Aug. 18, 2014
From lifelong friendships to powerful life lessons to everlasting memories of thrilling victories, there are many reasons for your kids to play sports.
As a parent, you can encourage your kids to participate in, or at least try, youth sports. With so many other factors and activities pulling them in different directions, it’s important to properly frame and discuss the many rewards of playing sports.
Liberty Mutual Insurance Play Positive™ sat down with USA Women’s Water Polo standout KK Clark to get her thoughts on the importance of playing sports along with the life lessons she learned.
In our exclusive TAKE 5 interview KK told us that she believes the biggest life lesson taught by sports is that hard work and persistence truly can pay off in the end.
“I believe that the biggest life lesson you can learn in sports is that hard work, dedication and persistence can allow you to reach your potential and achieve your dreams,” said KK.
KK said that sports also teach kids many other valuable life lessons, including the importance of physical fitness and working together with others as a strong unit.
“I think one life lesson that is especially important for the younger generation to learn from sports is the importance of teamwork, no matter everyone’s unique differences,” said KK. “Another lesson is the importance of health and fitness. To be able to play a sport like water polo, you have to be fit. If you can build those habits young, then you are in a good position to lead a healthy life. And it’s always fun to see hard work pay off!”
KK added that her parents have always been strong supporters of her sports career, as well as valuable teachers regarding the life lessons taught by sports.
“My parents have always been my support system,” said KK. “During lows, my parents have helped me gain perspective and encouraged me to grow and turn a negative into a positive. They always express their pride in me, no matter what the outcome is.”
KK said that the sport of water polo is especially rewarding for youth athletes today.
“Kids should participate in water polo because it builds confident and TOUGH individuals while also providing an avenue to meet life-long mentors and friends,” said KK.
To read the full TAKE 5 interview with KK, visit PlayPositive.com. And come back next month for another exclusive TAKE 5 interview!
At Liberty Mutual Insurance, we constantly look for ways to celebrate the countless acts of sportsmanship and integrity shown by people every day. We created Play Positive™, powered by Positive Coaching Alliance, as part of this belief to help ensure that our kids experience the best that sports have to offer in environments that promote and display good sportsmanship. We believe kids can learn valuable life lessons when coaches and parents come together to support winning in and out of the pool.
©2014 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
