bythemethod.com blog

So you’ve got your children interested in sport and athletics and now you want some information to get them started. The web should be full of it of course – but it isn’t. If I want to know about the latest sports game for the Wii or what is happening on T.V. it’s easy but trying to find something about how to get my children fit is near impossible.

There are the usual culprits of soccer training etc or products you can buy to help but in general things are pretty bad. Then if you want information about children and athletics you can pretty much forget it. I’m wanting something I can do with my children at home by the way.

Well done to the Australians by the way. They have a programme set up to encourage children to take part in Athletics: ACTLAA. There is even the very information I was searching for on their site on the Coaching page where they have a pdf download called the Home Training Guide. It’s good to see so many of their medal winning athletes have started in this children’s programme.

But where is everyone else?

I don’t let a silly thing like this put me off so I’m continuing my research and armed with the Home Training Guide I’m going to keep going.

Seems to me though that basic guides on how to encourage your child into sports ought to be produced by every Government and Sport that is going. It’s not enough to say ‘join a club’. Not everyone has a club near them and even fewer can afford the kind of fees this brings (especially if you have 4 children). For instance even if it is only £2 a week that is £8 a week for 4 or £416 a year; to say nothing of clothing and travel etc.  I know health is important but it doesn’t matter how important something is if you are on the brink of survival these costs mount up and put you off.

What most people seem to say is just get them active playing games. We have a small garden and live on a busy street. I think we are probably pretty typical in this. Anyway games are fine but when space is limited so is the exercise. We have to do something more than this – especially if we are going to be getting into athletics.

Anyway back to moving forwards – never let a silly thing like I can’t afford it put you off.

Make a programme

Get what information you can (I’ll keep you posted on what I find) and then put a programme together with your children. Get their agreement on it and then stick to it. Remember that you are the adult so you will have to take a lead in self-discipline. This may be hard but you are doing it for your children remember. If you have to get up at 6am to get the exercise in then you are the one who sets the alarm and gets them up when it is time.

This is just what we are doing

We are going to do some skills training on Friday evenings (this is what I need the information for). Then every day at 6am we are going for a run. We are doing this together because my children are too young to do this on their own. So far this discipline is proving harder for some than others. I don’t press the point at this stage – I don’t want to make this a chore for them because it should be fun.

The hardest part is for me. I don’t like getting up that early and now its dark in the mornings it is really tough but I am the parent and it is up to me to take a lead.

So getting my children fitter is not easy. It requires commitment from me and enthusiasm from them. Without the commitment nothing will be accomplished.

Do you know of any good web sites with information about sports training for children at home?

If you do then add a comment and let us all know.