One joy of being a parent comes when your child tries a new sport and loves it – the car ride home filled with excited chatter as they share what they learned, who they met, and how much they’re looking forward to their next class, practice or match. Of course, that isn’t always the case. Maybe they have a discouraging day, or a particular sport just doesn’t “click” with them over time, and it seems like it might be time to try something else.

But that exploration itself – called “sampling” in sports science – is not only important for your child to learn what they love (and don’t love) to do, it brings with it many other benefits that can help in all areas of their development.

We sat down with James Lounsberry, athletics director at Greater Midland Community Center, to talk through what sampling looks like in practice – and how parents can navigate the bigger decisions that come later, like whether your child should specialize.

Why Trying Multiple Sports Early Matters

You might think of sampling as primarily a way to keep kids active while they figure out their interests. But beyond that, it’s great physically and mentally as your child navigates important periods of their brain and body growth.

“There are so many advantages when it comes to kids exploring multiple sports early on in life,” Lounsberry says. “It’s a great space for kids to learn basic movement skills, spatial awareness, the value of being active, and also the fundamental skills that can be used as an all-around athlete.”

Sampling builds social skills too. As Lounsberry puts it, multi-sport play “allows kids to build community, understand teamwork, and the importance of communication.”

There’s also a health angle parents don’t always think about: variety is easier on growing bodies than repetition. “The variety of sports is actually better for a child’s health and body development, as each sport will use different joints, muscles, and movements,” Lounsberry explains. Playing multiple sports keeps kids moving while giving overworked muscle groups a chance to rest and recover between seasons.

Signs Your Child Might Be Ready to Focus on Specific Sports

At some point, many kids start gravitating toward one activity over the rest. So how do you know when it’s time to let them lean in?

Lounsberry says it usually comes down to paying attention to what your child is asking for. “Does the child really want to just focus on one sport? Does the child want to try other non-sports related activities? Is the sport something they are passionately wanting to focus on every day?”

He points to his own experience as an example: his love of basketball led him to play in spring, summer, and fall leagues by his sophomore year of high school, at which point he stepped away from baseball on his own. “It was a decision I made myself without feeling like I was pressured to do it all,” he says.

So, while coaches and parents can encourage a child who is excelling at a particular sport, the healthiest version of specializing happens when it’s driven by your child’s own enthusiasm.

A few signs that your child is truly interested in a particular sport:

• They ask to go, or ask when the next practice/class is, without prompting
• They practice or play around with the skill on their own time, unprompted (dribbling in the driveway, doing cartwheels in the living room)
• They talk about teammates, the coach, or specific moments from practice unprompted, days later
• They want to keep going even after a bad day (lost the game, missed a move)
• Their interest doesn’t hinge on your praise or a trophy – they’re proud of their own improvement even when no one’s watching

Signs It Might Be Time to Try Something Else

Sampling also means it’s normal for a sport not to be a “hit”. Lounsberry recommends staying in conversation with your child throughout a season, rather than waiting until the end to check in. “You’ll be surprised at how often you can get a child to open up about their experience and whether this is something they want to continue to do.”

If a child is consistently frustrated, losing motivation, or struggling with playing time or a coach relationship, it may be a sign to encourage a change, or simply a break. As Lounsberry notes, sometimes what looks like a lack of interest is really burnout from trying to do too much at once.

Getting Started at Greater Midland

Whether your child is trying their very first activity or is excited about exploring more sports, Greater Midland offers ample opportunities for sports sampling. Greater Midland’s Fall Program lineup includes everything from basketball and volleyball to gymnastics, cheer/pom, swimming, and even Mini/Peewee Sports Samplers for young children, giving kids plenty of room to explore – and maybe even find their favorite!

Visit https://greatermidland.org/programs for the Fall brochure and details about registration.