Tips on encouraging positive youth sports

As a parent, how do you encourage and reinforce positive aspects of youth sports? Which sports are your kids in? Do you coach their team? How do you support your kid and the coaches?
I'm a mom of 3 girls. The twins started playing soccer when they were 3 years old. It was a non competitive team. The goal (so to speak) was to learn to play the game. That was what was important to us as a family as well as the other families involved. 

The kids learned that there was more to the game then just scoring goals. The coach taught them team playing which went along with what we were already teaching our girls at home. The twins played soccer on and off in elementary school. When they said "we don't want to play anymore" and the season was over then we let them be done. As their parent, I knew if their heart was not in it then they would not do their best. Every day we ask them to try and do their best.

(6/2009 archive)

Our youngest has finally settled into Tae Kwon Doe. TKD has allowed her to get exercise, work with others, develop a skill and take responsibility for her learning. She has to "do her best" and she wants to do her best. 

(6/2009 archive)

We started homeschooling in 2006. During these past few years of not being in the school system we have found that we have more flexibility in choosing sports and activities for them that offer more than the hard core competitive drive. They have been taught to learn the sport that they are playing. They have been exposed to numerous sports. When they want to try something new we encourage them to try it. This includes anything from hula hooping, bowling, tennis, golfing, soccer, swimming,etc. With everything they do we want them to "Do their best". 

How do you encourage your kids to fully enjoy the sport that they are involved in? How are your kids going to keep busy this summer? 

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