Dear Athletic Support: Is dance a sport? My daughter just started dancing at one of the places here in town. She loves it, which is new for us. She’s only five, but we’ve already tried soccer and gymnastics. My daughter didn’t like either one, at all. She wouldn’t even get off the bench for the soccer games. Gymnastics was fine. But dance has been a completely different thing. It’s all she wants to do! She has a mirror in her room and she literally just dances in there for hours. I’ve never seen anything like it. Her mother and I were both athletes growing up. We love sports, but I’m just not sure dance is worth her time, or if it could even be considered a sport at all. Maybe this is just a dad thing, but I could really use some guidance here.
— Dance Dad
Dear Dance Dad: I’m guessing you haven’t actually sat and watched your daughter at one of her dance practices?
If you had, you’d know how grueling dance can be.
Regardless of whether or not dance can be defined as a “sport” in the classical sense; it is most definitely a highly involved, athletic activity.
What’s more important, though, is that your daughter loves it. If she’s putting in all those extra hours, unprovoked, then you should do everything you can to encourage her.
Regardless of whether or not you and your wife were athletes, you should support your daughter in whatever activity she chooses to pursue, even if that activity isn’t a “sport.”
Dear Athletic Support: We have a basketball tournament the Monday after Christmas. This is during the break from school. I’m not even going to talk about the coach or anything like that. I just can’t see myself packing up my entire family and driving to this tournament one day after Christmas! Do you think this is okay? What kind of repercussions will my son face for skipping out on these games?
— Christmas Is 4 Family
Dear Christmas: No coach can tell you what to do with your son, especially over a school break.
With that being said, the coach might reduce your son’s playing time. In other words, if your son was a starter before this tournament, he might not be a starter afterwards.
Playing time isn’t really the issue, though.
Time with your family over the holidays — that’s the issue. Only you know what’s best for your son.
In the end, if your son is one of the best athletes, he’ll still make the starting five regardless of this one tournament. However, if absences become a recurring problem, then this coach could have a much better reason to bench your son.
Eli Cranor is a former professional quarterback and coach turned award-winning author. Send questions for “Athletic Support” to [email protected]
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