Some parents feel that their kids need a homeschool sports program to stimulate them physically while they are working to stimulate them mentally. Being part of a sports team also teaches your children to learn what competition really means. It gives them the opportunity to learn that competition is a healthy part of life and need not be the only driving force. Sports are competitive but should also be an enjoyable experience for your child. Joining a team also teaches your homeschooled children what teamwork means and can improve their focus as they learn how to train for the sport they are playing. There are many benefits to playing sports.
The best way to get started on a homeschool sports team to is decide whether you want the team to be competitive, referred to as interscholastic, or simply recreational, known as intramural. Either one will be good for your homeschool students. Then sit down with your child and discuss what sport they have the most interest in. It is probably best to only organize one team at a time.
One of the most popular sports these days is basketball. One reason is because it is started early and both girls and boys are encouraged to play. But there are many possible choices for your first homeschool sports team. There is volleyball, baseball, or even bowling. Since there are so many choices you will need input from your child to choose the one they most want to play. Then you need to find a place to play. This too is based on what sport you have chosen. If you need a gym than there are usually arrangements that can be made with local community centers, schools or even churches sometimes have gyms for the kids to use. Depending on which place you are able to get you will have to work your schedule around others who are already using the facility.
Once you have chosen the sport and found the facility you now need to find others to fill out the team. There are several methods that you can use to do this. First you can put up advertisements for team members at the local grocery stores and community centers. You can also post on area homeschool websites or in homeschool newsletters. Do not be afraid to ask for some small fee to help cover off the costs of space, uniforms and supplies. You want serious players to join and if their parents are willing to put out a few dollars towards the game they are more likely to attend the practices and games.
If you do not know enough about the sport you have organized your team to play then you have two choices. Either you can increase your learning curve by reading or watching some instructional DVDs or you can see if one of the other parents is willing to coach. Either way, with the investment of only a little time you can organize a homeschool sports team and give your child the opportunity to play in organized sports.
