Even when the team record isn’t great or your child’s stats are weak, there’s still fun to be had in youth sports. If your child’s coach is doing a good job, your athlete can and will still have an enjoyable experience.

As your child gets involved with sports, look for these signs to know if they’re enjoying their experience:

They’re always ready to go to practice or a game. When you don’t have to drag your child out the door to practice or persuade them to play, they’re probably having a good time. Eagerness is a good indicator that it’s fun for them!

They enjoy their teammates. When you hear laughter in the dugout or joking on the field, those are good signs. Learning to work well with teammates is not always easy, but a team that plays well together and has fun doing it is a great end result.  

They keep trying. Kids usually stop trying to do something when it stops being fun. That’s just how they’re wired until they learn the benefits of persistence. If your child is still working at something despite not getting it right at first, it’s a pretty good indicator that they’re enjoying what they’re doing.

They’ve got enthusiasm. A child that enjoys an activity does it wholeheartedly. If they’re having fun, they won’t need to be prodded into doing their best. Kids who have fun keep going hard no matter if they are winning or losing because they just enjoy participating.

They care about the game. A child who is having a good time competing doesn’t necessarily about the winning and the losing (though winning IS fun), they care about playing their best. It’s natural to be disappointed after a defeat or a bad game, but if they can’t get over a loss then they’re not having enough fun. A good coach will help them focus on the process of improvement instead of the results of one game.

These are all observations that you can make even if you’re not a coaching expert. You know your child and what you see when you watch your child’s team play or practice will give you a pretty clear idea if they are having fun while developing their skills.

Janis Meredith is a family life coach who wants to help all parents raise champions. You can find out more at rcfamilies.com.