parents to Support Kids
Here are some basic tips to help parents support their kids. Remember the goal is to not develop the next Division 1 athlete or the next Mike Trout in baseball, instead the focus should be to develop quality people who will have a positive impact on our society.
How parents respond to situations often impacts how kids handle adversity. Staying calm and supportive during good and bad times will show your kid the proper response. Also, make sure you are caring both emotionally and physically. Sports can be tough. The first time you lose or don’t get the right amount of playing time can hurt. Once again, how we response as adults is the key.
We believe in the simple three step approach below:
- Be Supportive
- Be Caring
- Be A Good Listener
At the end of the day, make sure you are listening to your kids. They will share their highs and lows and it is your role to monitor their progress and be the coach at home on how to handle difficult situations. If they feel they aren’t getting enough playing time, have them open a conversation with the coach. Keep in mind what your ultimate goal is and make sure you aren’t living vicariously through your kids!
A great Ted Talk on Parents at Youth Sports:
Related Questions
Should my kid specialize in a sport?
We believe that kids should start off by trying many different sports. There are many benefits to playing multiple sports and switching seasons. There are some situations where a specialization in sports is something a good thing, but generally speaking playing at least two sports carries major benefits.
What if my kids coach is a screamer?
Try to balance the coach out at key times, such as on the way home from practice by being encouraging and supportive. Your kid will survive if you play the situation right and do not overreact to the situation. If it gets to a certain level, you could always contact the coach when your kid is not around and express your concerns.
What should be the goal of a season?
My goal as a coach is that at the end of the year, the kids want to play again the following year and that they have developed some skills and love for the game.
By making a goal that players want to continue on with the sport, I feel that I have been successful in making the experience fun and supportive for the kids. We want kids to have a positive feeling about the sport and hopeful for their future experiences with the sport.
What is the best sport to start with?
I would recommend starting with a several day soccer game or something similar that has a low level of commitment and is hopefully fun and encouraging.
We want kids to stick with sports and a 3-5 day start just might be the perfect combination. Soccer is a great sport for footwork development, teamwork, and the game allows kids to run around and get some energy out.
Take Action…
Our number one piece of advice is get your kid involved. Find something they enjoy and be supportive of that passion or interest. It will pay off in the long run.
We understand the late nights and the long weekends while sitting at the ballfield or the soccer field, the reality is that our kids are learning so much and the time and money invested is well worth!
Not for the college scholarship, but for the life lessons they are learning in developing life skills that will make them better people, better employees and better overall citizens. Find your niche in support your kid and always look to improve!