During this holiday season, more parents are turning to sports not simply as a pastime for their children, but as a structured way to teach discipline, build confidence and shape character. From football fields to basketball courts, table tennis halls to motocross tracks, families are investing time, money and energy to ensure their children tap into their sporting potential.
Mikaya Adar (left) and Kigen Mutuma during a routine training session at Offroad Adventure East Africa Karen in Nairobi in this photo taken on 31st August 2024.
Zipporah Wang'ondu, a mother of three ,began to notice her 14-year-old son's growing interest in table tennis when the sport was introduced at his school last year.
"He converted my dining table to a table tennis and would pull in the brother to play with him. When alone, he would play against the wall. He is always watching clips of people playing table tennis so it was very clear this is something he really wants to do," she shares.
Over the holiday, she enrolled him at Strasse Club, where he trains under a professional coach from 10.00am to 4.00pm. She pays Sh2,500 per month for the sessions and has invested in a Sh7,500 racket and tennis balls worth Sh1,000.
The club came recommended by his school coach, and after observing the coach's approach to the sport, Zipporah was confident about her decision.
"He (the coach) is very dedicated, committed, has a good background in table tennis and is also a life coach. It is not just about the game, but also life skills," she says.
Over time, Zipporah has watched her son become self-driven through playing table tennis. "He exercises every day in the house for almost an hour before his evening shower."
Zipporah Wang'ondu is a mother of three who enrolled her first born son to table tennis during this holiday season.
This has also transcended to his eating habits. "I have noticed at times depending on what we have prepared, he will go back to the kitchen and add more protein than starch. So, an extra two eggs, meat and a lot of vegetables."
The coach regularly sends her clips and detailed reports of the day's progress. Enrolling her son to table tennis has not been without hiccups. Zipporah shares that at first it was time management.
"Because there was so much passion for the game, everything else took a back seat. So, we had to have a conversation around striking a balance."
Zipporah shares that she envisions her son being a pro table tennis player.
"I have an opportunity for him next year to go play tennis in the US," she says.
Basketball is our family sport
Edwin Kola is a father of three who enrolled his children in basketball this holiday season.
For Edwin Kola, a father of three sons aged 16, 14 and 8, basketball is a shared experience in the household. Edwin played the sport in high school, but it was during the Covid pandemic that the interest deepened.
"We used to go to their school, which has a court, with a couple of neighbours just to shoot a few hoops, and that is when their interest deepened so I decided to nurture it," he says.
He enrolled the boys in Vikapu Elite Basketball Academy and pays Sh8,500 per month during school terms and Sh5,000 per week during the holiday period.
"Over the holiday, my boys play every day apart from Tuesday for two hours."
The routine, he says, has helped keep the boys active and away from screens. "When they get home, they just sleep hence they are away from the play station, YouTube and are rarely on their phones."
Every weekend in Edwin's home revolves around basketball. " I think every family needs their thing that brings them together."
Through basketball, Edwin says that he hopes they (the sons) take the sport further than he did. "I played the sport in high school but when we went to campus, that fizzled out. But if you take sports even into university, it helps you with focus and you stay away from a lot of rubbish that people engage in."
Over the two years they have been actively playing, Edwin says their teamwork and discipline have noticeably grown. Additionally, he has seen their skills improve under professional coaching.
Balancing school and sport remain the main challenge, especially with evening training. There have also been minor injuries as the boys adjust to a more active lifestyle.
"There have been injuries along the way which come from not being fit. So, we have to combine both gym and normal workouts. Today's children are not like us, who were swinging from trees and always running somewhere."
For parents considering enrolling their children in sports, his advice is clear. "Do it. My two eldest used to fight every day. But now they are part of a team. It has brought them closer together and they are always talking about what moves they are going to play."
Football to learn teamwork
Hellen Githakwa is a mother of one who enrolled her son in football during this holiday season
For Hellen Githakwa, enrolling her five-year-old son in football came just a week after schools closed for the holiday. Before joining, he attended trials where the coach assessed him and placed him in the under-five group. This decision was inspired by Hellen’s husband who is into sports.
"My husband plays football, swims and runs.”
At first, Hellen had very different plans for their son.
“ I had signed him up with a tutor so that he doesn't forget his books but his dad was of a different opinion. He shared the need for our son to learn teamwork as well as excelling individually so as to survive in the competitive world we live in.”
Since he began football, Hellen has seen changes in his behaviour and confidence. She says he has become more disciplined, committed and comfortable in group settings.
For training, they pay Sh7,500 per month. He is on the pitch for half a day from Monday to Thursday, with occasional tournaments on Fridays. "In the beginning, he was scared of playing with the bigger boys but he has been warming up to it."
The family has also adjusted to support the new routine. "If he needs to be in the pitch by 9:00am, we have to get up early, and also spend time with him there."
In just a few weeks, Hellen has noticed an increase in his appetite and energy. He is happier, more active and physically stronger.
"It is better to have an active child rather than have them play video games or watch TV the whole day."
The 500,000 bike
Daniel Murithi is a father of three who enrolled his second born to motocross during this holiday season.
Daniel Murithi, a father of three, got his second-born son into motocross, and it has opened doors far beyond the track. His son began riding at the age of eight and has competed in South Africa, Morocco, Zimbabwe and Uganda over the last five years.
His initial interest came from watching a friend who had started earlier. "A friend donated his spare bike, helmet, boots and they got a trainer to train him daily since school was out due to the COVID pandemic. Then, it was from Sh500-Sh1000 for training," Daniel recalls.
Within three months, his son was already performing competitively.
He began with a 50cc bike and later moved to a 65cc KTM. "In 2022, he went to the 65cc and the KTM bike cost around Sh500,000. Then of course, maintenance, which was Sh20,000-Sh30,000 a month depending on usage, fuel of around Sh2,000 and paying for track use which is anything between Sh1,000-1,500," he says.
Motocross training takes place four days a week at Enduro and Morocross Sports Club in Nairobi Grounds . "Per month, we pay Sh10,000 to Sh15,000. For a 13-year-old, their training is specialised because they need to concentrate on their abs and core muscles without stunting their growth."
While injuries are part of the sport, Daniel says children who are active tend to recover faster. "About August last year, he was injured in Johannesburg but he recuperated very fast."
Through motocross, Daniel admits that his son has learnt to be focused. "These bikes can easily attain a speed of 80 kilometers per hour in a controlled course that is marked. By the time they are nine years, they ride a manual bike that has gears which you can shift all the way up to gear six. You are on spins, and there are corners, obstacles so it teaches them how to quickly calculate, how to shift gears, overtake and make decisions on the course."
Additionally, Daniel has seen these skills transfer into the classroom as his son is a top performer. Since the sport follows a careful diet to support training, Daniel says his son's diet can be strict at times.
The challenge, however, is cost. Daniel shares, "The more he grows and moves to higher classes, the bikes are not cheap. For example, the cost of an 85cc is about Sh900,000."
Nonetheless, to parents considering motocross, Daniel advises, "Take it up. This sport is not only a family sport but also instils discipline as it is guided by strict rules from Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) Africa."
Why early sports matter
Dr Kiptolo Boit, the CEO of NextGen Sports Academy, says that sports and child development are closely linked. Beyond physical fitness, participating in sport at an early age shapes the brain, character and long-term health.
"When children play sports at an early age, it increases the development of the cerebellum within the brain and the hippocampus. And this basically helps with memory, information processing, making them smarter," he explains.
He adds that playing sport improves brain plasticity, making it more adaptable and able to receive new information. He also notes that physical activity increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which supports brain growth and resilience.
"Currently, children do not have an opportunity to develop life skills but with sports they are able to develop their character in terms of their perseverance, dedication and grit."
However, he recommends unstructured physical play from as early as two to three years while structured sports, such as football and basketball, should begin at around four or five years.
"When they are younger, below 10-11, they should be exposed to as many sports as possible. About 95% of the best athletes who have ever lived started off with multiple sports," he says.
Additionally, parents should have a properly trained coach as they will understand the growth and development of children, physically, psychologically and emotionally hence tailor the training with those considerations in mind.
Without this, he warns, children may lose interest or suffer avoidable injuries. Nonetheless, to keep training enjoyable, Dr Boit recommends variation and playfulness to avoid boredom.
For children who have already specialised in a sport, usually around age 12, Dr Boit advises parents not to focus too heavily on medals or rankings.
"From a participation perspective, you need to put pressure. How often are they showing up and are they doing so? How is their effort level subjectively?"
You can tell that your child is overloaded, overstimulated from the support if they have disturbed sleep, their mood changes or they either loss or gain weight.
Some of the common misconceptions he has heard include the belief that children must stick to one sport to excel, or that the best child at a young age will necessarily become the best adult athlete.
"They need to be introduced to age-appropriate competition without much pressure. The older they get of course, the harder it gets."
While sporting is supported by what the child eats, Dr Boit suggests reducing junk food at home and swapping dinner for breakfast.
"My children usually have rice and mincemeat and cabbage for breakfast," he says.
For this holiday season, Dr Boit advises parents of younger children to include them in as many sports as possible and the older children who have specialised should train for two to three hours per day, at least five days a week.
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