by Suzanne Wielgos
Over the years, my children have asked to try just about every youth sport in existence. Football? Check. Baseball? Check. Soccer? Check. Gymnastics? Check. Fencing? Well, that took a bit of searching, but we checked that off the list, too.
They participated in homeschool sports leagues as youngsters, but as they grew older, there were fewer opportunities to sharpen their skills. So we made the decision to sign them up for community sports leagues; despite some challenging situations, we are so glad we did.
In most cases, our kids were surrounded by diverse teammates who went to traditional schools. Often, they didn’t even find out that our kids were homeschooled until well into the season, if at all. For the most part, these were good kids who followed the rules and listened to the coaches.
But there are always the exceptions to this rule. And it has been the badly-behaved kids who actually helped my own children learn about good sportsmanship, being a team player, fairness, and perseverance. Removing the safety zone that can be created by surrounding your young athlete with fellow homeschoolers can open the door to many opportunities for learning and growth.
My daughter once played on a girls’ basketball team which had to face the same opposing team week after week. On that team was a girl who obviously had behavioral issues and could not control her emotions. At one game, she ran up to my daughter and committed a hard foul, pushing her down from behind so that she bruised her knees. My daughter had to get up, dust herself off, and channel her anger at shooting free throws. Later, at team lineup, instead of high fiving, this girl scratched my daughter’s arm. So my daughter learned about standing up for herself, how to approach her coach about the situation, and how to get back on the court with the same player the next week, and the next.
My son played travel baseball for many years. During that time, umpires missed calls, managers bent rules, players used nasty language, and parents shouted outrageous things. The result? He learned how to deal with an unfair call by the ump, how to ignore hurtful taunts, and how to let his bat do the talking. He learned how to support a teammate whose own Dad screamed at him for striking out and how to take a deep breath and pitch another strike so the ump would see it this time. These lessons will translate well into adulthood when adversity strikes.
One fall, when my son played football, I was standing on the sidelines when his coach put him in to play quarterback. A Mom from the opposing team started screaming at her kid’s team, telling them to crush my son, to annihilate him, to hurt him. I was taken aback by both her passion and her desire that my son end up in the hospital. After the game, I asked my son if he heard all the screaming. “Sure,” he smiled, “but it just made me want to play better.” So thank you, Mrs. Screamer, for inadvertently teaching my son another great life lesson…and pumping him up to win that game.
I would encourage all homeschooling parents to get their kids involved in team sports with a diverse group of kids. Homeschool sports leagues can be a super introduction to the rules of the game, and a great outlet for our kids. I know that more and more competitive homeschool sports leagues are forming, which present great opportunities for our kids. But in my experience, homeschooled athletes might just learn more about life and overcoming obstacles by interacting with teammates who could have different values and standards.
So, if you reach a crossroads and are wondering about putting your children into a traditional sports program, I have some advice. To quote a famous manufacturer of sports apparel, just do it!
Over the years, my children have asked to try just about every youth sport in existence. Football? Check. Baseball? Check. Soccer? Check. Gymnastics? Check. Fencing? Well, that took a bit of searching, but we checked that off the list, too.
They participated in homeschool sports leagues as youngsters, but as they grew older, there were fewer opportunities to sharpen their skills. So we made the decision to sign them up for community sports leagues; despite some challenging situations, we are so glad we did.
In most cases, our kids were surrounded by diverse teammates who went to traditional schools. Often, they didn’t even find out that our kids were homeschooled until well into the season, if at all. For the most part, these were good kids who followed the rules and listened to the coaches.
But there are always the exceptions to this rule. And it has been the badly-behaved kids who actually helped my own children learn about good sportsmanship, being a team player, fairness, and perseverance. Removing the safety zone that can be created by surrounding your young athlete with fellow homeschoolers can open the door to many opportunities for learning and growth.
My daughter once played on a girls’ basketball team which had to face the same opposing team week after week. On that team was a girl who obviously had behavioral issues and could not control her emotions. At one game, she ran up to my daughter and committed a hard foul, pushing her down from behind so that she bruised her knees. My daughter had to get up, dust herself off, and channel her anger at shooting free throws. Later, at team lineup, instead of high fiving, this girl scratched my daughter’s arm. So my daughter learned about standing up for herself, how to approach her coach about the situation, and how to get back on the court with the same player the next week, and the next.
My son played travel baseball for many years. During that time, umpires missed calls, managers bent rules, players used nasty language, and parents shouted outrageous things. The result? He learned how to deal with an unfair call by the ump, how to ignore hurtful taunts, and how to let his bat do the talking. He learned how to support a teammate whose own Dad screamed at him for striking out and how to take a deep breath and pitch another strike so the ump would see it this time. These lessons will translate well into adulthood when adversity strikes.
One fall, when my son played football, I was standing on the sidelines when his coach put him in to play quarterback. A Mom from the opposing team started screaming at her kid’s team, telling them to crush my son, to annihilate him, to hurt him. I was taken aback by both her passion and her desire that my son end up in the hospital. After the game, I asked my son if he heard all the screaming. “Sure,” he smiled, “but it just made me want to play better.” So thank you, Mrs. Screamer, for inadvertently teaching my son another great life lesson…and pumping him up to win that game.
I would encourage all homeschooling parents to get their kids involved in team sports with a diverse group of kids. Homeschool sports leagues can be a super introduction to the rules of the game, and a great outlet for our kids. I know that more and more competitive homeschool sports leagues are forming, which present great opportunities for our kids. But in my experience, homeschooled athletes might just learn more about life and overcoming obstacles by interacting with teammates who could have different values and standards.
So, if you reach a crossroads and are wondering about putting your children into a traditional sports program, I have some advice. To quote a famous manufacturer of sports apparel, just do it!
Suzanne Wielgos became a homeschooling Mom in 1994. Today, her oldest of five children is in college and her youngest is finishing 4th grade. She coordinates her local homeschool group in the Chicago area, encouraging those new to homeschooling and providing a forum for discussion and support.
