Guide: 5 Ways To Keep Your Teenager Interested in Sport

Being a teenager can be a turbulent time, from their experiences with puberty to social order and other coming-of-age problems. So making sure they keep up with sport is probably the last thing on your child’s mind. Most children lose their enthusiasm for sports between the ages of 15 and 16, and research by Women in Sport found that over a million girls across the UK have lost their interest for sport as they become teenagers.  

So how can you keep your child interested in maintaining their health and fitness and doing a sport they’ve grown up loving? Here we will explore some ways you can help promote the importance of sport in the daily lives of your teenagers.

Start young

One way to ensure your teenager remains passionate for sport is to encourage it throughout their younger years. In a study by Harvard University, it revealed 77% of adults aged 30+ who currently do sport also played sport during their formative years. Making sure your kids enjoy sports starts with their play when they are young – participating in sport while young can see them carrying on into their adult life. This can also set them in a routine. If you child has been doing after-school activities throughout their younger years, they might continue into their teenage ones. Perhaps encouraging a sport which is separate from their school social circle might help as they develop friendships with others outside of their normal environments, supporting their enjoyment of these external activities through friendship.

Praise rather than improvement

Another way to keep your teenager interested in sport is to keep a positive framing around the activity. Rather than focusing on how you child can improve, and pushing towards higher levels of performance, praise the skill and enjoyment they have had so far. It might be tempting to aim your child for higher, such as joining regional competitions, for example, but this competitive nature might not be what your child needs. Instead apply minimal pressure. Teenagers go through stages of independence to establish self-identity within the family unit – pushing for sport might make the decision to quit all the more tempting to your teenager.

Stand up to stand out

Initiatives such as Stand Up, Speak Out aim to encourage people to speak out against bullying, harassment, and other forms of unacceptable behaviour in society. Some people have used sport to encourage people to speak out in the name of charity. This can be for violence against women and girls or as an initiative outing discrimination against immigrants, for example. Not only can sport have a physical benefit for teenagers, but it can be a charitable activity for those who want to make a difference in an area of their choice.

Mental well-being

You might also consider educating you teenagers around the benefits of sport. While they may understand the physical benefits, it is important to open up about mental well-being and the improvements that regular exercise can have on their mental health. According to the Mental Health Foundation, 20% of adolescents will experience mental health problems, with half appearing by the age of 14. So making sure your teenagers have the best tools to help boost their mental wellness can be key. Exercise not only helps mental health by reducing stress, but it can also have other cognitive benefits such as improving memory and concentration.

Set an example

It is important to set an example for your children, no matter their age, and this can be especially so during their teenager years. For many, quitting sport might be a confidence and comfort issue, rather than a lack of interest. For girls especially, 50% quit sport due to the onset of their period. Teenage girls might feel more comfortable competing in sport during puberty if they have seen other women in their life also go through this. Teaching your teenage girls’ methods of remaining comfortable and confident during their periods and showing them role models who do the same could mean they are less likely to quit.

Likewise, children who grow up in a household with inactive parents are more likely to be inactive themselves. So by being active yourself, you are instilling a lifestyle which your teenagers are more likely to follow. This doesn’t just include being involved with sport and exercise but a healthy lifestyle in general. Encouraging fruity drinks and healthy eating could help your child maintain a better lifestyle going into adulthood.

Sport is not just a healthy activity for your teenagers to be into, but it also has many ethically and mentally positive impacts. From speaking out against a range of discriminations in society, to improving your teenager’s own mental health, sport can bring people together and encourage change. Making sure your teenager feels safe to explore their own identity, practice sport, and follow your example could make the difference in them maintaining exercise into adulthood.