Making sports a healthy part of a child's life

We live in a society that places a great deal of emphasis on sports. We see professional athletes paid astronomical salaries and find the broadcast airways filled with almost endless coverage of all types of sporting events.

All that visibility has an effect. While for many kids it certainly builds interest in participating, it also can make some parents feel it's vitally important that they push their child to participate and stand out in sports.

Playing a sport when a child has an interest and when it's part of a balanced life can provide many benefits, but when it's parents driving a child...