In 2016, Vancouver will host some of the best rugby 7’s teams in the world, as part of the world series. We’ll be able to see a whole host of stars and help cheer our men on to greatness. But amidst all this excitement, some people are still critical of the sport. Despite the fact that rugby is a popular worldwide sport, some still think it’s unsafe for kids. They’re worried that in hosting the world series here next year, will encourage more kids to take up rugby. For some reason, they think this is a bad idea because it can be harmful to our kids.
But the truth is, rugby is nothing but great for our nation’s children. It’s a brilliant way to keep kids active and prevent obesity from a young age. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a rapid increase in childhood obesity and it’s becoming a huge problem in our schools. But thanks to sports like rugby, we can now combat this and look to make our kids healthy and fit.
(Image via Flickr https://flic.kr/p/2cxzhr)
It’s not just the health benefits that make rugby so special; it has other uses too. What sets rugby apart from other sports are the unique demands it puts on players. If you’ve ever watched a rugby match, you’ll have seen how much respect they show officials, when compared to other sports. By playing from a young age, you’re teaching your children how to be respectful to those above them. They’ll learn to respect the refereeing decisions and understand you should treat those with authority in high regard. This will translate directly into other aspects of their life. They’ll be more likely to treat teachers with respect as well as appreciating other law enforcers, like the police.
Rugby has also been proven to teach kids self-discipline and the value of teamwork. Again, these traits will serve your children well later in their life. You’ll find that children who play rugby will end up doing better in their school studies. They’ve used the skills they learnt through rugby and translated them to the classroom.
Also, rugby can teach children that hard work pays off. At the end of a grueling season, there’s a presentation night where rugby trophies are handed out. For the younger kids, everyone is given a trophy to show the importance of their contribution. Then there are more specific trophies for the outstanding players. It’s a great way of getting kids to understand how important hard work is. If they work hard for the team during the season, they get rewarded come the end. It makes them more driven, more willing to work hard to succeed. They start to work hard in other areas of their life as well because they understand good things come to those who work.
There’s no reason you shouldn’t want you child to play rugby from a young age. They can learn so many important life skills, just through playing a sport. So instead of worrying, embrace it, embrace rugby! Take your kids to the rugby 7’s matches next year and maybe you’ll inspire them. Who knows, in 2026 they could be playing for the Canadian national team and bringing home the trophy!
