You are probably thinking of signing up your child to their first season of rugby. You may have some doubts in your mind. I mean do you really want your kid tackling and being tackled by some giant man child? Not too fast it is time to look at all the benefits of rugby for children to make your decision easier.
Why should kids play rugby?
Kids should play rugby because it is a great sport that will help them become athletic, strong, build mental strength, learn to work in a team, deal with winning and losing and is a great environment to make lifelong friends.
Rugby Will Make Your Child Fit
Childhood obesity is unfortunately a serious problem and all the related health problems that go along with that such as diabetes and heart disease. This is an epidemic which is shaving years off childrens’ lives.
One of the most effective ways to prevent childhood obesity is regular exercise. Rugby is a great form of exercise. Did you know a rugby player runs an average of 7km each game and sprint 30 different times. It is no wonder footy players are known for their incredible fitness.
The great thing about rugby is that it is so much fun unlike many other forms of exercise that your child will be begging you to take them to training every week. You won’t have to force them to exercise; they will be super excited.
If you want your child to be fit and healthy then rugby is a great form of exercise that can be used to ensure your child stays trim.
Rugby Will Make Your Child Strong
Did you know rugby players can squat 2x their body weight, bench press 1.5x their body weight and deadlift 2x their body weight. If you want your child to be strong and indestructible then they need to be training rugby.
Rugby is a very gruelling game, to deal with this rugby players become incredibly strong. Being strong can have many benefits for your kid.
Do you really think bullies are going to mess with your child if he has bulging biceps and can pick his potential bully up with ease? Your child is much less like likely to suffer injuries on and off the rugby pitch if they are big and strong. Your child will be proud and confident knowing that he is big and strong. This confidence can lead to him finding success in all aspects of life such as relationships and career.
Rugby will make your child strong which will make them less susceptible to bullying, make their body injury proof and give them an all round greater sense of confidence.
Rugby Will Teach Your Child To Be A Gracious Winner
Noone likes arrogant people and bad sports. Rugby has an inbuilt code of sportsmanship that will teach your child to handle winning appropriately and graciously. After each match whether win, lose or draw your child will shake their opposition’s hand and thank them for the match. Any negativity on the field will be forgotten and forgiven.
If you want your child to develop good sportsmanship, win graciously and forgive people then sign them up for rugby.
Rugby Will Make Your Child Mentally Strong
Rugby is a tough sport. It can be painful. It can lead to injury. It can be exhausting. To deal with all these obstacles you need to be mentally strong.
Rugby will not only make your kid physically strong but it will develop their mental strength which in many ways is more important than physical prowess. Rugby will teach your child to overcome fear when tackling someone much bigger than them or block out of the pain after being smashed to the ground or dig deep and keep running when their lungs are on fire.
Rugby Will Teach Your Child How To Be A Good Team Member
Being able to operate effectively in a team is an essential skill that we all should strive to develop. Humans are social beings and we rely on others to live and thrive whether that’s in our families, at work or at our hobbies.
As rugby is a team sport only a cohesive team can succeed. There is a famous saying a great team of good players will always beat a good team of great players. Rugby will teach and show your child how to be a good team member. Rugby will teach your child not to be selfish, don’t tear down your teammates and be willing to work hard to achieve team goals.
Your kid can then take those skills learned on the rugby pitch into other areas of life such as business and family.
Rugby Will Make Your Child Friends
Rugby is a team sport. With 14 other teammates your child will have the opportunity to meet a lot of different kids from varying backgrounds. This gives them a great chance to make some new friends and improve their social skills.
The best way to develop social skills is through constant exposure to social situations. If your child plays rugby they will be spending hours every week with his teammates which is perfect for improving social skills.
As rugby is a tough sport players develop a certain bond that you don’t find in other sports. This bond is based on overcoming a difficult situation. This bond provides a great foundation to build a lifelong friendship on. I know many adults who are still close friends with people they played rugby with as kids.
If you want your child to meet new people, improve their social skills and make some new friends then they need to be on a rugby pitch.
Rugby Will Teach Your Child To Not Be A Sore Loser
If your kid plays rugby they will taste defeat (hopefully not too often). This is a valuable experience to endure at a young age. As we all know throughout life we face setbacks and are forced to deal and overcome them. If your children can develop this skill at an early age they will be more resilient and better equipped to deal with all the things that life can throw at them.
It is becoming more and more common for children to be shielded from the realities of life. There is no hiding from the failure on the rugby pitch. The scoreboard clearly reveals who is the winner and the loser. You are forced to accept the reality and deal with it. A child who can handle and overcome loss is a well rounded and high functioning individual. Rugby is an effective way to develop these skills and attributes.
Rugby Will Help Your Child’s Grades
Did you know that fit children that regularly play sport score significantly higher on academic tests than children who are not fit and don’t play sport.
Pivarnik, president-elect of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) studied 317 students from grade six through eight and found that the fittest group of students scored 30 percent higher on standardized tests than the least fit group. The unfittest children had marks in four core classes 20 percent lower than the other children.
As rugby is such an intense sport it will make your child very fit which will not only improve their health but will help them achieve high grades at school. Who needs a tutor when you have a rugby coach! They tend to be a bit cheaper too.
Conclusion
Rugby will ensure your child is mentally and physically fit. It will help them make friends and improve their social skills. Rugby will teach your child the power and teamwork and the art of sportsmanship. Finally rugby will help improve your kid’s grades. With all the benefits offered by the great game it is a no brainer, your child needs to be running around a rugby field ASAP!
