What sport would you want your son/daughter to play?

[Anonymous]

Expose them to everything and let them choose. Giving them the skills to play lifetime sports (tennis and golf) seems like a good idea (mine took to tennis). We wish mine had taken to a team sport, any team sport, because of the life lessons you learn from being part of a team. But kids' sports have become so specialized/competitive/time intensive, it's just as well. Mine can't stand the high-level tennis tournaments with the parents coaching on the sidelines, either, and I can't say as I blame them.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned skiing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Swimming, Track, Tennis
Soccer - Possible, but the whole travelling team thing puts me off

Really, I would do any of the above, if he seemed interested.

Basketball out of the question - DS is too short
Football - I am too afraid of concussive injuries
Hockey - too violent
Lacrosse - not my thing - grew up in the Southwest - didn't even know what LAX was until college
Baseball - nope, couldn't sit through the games

That is a lot of No's to give out to a child.

I agree! I just want my child to play what interests them. FWIW- for basketball, you don't have to be tall- its not like your kid is trying out for the Lakers!

[Anonymous]

Me, I'm praying she plays none. I hate sports and the thought of spending my weekends watching kids play scares me. I'm hoping she is more inclined to cultural pursuits.

[Anonymous]

Another vote here for swimming.

[Anonymous]

Swimming, tennis and some running.

[Anonymous]

The answer is whatever he enjoys. My DS is 5 and is trying out sports one by one. So far, he has tried soccer (loved it) and lacrosse (likes it). Next year, he said he wants to play soccer again and then try baseball. I like sports that won't put me in the poorhouse due to the expense. Soccer is pretty cheap but lacrosse has tons of equipment. I played basketball but my DS is really short. I also rode horses but that costs $$$ (which is the reason I didn't continue). To the poster who asked about boys and horseback riding- I usually had one boy in my group lessons but mostly girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised no one has mentioned skiing.

I think of skiing more of an activity than a sport around here.

It's fun and I'd love for the kids to learn, but is there a way to ski competitively in this area? I'm guessing the schools don't have ski teams. Are there local clubs that compete? If not, I consider it an activity more than a sport. (And as an activity, it seems a bit challenging -- 2 hour drive to the nearest mountain, so outings are all-day and pretty expensive.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tennis or golf. Nothing wrong with the other sports but (1) you can play tennis and golf your whole life, and (2) they can totally be helpful professionally.

That's exactly what I was going to say. Maybe adding track since running is another activity that can b enjoyed well ito adulthood either casually or competetively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Swimming, Track, Tennis
Soccer - Possible, but the whole travelling team thing puts me off

Really, I would do any of the above, if he seemed interested.

Basketball out of the question - DS is too short
Football - I am too afraid of concussive injuries
Hockey - too violent
Lacrosse - not my thing - grew up in the Southwest - didn't even know what LAX was until college
Baseball - nope, couldn't sit through the games

That is a lot of No's to give out to a child.

Wait, you'd watch him run track, but not play baseball or lacrosse? Mmmmkay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lacrosse isn't going to hurt your kids. My son swims, plays football and plays lacrosse. He played soccer when he was younger. He is the smartest, sweetest, most polite child. I am told this by everyone who meets him.

While I think that most children (and yours, too) are decent people, most people wouldn't tell you to your face that your kid is slow, mean, or impolite. We all think the world of our kids, but what people tell you in person about your child is not necessarily accurate.

so in order to have an opinion about your child, do you have to hire someone to do an anonymous survey? Or do you assume your kids are rotten? Sheesh.

No, my kids are not rotten. My kids are wonderful. My one son in particular always receives compliments on his kindness and politeness, more so than my other children. People always tell me how wonderful he is. They have since he was a wee little boy. He also plays *lacrosse*. Not all lacrosse kids are spoiled, entitled bullies.

[Anonymous]

I'm pretty much okay with anything and would like my kids to be active in any sport they choose.

That said, I do worry about the risk of injuries in football and some other sports seem really expensive/inconvenient in terms of learning and practicing (hockey, lacrosse, swimming, skating, gymnastics, golf, tennis).

I think team sports are great (soccer, basketball) and individual/team sports like track/cross country and swimming are also great.

I think it'd be great if they learned to play golf or tennis so my husband would have someone to play with since I do neither. It would also be a good way for them to spend time together.

But in the end, I would just like for my kids to be active and healthy and happy.

[Anonymous]

football and cheerleading seem to be the worst sport for injuries, but I do remember some articles about kids who play travel soccer plus on their HS teams and some people are starting to worry that it is too much stress for their legs (leading to the all the ACL/MCL problems).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tennis or golf. Nothing wrong with the other sports but (1) you can play tennis and golf your whole life, and (2) they can totally be helpful professionally.

This is my answer too, but only because they can go professional and make a ton of money and support me so I can quit working.

Kidding. I don't mind most sports, but would prefer not football or cheerleading (the sport kind of cheerleading) because of injury potential, and I also would prefer not baseball because I find it boring. But whatever they want to do is fine with me, as long as they enjoy it and are active.

[Anonymous]

Curling.