Details the benefits of non-competitive sports leagues in teaching life skills to young children instead of cutthroat athletic competition.

Youth sports leagues have become more cutthroat these days than they used to be. Somewhere along the way, even elementary-aged students began playing team and individual sports with the mentality that a scout could be watching, that their entire athletic career is on the line with every game.

Since this line of thinking has become the mainstream, the concept of the non-competitive sports league sounds, to many parents, like heresy.

Non-competitive leagues have many benefits, though. Parents and kids who participate in these leagues are attempting to bring fun and friendship back into youth athletics.

One of the main things kids learn through non-competitive leagues is cooperation with other members of a team. Their friendships with one another are not tainted by competition for the best spot on the team, the coach’s favor, or volleying for the notice of a college scout. The ability to work together for a common goal will be of more use to them in the corporate world than their ability to secretly elbow someone in the stomach on a rebound.

Recreational leagues offer kids the opportunity to learn game skills without having to get trampled on the field or on the court to do so. It is much easier to learn rules and tune basic skills when playing in a non-competitive league. There are guidelines in place for equal playing time. A lack of knowledge of the skills of the game does not leave a player who is new to the sport glued to the bench for the duration of the season.

Sportsmanship is not only encouraged, but expected in non-competitive leagues. Cheerleaders cheer for all of the teams. Negative cheers are prohibited.

Parents, coaches, and players are expected to show respect for authority. Children show respect by showing up on time for games and practices and by listening to the calls of the referees and the instructions of the coaches. Parents show respect for the coaches by allowing them to be the ones giving players instructions. Parents and coaches are only allowed to make supportive comments to the referees, who volunteer their time for recreational league games.

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