Not everyone will become a marathon runner, but it doesn’t hurt to encourage children to join a track team.
First of all, kids have seemingly boundless energy and they like to move around. Track gets them focused on literally moving around in an organized way, and if they’re on a team, they have the camaraderie of exercise with others their age.
All too often today’s youth have their heads buried in their phones and tablets playing computer games for hours on end. They need physical activity, and running track is an easy way to get their little legs moving while getting their blood pumping faster, too. Running doesn’t require as much gear as other sports, like football or baseball, so it’s cheaper and easier for most people to run track.
Who knows? Maybe your kid is the next Olympic gold medal winner! Some youngsters will take to running like a fish takes to water. They may end up competing in races as they get older, and enjoying the opportunity to challenge themselves. Plus, running track is a confidence booster. It becomes a person’s “thing” they “do,” so when others ask about their interests they can proudly say “running track” or “I’m a runner.”
Track teams are like other teams in that children learn to cooperate with others. Many track teams involve the passing of a baton to one another as the team competes with other teams to see who can complete the race the fastest. Kids learn to work with one another to achieve a goal; they also learn about winning and losing and all that entails.
Finally, children running track helps prepare them for other things later in life. Perhaps they want to play soccer, which involves a lot of running. Or maybe they want to join the track team in high school or college, where they’ll meet like-minded peers. Later on in life, they could end up having a running lifestyle, where running becomes a major part of their day, helping keep them fit and healthy.
The Classic Turf Company of Connecticut provides many places with running track surfaces. For info, call 1-800-246-7951.
