Playing baseball is an important part of almost every American boy’s and some girls’ childhood. It’s the national pastime, and fathers have been passing along the game to their sons and daughters for generations.

Getting involved in Little League as a kid provides several benefits for a young athlete. Keep reading to learn all about the benefits of playing youth baseball.

It’s Fun

That’s right. Plain and simple. Baseball is fun. The most important part of playing little league baseball is to have fun. If your child seems to excel at it, then you can worry about getting more serious. But the main reason to play is for enjoyment.

Camaraderie

Camaraderie is one of the best benefits you receive from playing organized sports. Playing on a youth baseball team can help you form lifelong bonds with teammates.

During a little league season, you’ll go through ups and downs together. This builds character and strengthens friendships. If you’re lucky enough to be on a championship team, those bonds will be even stronger.

Nothing forges a relationship more than winning a championship together. Teams that win have memories that last a lifetime. They go through trials and tribulations and come out on top together. It’s something you’ll always share and cherish.

Teamwork

Of course, there’s teamwork. Baseball consists of nine guys playing in the field all at once. Often times you’ll have three or more players that need to make a play together to get a runner out.

For instance, a double-play needs two to three players who need to be on the same page to make it happen.

Or, a ball hit to the deep outfield will likely need a relay throw before it gets through to the catcher to stop the opposition from scoring. Everyone needs to work in sync to pull this off.

Also, when you’re team is up to bat, a batter and a runner need to work as a team if the coach calls for a hit and run play.

It Keeps You Off of the Couch

When you join a youth baseball team, you’ll be forced to get away from the video games and get off the couch. You’ll be outside most of the summer in the fresh air. Plus, you’ll get adequate exercise.

Sportsmanship

Playing youth baseball teaches you about sportsmanship. It will help you learn to play fair and when you get beat by a better team to acknowledge their excellent play. It will teach you that the best thing to do is learn from it when you fail.

Let’s say you strikeout in the first inning of a game, you’ll likely get three or four more times at the plate to redeem yourself. If you keep your head up and stay focused, odds are you’ll make a great play or two to help your team.

Life has adversity, and when you get knocked down, you need to keep a good mental outlook to succeed.

Promotes Patience and Focus

Baseball requires a great deal of patience. People may call this a slow sport, especially football, soccer, and basketball. It’s a very strategic activity that calls for kids to be steady, attentive and concentrated even when it’s not their turn to play.

Boosts Mood and Mental Health

Baseball has been proven to be a great mood booster and a wonderful tool to enhance your child’s mental health. The very fact of spending time outdoors in the sun is a natural source of happiness, and sharing fun moments with their friends can be another way to improve children’s mental health and emotional development. Spending a day playing baseball in the sunshine can also aid your child’s sleep patterns, helping them sleep more and better at night.

Batter Up

Now that you understand these great benefits of playing youth baseball, it’s time to step up to the plate.

You’ll have fun, learn about camaraderie, teamwork, and sportsmanship. You’ll also enjoy a summer of fresh air and hopefully even win a championship.