This year has been great for motorsports, with Formula 1 being on the top of my must-see World Championships list. As Lewis Hamilton confidently and skillfully tore in one more World Championship win, I couldn’t help but wonder if exposing kids to the same type of sporting activities would provide them with similar opportunities in life. I also wondered if such exposure would lead to kids developing similar personal characteristics to Hamilton (let’s face it; he is pretty great). Naturally, I did a bit of digging into the benefits of motorsports for kids in order to find out.
I was not too surprised to find that motorsports can be quite so beneficial to kids. In fact, the kids I have known, that are involved in various motorsports from go-karting and motor cross to dirt biking, all seem to be more mature, balanced, and sensible than most kids their age.
If your kids are eager to get into some type of motorsport, I would personally advise you to go for it! Not many activities can provide the same results/outcomes as motorsports can, and you will be enhancing the quality of your child’s development and life.
These are 20 of the reasons why kids should practice motorsports:
1. Motorsports provide an adrenaline kick without violence.
Kids, like most of us, thrive on exhilarating activities. Most kids that like adrenaline-fueled activities are filtered into semi-violent sports, such as boxing, MMA, football, or similar. Motorsports provide a much higher delivery of adrenaline, but far less violence. It’s a great way to teach kids to get the “kicks” they need out of life, without turning to violent or aggressive behavior.
2. Motorsports teach the value of personal investment.
“Practice makes perfect” is something that motorsports kids learn early on. If they aren’t willing to invest their time and effort, they won’t get ahead in the sport. In fact, they will be left behind. To get ahead and progress, kids quickly learn to invest themselves personally into practicing their sport.
3. Motorsports build integrity.
Having a strong work ethic is not something that everyone develops over the years. Integrity is something that needs to be taught and instilled at an early age, and this is something that motorsports can help with. The Oxford dictionary defines integrity as follows:
“The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.”
Lexico – Powered by Oxford
Most can agree that motorsports teaches kids to race fairly and honestly, which is great for integrity building.
4. Motorsports instill the importance of rule-following.
Out on the track, there are rules to follow to protect the safety of the kids as well as the integrity of the sport. If the rules are ignored, there are consequences. Usually, it involves docked point systems and time off the track/road/trail. For many kids in motorsports, this doesn’t happen often. They don’t want to be excluded or miss out on the fun. As a result, they quickly learn how important it is to follow the rules.
5. Motorsports teach about winning and losing with grace.
When kids get involved in motorsports, it is usually because they love the thrill of speed, being in control, and winning. Most practices and competitions result in a win or a loss, so this teaches kids to win with grace, as well as to lose with dignity. Motorsports are great for teaching kids about good sportsmanship.
6. Motorsports provide future career prospects.
There’s a big scope of opportunity for kids in motorsports to get involved in a lucrative and exhilarating career in the future. Having early exposure to motorsports provides them with the skills needed and may also put them in contact with the right people in the industry.
7. Motorsports promote a sense of community and support.
Motorsports are extra-mural activities with a strong community. As a result, kids involved are typically supported by their families at all events and practices. This means that practices and competitions are a fun day out for the family instead of just a plain activity.
8. Motorsports teach safe and skillful vehicle handling.
Most parents suffer a bit (or a lot!) of anxiety when their kids get a license and start to drive. If your child has been involved in motorsports from an early age, you will have some peace of mind that he/she has been taught effective, safe, and skillful vehicle handling. And this means that they are fairly safe on the road.
9. Motorsports teach the importance of relationship building.
In order for kids to become great at motorsports, they have to learn the ins and outs. It’s not like learning to play a console game or running around on the playground learning as they go. Motorsports require real concentration and teaching of skills on a deeper level. This teaches kids the value of building relationships with people who can teach them something, who they respect, and who can add value to their lives.
10. Motorsports promote a healthy lifestyle.
Motorsports are physically demanding. For racers to get ahead, they have to be in peak physical condition. They need to be strong, fit, and healthy. Kids can quickly pick up on the good health habits of racers that they admire and respect, which in turn promotes and inspires a healthy lifestyle.
11. Motorsports teach safety and responsibility.
Motorsports can be dangerous if kids disregard safety or behave irresponsibly on the track/road/trail. Those who aren’t focused on safety and aren’t responsible to start off can result in expensive damage to the vehicle, expensive damage to other people’s vehicles, hurting someone else, or getting hurt.
12. Motorsports provide an opportunity to make like-minded friends.
Kids need to gravitate towards their “tribe”. You don’t want your child to spend their entire life feeling as they don’t fit in with a certain crowd. If your kids love motorsports and you want them to experience meaningful friendships with like-minded people, get them involved in motorsports.
13. Motorsports teach multitasking and coordination.
Most motorsports require kids to be alert, aware of what’s happening around them. As well as to be in full control of a number of internal control features, such as the steering wheel, brakes, clutch, and monitors – all at the same time.
14. Motorsports teach the value of teamwork.
Motorsports might not seem like they involve teamwork, but they do. Many of the most successful drivers admit that they couldn’t do it without their teams. In order to win, a motorsport pro has to work with a team of other people to ensure that the vehicle and the operator are performing at their best. Without teamwork, wins wouldn’t be possible.
15. Motorsports promote goal setting.
Kids in motorsports cannot stagnate. If they want to keep up, they need to set goals. They might see another kid pulling a move that they absolutely admire, and then feel the need to achieve it themselves (for example). By goal setting, they can learn more and progress faster.
16. Motorsports teach mechanical skills/understanding.
It’s almost become the norm for grown men and women to know nothing about what’s happening under the hood of their car (and other vehicles too). Nowadays, a vehicle that is not behaving correctly is sent to a mechanic, who fixes it and charges a big bill for it. If your kid learns motorsports at a young age, he/she can grow up with a healthy knowledge of mechanical repairs, which will save them time and money in the future.
17. Motorsports promote mental toughness.
Have you ever heard a kid whining and crying because something didn’t quite go their way? Motorsports teach kids that this isn’t the way to handle disappointments. It teaches children to push through and to accept that losing a race or wrecking a vehicle is not the end of the world.
18. Motorsports get kids away from their devices/screens.
Parents find value in television and tablet screens, but there’s also such a thing as too much screen time. If you want to get your kids outside and in the fresh air, interacting with their peers on a more real level, motorsports is a great way to do it.
19. Motorsports provide kids with an outlet for their feelings and frustrations.
Just like adults, kids suffer from anxiety, frustration, anger, excess energy, and even depression. It is vital for your child to be involved in some form of exercise to relieve their frustrations and enable them to work through their feelings. Motorsports is a great way to do that.
20. It’s fun!
As a parent, you undoubtedly want your children to have fun. And that’s precisely what motorsports is; fun! If you want your child to enjoy life and have access to fun activities, motorsports are a great option.
In Conclusion
Motorsports can boost confidence, promote responsibility, and get kids actively involved in healthy living. What more could you want for your kid, right? If you have been grappling over the idea of your kids practicing motorsports or not, consider the above benefits and reasons – you simply can’t go wrong with motorsports!