How to Pick the Best Summer Sports Programs for Teens

Published by Hristina Mladenovska on

Whether or not school is in session, kids need to remain active all year long. Depending upon age, children require different amounts of physical activity every day. Doctors recommend about an hour of daily exercise for teenagers. Individual and team sports – ranging from swimming, running and cycling to playing tennis soccer, baseball, basketball and more – provide a great way to keep kids moving and physically challenged. Taking advantage of summer sports programs for teens also helps keep youngsters more committed to an active lifestyle and benefits them in so many ways. 

Finding the Right Fit 

Young people entering high school often feel compelled to actually take up a particular sport for the first time. Others might just choose one, and that may mean giving up on other sports. If your child is struggling with either decision, it might help for you to talk to them about it. Consider asking them some of the following questions to help them figure out which sport they want to devote their time and energy to: 

  • Which sport do they enjoy playing the most?
  • What sport do they enjoy watching more than others? 
  • Which athletes do they relate to or admire? 
  • How do they feel when they’re done playing each sport?
  • Do they prefer playing with others or going it alone?  

Sports camps help kids achieve physical conditioning – and they’re also a lot of fun. As the parent, help your kids see the enjoyment in sports. Pick a program that hires positive coaches who bring out the best in young athletes. KidzToPros (KTP) has sports camps for teens near you that help campers improve their athletic skills, while learning valuable social and team skills, too.

Some of the most popular sports also provide an opportunity for college scholarships. If this is important to your child, consider summer programs to help them practice, improve and grow as an athlete to better prepare them for leagues and school teams in the fall. 

Focusing on Muscle Development, Bone Growth and Aerobic Activity

Different sports attract different kinds of athletes. As long as your child engages in physical conditioning to benefit bones, muscle growth and heart function through some kind of dedicated aerobic exercise, you can’t go wrong. Most sports, whether they’re individual or group based, benefit teenagers in this way. 

An added bonus: If your kid chooses summer sports programs for teens that they can continue after high school and college, this increases their chances of staying fit and healthy in the future. 

Adults also find that individual sports like running, cycling, tennis or golf provide plenty of socializing opportunities well into old age. At the same time, communities offer many adult leagues for those interested in basketball, soccer and softball. 

Should Teens Choose Sports over STEM or the Arts? 

The short answer: Probably not. Teenagers benefit from a variety of activities, especially regarding summer camp programs. At KidzToPros, we believe one- or two-week camps in sports, STEM and the arts exposes kids to interactions with others, builds self-confidence and affords students an opportunity to practice and achieve their goals. 

A more well-rounded camp experience leads to more well-rounded children. STEM challenges students academically, while the arts inspire them to think creatively and sports keep them physically fit. 

Now that’s a recipe for success! 

How Do Sports Help Teens? 

Teenagers involved in sports show up in life feeling mentally and physically fit. Young athletes don’t tend to get as involved with drugs or alchohol as some of their counterparts. They also usually do better in school and experience less stress than those who don’t play sports. 

Improves Cognitive Function

Studies show that the more time teenagers play sports, the more they comprehend both classwork and homework. Physical activities get the blood and oxygen flowing, esepcially to and from the brain, and release chemicals like oxytocin, that help teens develop a positive attitude. All this improves a student’s ability to focus, stay alert, think rationally, process information and make better decisions. 

As a result, student athletes earn higher grades in math, science and language arts. They are also more likely to attend college and graduate school. 

Increases Attendance and GPAs

The Los Angeles Unified School District conducted a study in 2012 and found that teenagers who participate in high school sports attend school with fewer absences. They also report higher grade point averages. This could be because physically fit teenagers, on the whole, incorporate healthier lifestyles and don’t get sick as often as other students. It could also be that student athletes do better in school because they know they must work to remain eligible for school sports. 

Raises Test Scores

Physically fit teenagers do better on standardized tests than teenagers who struggle with their weight or fitness. This is different than grades or GPAs because no incentive exists between test scores and participation in sports. However, research shows that with many students from different backgrounds, the higher a student’s physical fitness, the higher their scores on standardized tests in math, language and memory. 

Increases Self-Worth

Playing sports helps teenagers develop emotional connections with their school, fellow students and community. This increases feelings of self-worth as they generate approval from teachers, coaches, parents and fellow players. Student athletes also feel better about themselves when they feel fit, earn higher grades, and get accepted to college or sports leagues.

KTP Sets the Foundation

The best summer sports programs for teens get kids physically and emotionally fit – and benefit them in a variety of other ways, as well. Sports camps like ours make teenagers better students, players and confident individuals. This creates a foundation for success, both as young adolescents and grown adults. 

Enroll your child in one of our KTP sports camps for teens near you this summer, and set them up for a healthy, happy life!