Post lockdown effects on young athletes - Part 1 - Why junior sport is critical

After a long period of lockdown we are starting to see restrictions easing here in Australia.  In NSW where I live, junior sport will start again from July 1st.

This is exciting for young athletes, and for a variety of reasons actually a critical element of their lives.

As parents, it is important to make sure your young athlete gets back to sport if they are not tearing the door down to get there.  Our club administrators need to make sure some sort of competition happens - even if the "proper" season is cancelled for whatever reason.  Set up small sided games every Saturday for the same number of weeks your scheduled season would have run for.

Why is this so important? - well several reasons actually;
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1. Drop out rate from junior sport both this year and more importantly next year
2. Mental health of young athletes
3. Less community engagement
4. Impact on physical growth and development
5. Lost opportunities to be exposed to team work and leadership

Pre COVID-19 drop off or decline in youth sports participation was already a big issue - so much so the Australian Sports Commission published a position paper on this.

The 13-17 years age group is where we see the biggest drop off in sports participation - add a couple of months of lockdown with no sport at school or their club and we have a serious issue brewing.

What happens to your young athlete if they don't play sport in a critical development phase?

It is important for young people to play sport and stay active for their physical and mental health and wellbeing, and to develop their physical literacy. An early connection to sport can also encourage a lifelong love of sport and physical activity.
Australian Sports Commission.

Dig a little deeper into this and there are 3 sub groups most at risk of dropping out of junior sport - if you are ;

• female
• older 
• from a culturally diverse background

Here in Australia another $1.1 billion has been committed to support mental health as a direct result of COVID-19.  Exercise is a proven way to help mental health, below are some examples of  junior sport and exercise in general helps;

• Positively impacts levels of serotonin, a chemical that helps regulate mental health.
• Releases endorphins, the body's natural "happy chemicals."
• Lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol .
• Stimulates the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which improves mood.
• Increases self-esteem and
• Helps teens sleep better.

Junior sport isn't just about winning, its also about building happier, healthier and safer communities.  Social bonds are generally stronger in communities where sport is a key part of everyone's lives and physical activity is a priority.

It also gets you out of your "bubble" - which has shrunk considerably through this period.  Interacting with team mates and friends you may not have seen much since March will make a big difference for all of the reasons listed above.

In terms of growth and development, multiple studies have found the following;

• Exercise can increase levels  of a brain growth factor.
• Exercise can stimulate nerve growth.
• Regular physical activity may reduce plasma noradrenaline (a vasoconstrictor which reduces blood flow to the brain).
• Exercise increases blood flow to the cortex of the brain.
• Physical activity improves children’s concentration, attention and reasoning ability.
• Physical activity leads to improvement in cognitive control.

Junior sport is not just about the physical side of things.  Sport helps young athletes develop new skills to deal with the ups and downs of life in general.  With the help of good coaching, sport will help young athletes learn how to work with team mates to perform better as a group and hopefully win on occasions as well.

Young athletes will get a sense of accomplishment from this and from learning to work well with team mates, can use this in the classroom and life in general as they become adults. In any team there are young athletes that stand out or want to be leaders - good support from parents and coaches can help develop these qualities.  Over time these young athletes become great role models for their peers and can help resolve conflicts or problems as they arise, not just at sport, but at school and as they grow up.

No matter what, getting back to junior sport is critical for young athletes, and the communities that they live in.  ​