7 1/2 year old son not athletic

[Anonymous]

My soon-to-be 2nd grader son said he wants to try soccer again after trying in kindergarten. In kindergarten, he just liked running after the ball. I don't think he ever really kicked it in a game. Same with t-ball - he had problems just hitting it off the tee. I know that a lot changes in two years, but based on what I know of him, I don't think it will much better this time around.

My husband is reluctant to put him in a team sport because he knows he isn't athletic. He said he just wants to run around and would rather have him learn golf.

I am not athletic, and my parents forced team sports on me when I was young. I hated it at the time but can see the benefit of being on a team sport. I was teased a lot as a kid due to my lack of athleticism, and I don't want him to possibly go through this. He was told by a little girl at the pool this summer that he was dumb, and now he won't talk to or play with other kids. He is very concerned they will say no if he tries to play with them.

Although I know I have a bunch of issues on my hand based on what I just wrote, how to best deal with putting him in soccer? My husband won't be in the yard helping him practice, so it will be on me. Do I just sign him up, hold my breath, and hope the kids are nice to him?

Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

Did your husband play sports? What the heck! There are so many sports out there that he can learn team dynamics from, not just football/baseball/basketball.

Let him play soccer. If that doesn’t stick try another sport. Playing sports giving teenagers an identity, friends, and confidence.

[Anonymous]

I'm concerned about how much your husband's ego is tied up in this. Who cares if your almost 8 year old is going to be the worst kid on the team? He'll be in 2nd grade!

[Anonymous]

Let him play anything he's happy to play... that's the only thing that matters.

If coordination is his weakness and running is his love, golf seems like the worst possible option.

[Anonymous]

He is asking to try. You aren’t forcing him but you also aren’t supporting him. Let him try. And if it doesn’t work out, try something else.

[Anonymous]

He shouldn't play on a team - he should do drills with other kids and a coach. He'll get to kick the ball a lot, improve his skills and make friends with other kids also doing the same.

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of kids who are just running around on our second graders rec soccer team. They have fun. Id do it if he wants to but would also try to find one he could have at least one friend on.

[Anonymous]

Have you ever seen a second grade rec league game? A lot of the kids are like that. He'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

For specifics - just find the team closest to you and sign him up. At that age itll be dad coaches and won’t be very intense. Then if he likes it, just keep him playing, at whatever level he fits. Like hockey, soccer has a bunch of different levels if play/committment.

[Anonymous]

You follow your kid's lead. The end. You say...do you want to play soccer/basketball/baseball/lacrosse/swimming this season? And if they say yes, you sign them up. If they ask you for support in improving or support in additional practicing, you provide it if you are able to do so. Also, do the same about non-sports. Do not just offer sports.

They are going to have the experience they are going to have and it isn't about you or your husband at all.

And yes I have a high school son who isn't particularly unathletic. He just doesn't like sports that much. He continued one sport rec through middle school to be with friends and has one sport he plays in high school and his main activities are other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm concerned about how much your husband's ego is tied up in this. Who cares if your almost 8 year old is going to be the worst kid on the team? He'll be in 2nd grade!

+1
There’s also so much more to a team sport than the actual sport. Kids learn all sorts of things, including empathy, patience, teamwork, etc.
Your child is self-advocating and asking to join a team. Let him!
Finally, as a parent of some teens, I’ve seen first hand (as well as when I was growing up) that often the sports stars of elementary school peak and fizzle. The kids who put in the time and work hard are often the better ones by the time of high school.

[Anonymous]

He will be fine on a rec team. Worst case scenario, he doesn't ask to do it again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He will be fine on a rec team. Worst case scenario, he doesn't ask to do it again.

I help run a rec league. There's no asking people not to come back or having to ask people to come back. Rec leagues take all comers - by design.

[Anonymous]

I have the same kid, only a year older. He did soccer last year at 7.5, that was his second year. No one made fun of him, he ran around each game and rarely touched the ball, but he's decided he's done with soccer. Now he's decided to do swim team (still not athletic)!

[Anonymous]

My kid was unathletic until he found a sport he was interested in. By high school he was very athletic. I was honestly pretty surprised.