Building Confidence and Self-Esteem thru Sport
Darrell Morris

Building Confidence and Self-Esteem thru Sports Having confidence within yourself is an important attribute to have. If you have a healthy dose of it, you are more likely to effectively navigate life’s twists and turns and to cope better with new situations, confident in your abilities to handle what is thrown at you.

You realize your self-worth, and embrace life with a willingness to take more risks and accomplish more. Performance psychologist and author Jim Loehr summed it up best when he said, “With confidence, you can reach truly amazing heights without confidence, even the simplest accomplishments are beyond your grasp.”

Starting at an early age, we attempt to find ways in which we can encourage our children to build their own self-confidence and self-esteem because we know just how vital it will be to them throughout life. There is a wide range of ways in which you can build self-confidence in children. They range from actively listening and encouraging them in their endeavors, to supporting them in making their own decisions, to simply providing unconditional love and support. For some, self-confidence will come naturally. For others, it will take time and nurturing in order to fully develop.

One popular platform that has consistently been shown to assist children in building their self-esteem and confidence is organized sports. Studies have shown that a child’s involvement in a sport can:

• Promote general good health and fitness which
   leads to a strong self-image.
• Provide achievable, realistic challenges which
   develop their “can do” attitude that in turn supports
   the building of self-confidence.
• Introduce them to other children with similar interests
   facilitating friendships and boosting self-esteem
   and confidence.
• Assist in the natural release of endorphins and
   adrenalin which creates a flow of positive energy
   counterbalancing those lows we often experience in life.

Participating in a sport is not for every child and a child should not be forced to join a sport if they do not enjoy it. If a child does however express an interest in organized sports, be sure that they choose one for which they show an aptitude. Otherwise, the results could prove far more destructive to their self-confidence and sense of worth.

Also, select a program that emphasizes enjoyment as well as setting and achieving goals. Programs that focus on these positive aspects are more likely to allow your child to succeed and thrive. Finally, always provide your child with praise and encouragement for all their efforts no matter how small it may seem to you. The greater reward of nurturing a child with a healthy self-confidence and self-esteem by far outweighs the little effort it takes to say, “Great job!” or “I’m proud of you.”