Kids and sports - when did you start yours?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Just curious. Our son is almost 4, and we're starting to consider getting him involved in some sports. Right now he can play in an intro to soccer thing, tee ball, and pretty soon flag football and basketball. He's very much a boy, so this stuff is right up his alley. We've been playing sports with him since he could throw or kick. He manages a pretty decent spiral with a small ball, can catch easy throws, easily kick a ball around, and hit pretty well using his "Better Batter Baseball" game. He's still not much on a baseball glove, I think he'd rather use his hands. He's been in preschool for a couple of years, and plays well with other kids, so that won't be an issue.

So, what did you do with your kids?

[Super_Dave_D]

I got my daughter into T-ball at 5 and she loves it. There were at least 4 four years olds on the team. Don’t worry about them not having the skills – no one else does either. They will pick them up. Mine just turned 6 and we can play catch now and I am an assistant coach. I enjoy getting involved and out on the field just as much as she does. Our team encourages and involves and parents who want to participate in practices.

[Rot 911]

Started out daughter on T-ball at 5. At that age you will spend a lot of time watching them swing and miss. Then they go into the field and play in the dirt. Now at 7 she and some of her team mates are actually starting to grasp the concepts.

[ls23h]

Daughter - softball 6
Son - baseball 6, hockey 8, basketball 7

Thankfully my kids NEVER set foot on a soccer field!!

[M.D. Holloway]

Organized sports? Our Son started at 4 (soccer and basketball) then T-ball at 5 and our Daughter at 5 (soccer).

[onewhippedpuppy]

I'd like to think I'll escape soccer, but I doubt it. For some reason it seems that everyone's kids play soccer here in Wichita. But if they overlap, football > soccer.

[DonDavis]

Nope, you won't escape soccer. My son played at 5 and it was just the kids running around for the entire game. There were few goals but they had fun. I'm hoping he's had enough soccer.

Now he's 8 and just finished JBA basketball. It was really fun and the kids are starting to "get it". Making really good passes, excellent shots and lay ups. He begins tackle football next week. It's his first time palying "organized" football and he can't wait. I may end up helping out the coaches if needed.

[Dave L]

My daughter skis at 2.5. Actually I should correct that, I run down the hill 15 feet infront of her, turn and get ready to catch her as she bombs towards me laughing hysterically the whole way. My son, now 5, started at about the same age and can now get down green runs fairly competently. My Daughter also goes to dance class and swims. My son played soccer last year and swims as well. Kids belong outside playing not watching TV or paying video games, anything I can do to encourage them to be outside the better.

[cgarr]

My kids all started sports at 5 and 6 baseball etc. Now that I have one driving its autox's now..

[onewhippedpuppy]

Dave, you shouldn't have posted that! I've been dying to take my son skiing. He loves to swim, and started lessons this Tuesday. He'll already jump in off of the side and go underwater, shouldn't be a huge issue for him. I totally agree with you, kids aren't supposed to be sitting on the couch.

[lendaddy]

My oldest started basketball and baseball classes at 3. I also put him in a sports "sampler" before that. It's really just an early start at getting them to interact and follow directions.

[Dave L]

Skiing is good you just have to have appropriate expectations, expect to run around the hill lots and that they may prefer riding the magic carpet to the actual skiing. Also be sure to get the shortest skis possible and a helmet is an absolute must. The rewards are huge, bringing my son on his first chair lift and skiing down was a real highlight for me this year.

[Noah930]

So what's the consensus on gettin' 'em started in auto racing?

[onewhippedpuppy]

As soon as they can reach the pedals?

[id10t]

Both daughter and son started tumbling at 2. Daughter started dance at 3, as did son. Daughter is now doing 4 kinds of dance and a real production, son is still enjoying dance and is going to start T-Ball this weekend...

[JeremyD]

5 is the magic age in our household - and only one activity at a time. My son has played soccer and baseball. He likes Soccer the best - but wants to play football next fall -

My daughter did tap and ballet at 5 - she did not want to play any sports yet -

My older daughter started at 5 also - although she will be driving next year.

[stomachmonkey]

Both kids started Soccer at 3.

Daughter started Dance and gymnastics at 4 or 5.

Both are also taking Martial arts now.

Daughter is 7.5, son is 4.5

[911Rob]

well with 5 kids you tend not to need to go 'out of house' for recreation, ha.
The whole things a blur now; but the youngest was snow skiiing at 4 and water skiing at 5.
She was also the athlete of the year at her school last year. Great kid, my baby.

All the others were at least 6, fwiw.

[Soterik]

The age of 5 was pretty much the age for our kids and their friends. All the sports seemed seasonal, so they were involved in "something" year round, with breaks between seasons. We approached it more like "play" at the beginning (and still do), not being concerned with being competetive, but rather having "fun" at what they were doing.

We've done it all; soccer (can't get away from it), baseball (tball moving up to juniors over the years), now football (can start at 6 or 7, very safe, lot's of padding), basketball (didn't stick), and skiing.

I found that being an asst. coach is great, I got to relearn, or learn new skills, and since you usually are there anyway, you might as well be involved.

Our boys are 9 and 13 now. The sports that have "stuck" for us is skiing and football, and baseball still for the 9 yo. The boys are also both Boy Scouts and are involved in other activities like piano, band, etc.

I notice that a couple of you have mentioned skiing. It's a good family sport that you can continue to do for a long time, and is great for family trips etc.
The boys decided that they both wanted to take it a step further, and they are both racing now at our local hill, and the older one travels to other mountains as well for it.

It's fun to watch your kids get excited about a sport and then excel at it, and it keeps me going as well.

Eric

[onewhippedpuppy]

Rob, my wife is the oldest of 10, and every kid is heavily involved with sports. Before she left home, often times she would attend one game, her dad another, and her mom another. That was the only way each kid had someone come to watch. They've all been good too, every HS sport they choose to play they make varsity as freshmen.

My wife was the regional football punt-pass-kick champ in middle school, beating out boys and girls. My wife spent 3 years as the 2nd leading scorer on her HS basketball team, the leading scorer (Jackie Stiles) went on to be the NCAA women's all time leading scorer and play in the WNBA. She led the team her senior year, and they won state. She also played volleyball, softball, and I think she ran track. I, on the other hand, spent most of my highschool years drunk. Hopefully our kids inherit her athletic ability.