Children need to engage in social activities in order to develop properly. Many parents see organized sports as outlets that can provide for the social needs of their children. If you are thinking of getting your child involved in a sport, then you may want to consider selecting competitive swimming.

Here are three reasons why participation in competitive swim teams can be beneficial for your child in the future.

1. Competitive swimming encourages regular exercise.

In order to excel at swimming, your child will spend a significant amount of time in the pool each day. These regular practices help your child develop healthy exercise habits that he or she can carry throughout the rest of his or her life.

Since your child will be engaging his or her mind just as much as his or her body when participating in competitive swimming, this type of exercise often becomes easy. Using competitive swimming to help your child build daily exercise habits could contribute to greater health over the course of his or her lifetime.

2. Competitive swimming encourages growth.

Competitive swimming events provide your child with a number of opportunities to experience personal growth. In order to remain competitive with his or her peers, your child will work with a coach to set goals for training and performance.

Being able to gain experience setting goals, identifying necessary steps to reach said goals, and carrying out an action plan in a competitive swimming environment will prepare your child to use these skills in other areas of his or her life as well. In addition to working toward beating other swimmers, your child will also learn the importance of setting personal records and striving for constant improvement by participating in competitive swimming.

3. Competitive swimming teaches accountability.

Although many competitive swimming races are decided based on individual performance, meets are won by teams. This means that your child will learn how to be accountable not only to him or herself, but to a team as well.

Competitive swimming gives your child the opportunity to contribute toward the greater good and learn important sportsmanship and cooperation skills that will be beneficial later in life.

Being able to recognize the many benefits that competitive swimming can provide allows you to see the unique opportunities your child will be able to take advantage of when you get him or her involved with a competitive swimming team in the future.