Reply to How do I make my 9 yr old DS feel better about lack of athletic skill

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[quote=Anonymous]When my kid was 9, he had been on the same rec soccer team,with the same group of kids, since Kindergarten.  Most of the team stayed together in the winter for rec basketball as well.  If you watched a game or a practice, 3 kids stood out in a negative way.  I'd describe them as follows:

Mr. Impulsive: Fast as lightning, aggressive about getting to the ball, but no sense of strategy or strategy or positioning.  He played as if the point of the game was simply to touch the ball. (note: Mr. Impulsive wasn't on the bball team)

Mr. Space Cadet: Could run fast, or perform a skill in a drill, but seemed to lose the thread of the game.  Frequently seen staring off into space or daydreaming, while the ball sailed past him.

Mr. Panda Bear (my son): Big, and slow (physically, not cognitively) and gentle.  Great sense of strategy and positioning, but it took him a long time to get to that position.  Very hesitant to play aggressively, or take the ball from other kids.  Not accurate at all, I don't think he ever got the ball into a basket or goal.

Today they're all in HS.

Mr. Impulsive switched to basketball, and now plays year round.  He made varsity as a freshman because basketball is a sport where moving quickly, making decisions quickly, and being aggressive are key.  And he's good at all those things.

Mr. Space Cadet:  Switched to wrestling.  All that physical contact and deep pressure keeps him grounded and focused.  Undefeated last season.

Mr. Panda Bear:  Captain of the football team, and a starter on the offensive and defensive line, where size and strength matter a lot, and speed and ball handling don't matter at all,  and where his strong sense of positioning is a huge strength.

My point is that I wouldn't think of a 9 year old as good or bad at athletics.  If he likes sports, and doesn't have some major coordination problem, I'd assume he just hasn't found a sport that plays to his strengths, and I'd encourage him to keep trying different things.  Maybe fencing, or water polo, or martial arts, or cross country is perfect for him.  Just keep exploring, choose camps that offer a variety of sports, and pay attention to what he likes.  [/quote]

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