Think of some of your highest goals for your child, perhaps including:
- being academically successful
- enjoying strong friendships
- building solid, Christ-like character
- developing healthy habits that will last a lifetime
- growing in confidence and purpose
Now, consider some of the opportunities at your disposal for helping bring these goals to fruition:
- school
- church
- social activities
- art and music lessons
- your own helping/shaping/teaching of them
Would “sports” make your list?
Few parents consider “become a professional athlete” to be an important goal for their child.
Yet studies have revealed countless psychological, social, cognitive, physical, and other developmental benefits of sports for children.
So if we value this type of development so highly in our children–even if we don’t particularly care whether or not they ever participate in athletics at a high level–we should give serious attention to the fact that kids who participate in youth sports simply outperform their non-sports-participant peers (on average) in each of these areas.
Why Gymnastics?
At ETC Gymnastics, we encourage youth athletic participation because of this myriad of developmental benefits. Growing children into happy, healthy, LIFE-READY adults is what we do; gymnastics is simply the main tool we use to help facilitate it.
Why?
Well, for one, it’s what we’re passionate about. We’ve been touting the endless benefits of gymnastics in Middle TN since opening in 2000 (read our story here).
Second, it’s what we’re best at. Our staff has more than 250 combined years of gymnastics experience; and prior to becoming coaches, many were high-level achievers in the sport themselves.
Finally, we believe that its ability to help deliver the most important outcomes we all have for our children is second to none. Sports of many kinds produce positive effects; and gymnastics participation simply takes those effects to another level.
What’s Next?
Over the next 5 weeks, we’re going to unpack 5 of our favorite benefits (one per week) of gymnastics participation, in a series called, “What Your Child Will Learn From Gymnastics.”
Some you may be familiar with, while others might surprise you (in a good way we’re sure!).
Be sure to look for each new post on our Facebook page (“like” if you haven’t already!), and go ahead and subscribe here to ensure you don’t miss a single thing we produce.
We are looking forward to sharing this series with you, and to seeing your child in the gym on his or her way toward becoming a happier, healthier, more LIFE-READY adult!
Photo Credit: Seattle Parks