According to Kidshealth.org and the Women’s Sports Foundation, there are five reasons girls should play sports:
1. Girls who play sports do better in school.
2. Girls who play sports learn teamwork and goal setting skills.
3. Sports have hidden health benefits.
4. Playing sports builds confidence.
5. Exercise can cut the pressure.
I agree with those reasons, but more importantly, I’m going to add to the list. I’m sure most of these have been schmoozed about at the Shabbos table and on the field as soccer mom’s watch their kids run down the soccer field. Nevertheless, these are points from my perspective.
1. Physical education in most Jewish Day Schools is not every day.
2. Sports, like academics, is another avenue that many girls can feel successful in among their peers.
3. Most Jewish girls who play organized sports at an early age continue this active lifestyle through high school and it becomes a part of their daily lives as grown women.
4. No matter the level of frumkeit, sports speaks to the needs of all Jewish girls.
5. As Jewish Girls, sports teaches good middot, like respect for a coach, a teammate, being unselfish, and becoming self-motivated to reach a goal.
Jen Sanders is teaching a sports clinic for YBH of Passaic. It’s called Sports Buffet, because she will be covering skills in several different sports. Girls will use the two hours to learn basic skills, drills and rules of basketball, soccer, softball, as well as play games. For more info, including times and dates, please email Jen Sanders at [email protected]
By Jen Sanders
