Fall is nearly upon us. The air is getting colder, the leaves are beginning to turn, and the first day of school has already come and gone. Whether you are excited for the arrival of the Halloween season or dismayed by the end of Summer fun, there’s no denying that fall ushers in a real change of perspective for many people. And with the arrival of this most contentious season, comes the beginning of fall sports!
The beginning of school and the start of fall sports often coincide, ushering in a period of team spirit, physical exercise, and fun with peers and schoolmates. In fact, the only downside to the arrival of fall sports has to do with the multitude of options available. Kids and teens can usually make up their minds about what they’d like to play rather quickly, but parents may struggle with decision paralysis. This is where we come in!
In this article, we will help parents to navigate this embarrassment of fall sports riches by helping them to understand which choices are best for a number of different age groups. To that end, we will discuss the many benefits of each sport, the demands they place on you athletes, and all other elements that parents will need to consider if they want to enroll their children in fall sports.
The Skinny on Fall Sports
As with most youth sports, fall sports aren’t just about making sure your child stays active—they are about instilling benefits in them that will help them throughout many stages of their life. Fall sports allows kids to maintain at least some degree of physical exercise they enjoyed during the spring and summer months. Physical fitness is important for building cardiovascular endurance, strength, coordination, and balance.
At the same time, playing sports has been proven to reduce stress in kids and teens, as well as boosting self esteem, improving social skills, and helping them to learn time management skills. Finally, many fall sports like football often bring the whole community together, thereby teaching children about the important relationship that exists between organized sports and the community as a whole.
Best Fall Sports for Young Kids (Ages 5–10)
We begin our discussion of fall sports with the age where most parents begin to get their children involved in organized sports. At this stage, kids are still learning basic motor skills—running, jumping, kicking, throwing—and only just beginning to understand the dynamics of teamwork.
Soccer
When most parents think about youth sports in the fall season, the fist thing that comes to mind is usually soccer. Many times, soccer is the first organized sport that children learn to play with a team. It is useful in teaching balance and coordination, but also the essential parts of what make team sports so special. Children learn about roles, following instructions, and how to rely on one another. It is also fairly simple to learn and games tend to be short enough for young attention spans.
Flag Football
Tackle football might be a little much for younger kids, but flag football is usually available to play at this stage. Football introduces kids to teamwork, just as soccer does, but also strategy and ball-handling skills. Flag football accomplishes this without the need for heavy contact and it also helps kids to build their hand-eye coordination, physical strength, and their endurance. At the same time, sports novices may begin to understand the basics behind playmaking and strategy, without feeling overburdened by complex rules on fouls and the like.
Cross-Country Fun Runs
Track and field is often introduced at the middle and high school levels, but many communities offer youth cross-country races during the fall season. At these tender ages, distances tend to be shorter and the focus is more on participation and personal accomplishment than on winning the race. These low-pressure types of “fun runs” help kids to improve their cardiovascular fitness, their resilience, and learn to love running without any undue pressure.
Gymnastics or Dance (Fall Sessions)
These indoor sports aren’t “fall-specific” in any way, but it should be noted that many programs restart at the beginning of the school year. Regardless of the timing, both gymnastics and dance are excellent choices for young children who want to play a non-team sport. These activities build coordination and body awareness, enhancing flexibility, balance, and fostering creativity. Early childhood classes should focus on movement and play over competition, but that can be incorporated once the child matures a bit.
Best Fall Sports for Middle Schoolers (Ages 11–13)
By the time your child is in middle school, their desire to play sports might be well-established. At the same time, they have likely built up enough know-how and physical prowess to proceed to a higher level of competition. Middle school sports will see a child develop more advanced skills, greater strength, and a better ability to grasp the complex strategies that exist at this level. At the same time, the child may also be ready for more structured practices. Just be wary of the balance that will now need to exist between sports and schoolwork, as that is a delicate tightrope many parents have to learn to walk at this age.
Soccer (Competitive Leagues)
Middle school-aged kids can handle a bit more when it comes to soccer. They will play on larger fields, participate in longer games, and be better able to internalize a more advanced rule set. Middle school soccer will see your child learning better teamwork, strategy, and communication skills, along with developing better endurance. It should also be noted that many middle school teams feed into high school programs.
Tackle Football
Flag football has evolved into a mild form of tackle football by this age. In fact, middle school is often the first place that kids gain exposure to full-contact football—apart from what they have seen on television, of course. For kids who enjoy teamwork, strategy, and a bit more competition and physicality, football can prove to be a most rewarding experience. Middle school kids who play football at this level learn about discipline, camaraderie, leadership, strategy, and most importantly of all, safety. Very often, their physical strength, speed, and endurance also increases, as their physical bodies begin to change.
Cross-Country
If your child enjoyed cross-country as a child, then they will likely do so as they head into middle school as well. Cross-country introduces middle schoolers to more intense forms of distance running, as well as keeping true to the spirit that made outdoor running so enjoyable in the first place. Children who take track and field at this level will improve their stamina and build resilience. They may also gain a new appreciation for the mental and emotional benefits that come from individual achievement.
Field Hockey (for girls in many regions)
Field hockey is a bit less intense than its winter counterpart, ice hockey. But that doesn’t mean it’s any less fun! This fall sport combines strategy, endurance, and stick skills in one, exciting package. Middle school is often when players first encounter the sport and it can help them learn the basics of teamwork, as well as enhancing their cardiovascular fitness and agility.
Best Fall Sports for High Schoolers (Ages 14–18)
By high school, sports has evolved from a leisure activity and introduction to a competitive, structured, and time-intensive enterprise. Young athletes need not hone in on one sport—though they often do—and may instead try out a few different options. Oftentimes, an athlete’s goal with sports has become an ambition to play on a college team, so that is something parents ought to consider when their kids express interest in a high school sport.
Football
Football is perhaps the most iconic high school fall sport. It is often the hallmark of high school sports in the United States and the games in certain regions serve as meeting places for many members of the surrounding communities. At the same time, football at a high school level demands discipline, teamwork, strength, and resilience on the part of the players.
Soccer
High school soccer offers many opportunities for varsity competition. Teens can join travel teams and, as with football, begin to consider college recruitment. Teens who play at this level will see improved speed, endurance, and tactical skills. They will also likely have found true camaraderie amongst their teammates; as have many who have stuck with a sport in a school district or league up into their teen years.
Cross-Country
It should be noted that the idea of “fun runs” are a thing of the past at high school level cross-country. Track and field is highly competitive at this stage and often serves as pathway to more than a few college scholarships. Teens will need to be aware of hydration and nutrition if they are doing any sort of long-distance running, so parents may need to step in to bolster that in different ways.
Cheerleading (Fall Sideline and Competitive)
Cheerleading is essentially a combination of gymnastics and dance. Like those aforementioned youth sports, this one involves a high level of athleticism, teamwork, and at least some school or team spirit. Competitive cheer is often introduced in high school and helps kids to build confidence, strength, and flexibility, as well as improving their social dynamics.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Sport
When deciding which sport is best for your kid, teen, or high-schooler, you should consider several factors. First, find out what your child enjoys about sports and factor your suggestions around those metrics. If they like teams, try soccer or football, if they want to work on their own, perhaps cross-country or gymnastics. You will also want to consider whether your child is prepared for the physical demands of their chosen sport. Runners need endurance and football players need strength, so if your child has one but not the other, that may impact your choice. There is also a question of cost for many families.
Even if your child is playing for their school, the cost of equipment, uniforms, and fees may be more than you’re prepared to spend. Just do your research before you invest any money or time into a sport. Speaking of time, be aware that most fall sports require at least some level of commitment on yours and your child’s part. They may have to travel, play or practice on weekends, or stay late everyday after school. Just be ready to put in your time as they put in theirs.
Cultured Athlete Says…
As you can see, coming into the fall sports season doesn’t have to feel like a limitation. When it comes to fall sports, there is something for every child, whether they enjoy the energy of soccer, the strategy of football, or the endurance training of track and field. The trick is to match the right sport to your child’s age, interests, and their abilities, and thanks to the article you have just read; you now have the tools to do so. So get ready to bundle up a. bit this Autumn and hit the field to see just what fall sports has in store for your family!
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