
Basketball is one of Australia’s favourite sports. And, for a nation of just over 26 million people, we’re definitely overachievers when it comes to the sport. Sure, the United States has forever been the sport’s dominant force, but our mens and womens teams are consistently taking it to them and the likes of Argentina, France, Serbia and more as we continue to impress in this most exhilarating of sports!
So, it should come as no surprise to learn that as many as 300,000 youths are registered to play the sport in Australia. What’s more, it’s our second most played sport, even more popular to play than our national games of Aussie rules and cricket.
Yes, every weekend you will find the country’s kids taking to the courts across the nation to win the ultimate trophy. What’s more, it’s an imperative element of promoting Aussie youth health, and here are a few reasons why:
- It has heaps of physical benefits
Grab your official Perth Wildcats basketball, because you’re about to play a sport that promotes your physical health in ways that not many others can. Basketball is a quickfire sport that relies on a mix of bone health,cardiovascular health, flexibility, muscular strength and more to become a top player.
And, given that the sport relies on these physical attributes, playing the sport will actually increase these physical attributes, too. Unfortunately, Australia has a high rate of youth obesity, with a quarter of Aussie kids being overweight or obese. As such, playing an incredibly healthy sport like basketball is imperative for promoting youth health and keeping your child fit!
- It has plenty of emotional benefits, too
The Aussie Government has just implemented a ban on social media for under 16s. And, whilst the jury will forever be out on just how harmful social media is for the country’s kids, they are going to need something to do once scrolling Instagram becomes illegal.
So, why not get back into sport? Whether social media is good for a child’s mental health or not, playing a fun, social sport like ball is always going to be healthier than mindlessly scrolling through TikTok for hours on end. Basketball, like any exercise, boosts self-esteem whilst releasing feel good hormones like dopamine and endorphins.
- It helps them make friends
One of the concerns that added to the social media ban was that kids were actually becoming less social due to social media usage. And, you can see how this argument is valid, given that many kids now opt to lie around on the couch and watch TikTok dance videos than actually go and hang with their mates.
Thankfully, Australia is a nation that actively encourages kids to join local sporting clubs, and as aforementioned, this is a sport that draws thousands of new young players every year. As such, it is one of the perfect ways for kids to enjoy a social life outside of their schooling commitments.
We oldies (or something of the sort) all remember those awesome times training and playing basketball with our mates. Playing this awesome game is really one of the best ways to stay fit and active whilst being social in the process.
What’s more, many of us still love to get together with friends to take on other teams at the local club, and this is just a testament to why we Aussies love this great sport and why, especially, it’s imperative for promoting youth health!