Since the creation of man, sports have had a tremendous role in the way people live their lives. From the time we are born, until the time we die, most of us are involved in some way with sports. Whether it is a scrimmage game of soccer at recess in elementary school, playing on the varsity athletic team, or simply watching the Olympics on TV, sports have an influential role in our everyday lives. We are taught at a young age that sports are fun, exciting and rewarding. Over the past couple decades the growth in youth sport has reflected the popularity of professional sport. This popularity has had a profoundly positive affect on youth sports. Many of us can look back on our childhood with fond memories, remembering the games we played, the friends we made, the fun we had and the lessons we learnt. From the time that I was three until I was 14, I was heavily involved in gymnastics. I never regretted being so involved in sports because it has given me opportunities and opened doors that I would have never seen if I had not been involved with athletics. Growing up I never realized the impact or the importance that the lessons I learnt through sport would have on the rest of my life. The people we become are influenced by the experiences we have and the lessons we learn. When children actively participate in sports, they are offered a unique opportunity to learn life lessons in a fun and positive atmosphere. Steve Young once said, "Being active in sports has taught me all of life's most important lessons." Sport participation is an essential part of a child's development because it offers the child the potential to become a physically, socially and emotionally successful person.
Sport introduces children to healthy forms of competition, which some skeptics claim to be the downfall of sports. It is the main goal of sports to produce a winner and a loser. These skeptics will admit that winning aids in the development of self- esteem but sports produce more losers than winners, which fosters self doubt and in turn will decrease the child's self esteem.