If you’re thinking of enrolling your child or teen in a sports group, the first benefit that may come to mind is the physical activity they’ll enjoy.
But Kurt Murphy, director of swimming with the Delta Sungod Swim Club in North Delta, believes a sports organization can and should do even more for a young person.
“The goal of our swim club is to create good citizens through the sport of swimming, by giving them a skill set and a methodology to succeed,” he says. “It’s embodied every day in practice and there’s an accountability factor they may not have in other areas of life.”
Coaches help athletes succeed
From Murphy through the rest of Sungod’s coaching ranks, contributing to the growth of young athletes – in age-appropriate ways – is a common theme, whether it’s teaching more effective stroke technique or helping ensure they get to practices on time. “When you enrol your children in sport, especially where there’s a level of competition, it teaches them real-world skills in real-world situations,” he says.
Valuable training for post-secondary and beyond
For swimmers preparing to attend university or college, lessons learned at Sungod Recreation Centre come in handy now and later on, Murphy says, pointing to lifelong time management skills learned from balancing swimming commitments with exams or homework.
Learning coping skills through sport or practising the discipline to achieve goals are life skills that often stay with young student-athletes, he adds. “I’m not sure if it’s cause and effect, but it’s definitely correlated that kids who strive at a high level in sport strive to reach a high level in other things in life.”
Looking for an activity for your pre-teen?
Delta Sungod Swim Club has plenty of room for swimmers in the 10-under category, and with registrations ongoing throughout the season, now is a good time to consider enrolling your child into a swim program in North Delta. If they’re more interested in individual activities and like the idea of learning competitive swimming, the club’s Dragons – Learn to Compete program, with its flexible commitment level, can be an ideal place to start.
To learn more, visit the club online, or drop by the pool between 4 and 8 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday or Friday to chat with a club representative. You can also stay up-to-date on their Facebook page.