A girl and a boy smile as they each hold a sparkler. In the background, dozens of balloons float above them.

Young athletes sometimes need support

In this blog post, our team’s Natalie Bergman talks about
the opportunities and challenges that can come up for Superhero kids
in competitive sports

Sports are not just about winning — they’re mostly about how we play the game

Skating, hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball, ballet, and so many more — kids love being active, and sports are an incredible way to build confidence, develop friendships, and stay healthy. But as exciting as sports activities can be, we understand they can also bring new challenges for young minds.

It’s important to remember that children, especially those under the age of 6, need time to develop physical, psychological, and cognitive skills before joining competitive sports. Particularly for younger athletes, the primary goal should always be having fun, staying active, and learning the basics. Yet, research reveals that while most kids want to play sports for fun, parents often emphasize winning, leading to added stress and anxiety for young kids.

Reference

Merkel, D. L. (2013). Youth sport: positive and negative impact on young athletes. Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, 4, 151-160 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3871410/

Meet the author

Natalie Bergman, MA, RPsych, CPT
Natalie Bergman, MA, RPsych, CPTChild Psychologist at Kids Reconnect
Natalie is a Director and co-founder at Kids Reconnect. She is an experienced child psychologist and Certified Play Therapist who uses her professional expertise, playfulness, and caring heart Superpowers to emotionally connect with children, helping them heal using play therapy and warm heart-to-heart conversations. To help parents understand and connect with their child with love, gentleness, and patience, she uses her profound insights into the world of children. She loves helping kids overcome challenges so they can fully enjoy sports.

Meet the editor

Ana Hoepfner, BEc
Ana Hoepfner, BEcCommunications at Kids Reconnect
Ana is a writer and designer who delivers business results through creative, joyful communications that surprise and delight. Leveraging her 15+ year track record of successfully building and boosting corporate, personal, community, and non-profit local and international brands, Ana designed, copywrote, and manages the “spark-tacular” Kids Reconnect, Couples Reconnect, and CRCG websites, including this blog. Ana’s leadership style fosters creative collaboration over competition. She believes the only relevant competition in life is the one we have with ourselves.

Sports should be fun for kids

At Kids Reconnect, we understand the pressures and the potential sparkle that sports can bring.

We’re here to help families navigate the challenges and ensure that sports remain a positive experience for every child.