The school bells are ringing and the nights are getting cooler, meaning fall is just around the corner.
With fall comes the return of football, soccer, cheerleading and more.
Sports are an excellent way for kids to have fun with their friends and learn how to work as a team. Before practices and games begin, use this guide to prepare your kids for fall sports.
1. Communicate With Coaches
For any sports league, the coaches are one of the most critical factors for your kid’s athletic experience.
Establish a positive relationship with the coach and ensure they do the same for your kids. Little league and amateur sports are about team building and learning as much as they are about winning a championship.
The coaches who focus on these lessons are typically better teachers than the ones who think they’re leading a team to the Super Bowl.
Start communicating with your kid’s coaches before the season and ask for their preseason training and conditioning recommendations.
Getting your kids ready beforehand will help them ease into practices and games and reduce the risk of injury.
You should also let the coaches know about any allergies or particular conditions your child has so they know what to do should any complications arise.
2. Eat and Sleep Well
Staying healthy is essential any time of the year, but it’s vital during seasons your child is playing sports.
Sleep is necessary for kids and those between the ages of 13 and 18 need about eight to 10 hours every night to ensure recovery.
If they don’t get enough sleep, teenagers put themselves at risk for injuries, attention problems and a decline in mental health.
Hydration is an issue for any season, especially during the late summer and early fall sports. While the teams play in cooler weather in months like October, training camps and practices often occur in the heat of July and August.
Ensure your kid stays hydrated and maintains good nutrition habits in the offseason — it will pay off once the games begin.
3. Be Ready for Injuries
Accidents happen and any kid can have the unfortunate luck of suffering an injury. If they do, it’s important to know the severity of their injury and how long recovery will take.
If their injury is a sprain or a strain, use the rest, ice, compression and elevate (RICE) method recommended by doctors.
Treating an injury for the first 48 hours is crucial to recovery and the RICE method will help reduce swelling.
Your child should return slowly to sports when they’re beginning to heal. They’re vulnerable to reaggravating the injury if they rush back to playing.
If they got hurt the year before, ensure their conditioning is up to par before the season and check with a physician to ensure they’re ready to go for the upcoming season.
4. Try Different Sports
Kids are curious and it’s a great idea to let them explore different opportunities to see which ones they love the most. They may like soccer and you enjoy watching them play like you did growing up. But maybe they have a newfound interest in tennis or gymnastics.
Let your kids see what they want and dislike for themselves and encourage them the whole journey.
If your child has a favorite sport they play every fall, encourage them to try different sports in the offseason. Cross-training is a common strategy to keep their kids in shape all year.
For example, suppose your kid’s favorite autumn sport is soccer. In that case, you can keep up their stamina with basketball in winter, lacrosse in spring and watersports in summer.
5. Get New Shoes
The kids will often be on their feet when running around on the field, court or any venue, so their shoes from last season are likely worn.
If they use the same ones again, your child may risk injury by wearing shoes with holes in the sole or sides. You’ll also want to consider your kid’s shoe size and if they’re still growing.
Boys and girls typically see foot growth during puberty, which will start at about 14 for females and 16 for boys.
6. Check Physical and Vaccine Requirements
Various sports leagues will have different requirements for signing up, so check what vaccines are required and if your child needs to get an updated physical.
Some leagues will ask for a physical from within the last calendar year, but others will mandate one within a specific time frame before the season starts.
This test is critical to ensure their safety and that they’re healthy enough to play.
It’s also paramount to consider vaccines. Sports leagues still have COVID-19 protocols and may require a booster before your children can play.
Besides COVID-19, there are likely other shots they must get, such as chickenpox, hepatitis, HPV and more. The vaccine requirements often line up with the ones your school district mandates.
Fall Sports Are in the Air
The earlier sunsets and leaves changing colors mean fall is on the horizon.
This time of the year is ideal for parents and kids who love football, soccer and other fall sports.
If your child plays this season, use this article to prepare them for a healthy season of fun and character growth. Team sports are about building chemistry with teammates to achieve a common goal of victory.
Encourage your kids to work hard, have fun and uplift others while playing.