‘I’m not saying go drop thousands of dollars’: Florida mom and coach says you should start your kids in sports early—but not for the reason you think

A Florida mom and coach is sharing a parenting “hot take” that has her viewers split down the middle. The take?

“If you are not putting your children in sports at a young age, and I mean like 6 being the bare minimum, you are doing your children a grave disservice,” she says.

Courtney Zamora (@courtneywithacee) says her argument doesn't have to do with raising a professional athlete.

“I don't care about the skill of whatever sport it is,” she explains. “What I care about is that your child is moving.”

Her post has more than 11,000 views.

‘We can see a difference'

According to the mother of three, the difference between kids who have participated in sports from an early age and those who haven't becomes especially apparent as they get older.

“Trust me, we can tell a difference as coaches,” Zamora says. “We can see a difference between the kids that have been moving from a young age to the kids that have not.”

She isn't convinced by arguments from parents who say, “Oh, my kid moves at home.”

“Do they?” asks Zamora. Then she points out how her generation grew up compared to children today.

“Think about how much time we spent outside running, jumping, playing, riding our bikes all over the place, going from one sport to the next unsupervised,” she says.

She adds that today's parents are less comfortable allowing their children this same freedom because in the past, “society wasn't quite as insane.”

‘It is our job as parents'

Importantly, she stresses that families don't need to drop thousands of dollars on team sports or activities. “I'm a huge fan of rec ball,” the coach says. “Our children play rec ball for their sports.” 

Zamora also has opinions about parents who don't want to force their kids into activities they don't want to do.

“I hate when parents tell me, ‘oh I can't force them to do something they don't wanna do,'” she says. “Um, yes you can, that's literally called parenting.”

Of course, most kids are going to prefer sitting inside in the AC eating snacks during the summertime to running drills in the yard.

But “it is our job as parents to force them to move their body,” she says. “Most kids are not going to want to do those things unless we give them a little nudge, and they'll be thankful for the nudge down the line, I promise.”

Many parents agreed with Zamora's take, although some commenters disagreed with putting children in sports they're not interested in.

One viewer wrote, “Sports teach your child HOW to move their body!”

Another commenter said, “I'm putting my kid in what they're interested in. If it's not sports, that's fine.”

A third added, “If the kiddo isn't into competitive sports, find some other physical activity. Hiking. Roller skating. Bike riding. Swimming. Something!”

Experts agree: physical activity is important

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would also agree. Zamora's emphasis on movement aligns with the organization's recommendations, which advise children ages 6 to 17 to get at least 60 minutes of “moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity” every day.

That includes “activities such as walking, running, or anything that makes their hearts beat faster.” It stresses muscle- and bone-strengthening activities alongside aerobic activities.

“Compared to their inactive peers, physically active youth have higher levels of fitness and stronger bones and muscles,” the organization notes.

Regular physical activity among school-aged kids is also important for mental health, with the CDC writing that benefits “include improved cognition (academic performance, memory) and reduced symptoms of depression.”

However, organized sports aren't necessarily a requirement for raising physically active kids. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children develop many motor skills necessary for sports through ordinary play such as running, throwing, and catching. The organization considers age 6 an appropriate starting point for organized sports, but points out that children develop at different rates “and learn best when they can explore, experiment and copy others.” 

“Competition should be avoided” for children ages 2 to 5.

@courtneywithacee

Subplot News reached out to Courtney Zamora via email.

The post ‘I'm not saying go drop thousands of dollars': Florida mom and coach says you should start your kids in sports early—but not for the reason you think appeared first on Subplot News.