How to Help Your Teen Daughter Thrive in Her Sport

We all know that getting exercise is important for teens and children alike, but playing sports offers additional long-term benefits for girls that your standard fitness class might not. From building self-confidence to encouraging teamwork, there’s no doubt that sports can be a good option for young ladies. But how do you, as a parent, make sure you’re doing the most to ensure your daughter’s athletic success and what red flags should you look for in a program? Expert Sue Sugarman, LCSW weighs in.
    

Help Your Daughter Choose a Sport

Start by identifying which sports interest your child. Choosing one she has an affinity for will help her stick with it even when it gets tough. Understanding your daughter’s learning style and temperament, as well as assessing her developmental skills, is important in finding an appropriate program. 

Introduce her to sports while she’s young. The earlier kids engage in athletics, the more likely they are to exercise regularly as they get older, and develop healthy habits in general. However, if she didn't play sports at a young age, don’t let that hold her back—encourage her to try to something new. Here in NYC, we have a variety of programs including those for the non-athletically inclined, recreational programs, traditional programs, and elite travel teams. 

When choosing a program, finding the right one is most important. You want to ensure that your daughter is having fun, because if she isn’t having fun, she isn’t going to want to participate. A staggering statistic is that 70 percent of youth athletes drop out by the age of 13. The number one reason why? It was no longer fun.