Best Sport for Beginner Girl

[AlmiraGulch]

My 10 year old DD told me today that she really wants to try a sport this school year.  She never has played sports before except for a short stint in Tae Kwon Do, but she said she wants to "get more active".

 

She said she either wants to do Softball, Field Hockey or Ice Hockey.

 

I don't have any preference, but I don't know what might be a better "entry level" sport for a girl who is 10.  I think that most kids will already have spent several years in these sports, so I'd prefer one that she could really go in as a beginner, with beginners.  

 

In your experience, what would you say are the pros and cons of each?  And what would you vote for as the "best" option?

[bettyandbob]

Field Hockey

 

--no skating skills

--ball in mostly 2 dimensional, generally if the ball is in the air you are looking down at it against the field

--players are all in motion at once so less emphasis on the failings of a single player 

 

Plus it's a lot of fun

[twoxcell]

Out of those choices I would think softball or field hockey(I have never heard of a field hockey team around here though). My personal preferences would be soccer or swim though. Out of those two rec soccer would be the easiest to jump into unless she can already swim. ;)

[Dandelion]

Of those choices, I'd vote for field hockey for the same reasons Betty mentioned.  I played field hockey for a year in middle school, and enjoyed it. 

[AlmiraGulch]

Out of those choices I would think softball or field hockey(I have never heard of a field hockey team around here though). My personal preferences would be soccer or swim though. Out of those two rec soccer would be the easiest to jump into unless she can already swim. ;)

Honestly, I don't know of a field hockey team around here, either, although it's big at the HS level, and those girls had to learn somewhere, right?

 

She is a very good swimmer, but she doesn't want to swim so that's out, and I hate soccer and refuse to sit through it!  Plus, that wasn't one of the things she wants to do anyway.

[K&Rs Mom]

 

Ice hockey is super expensive and if she doesn't know how to skate it has a bigger learning curve than the others.  Around here, there are no softball options this time of year - it's only in the spring.  If there was one, though, and she understands the basic rules, nobody is already that great at 10, so she wouldn't have a ton of catching up to do.  I vote field hockey if it's big in your area and you can find a team, because it's only one set of skills to learn (where softball has both the batting skills and the fielding skills).  Plus softball has a lot of waiting around - either sit on the bench waiting to bat, or stand in the field waiting for someone to hit it to you - field hockey would be better if her goal is to get active.

 

[Spy Car]

Of those choices?

 

Field hockey.

 

Bill

[yobella]

It's not on your list, but my daughter started playing volleyball at 11 years old. She played school season in the fall, then club season in the winter/spring. A year later she's pretty good. She hadn't played any other sports before that.

[justasque]

Before playing ice hockey, she'd have to learn to skate.  Here, kids take skating lessons until they are at a certain level when they can start hockey.  Hockey is expensive, and because ice time is at a premium the games/practices can be at crazy times - super-early mornings or super-late nights.

 

Softball is brutal if you are not good at it.  You have to be able to catch and throw, and it takes time to develop those skills.

 

Most kids start field hockey without prior experience, so it's more of an even playing field for beginners.  It's hard to mess up whacking at a ball with a stick even if you're new at it, especially when the ball is on the ground rather than in the air.  It's not as expensive as the other choices; you pretty much just need a stick, which on some teams is a loan rather than a purchase.  Plus, field hockey uniforms are cuter.

[redsquirrel]

Field hockey

But  be warned that it is pretty much soccer with sticks. Then again, hockey is pretty much soccer on ice.

 

Hockey is expensive and you have to get up at the crack of dawn to get on the ice. My brother was a big hockey player and he got up at 4am for practice.

[twoxcell]

 

Honestly, I don't know of a field hockey team around here, either, although it's big at the HS level, and those girls had to learn somewhere, right?

 

She is a very good swimmer, but she doesn't want to swim so that's out, and I hate soccer and refuse to sit through it!  Plus, that wasn't one of the things she wants to do anyway.

What about Lacrosse? Just another idea anyways. ;)

[gingersmom]

Field hockey is definitely easier to begin with and waaaay cheaper

 

Ice skating is my children's favorite activity 

 

My daughter was on a synchronized skating team for many years (crazy $$$$, crazy amounts of travel) and now plays on her school ice hockey team

 

My son just skates for fun (at least 4 days a week. He loves it!)

 

If you go with skating, sign up for a few private lessons. They will get her going much faster than a group lesson. 10 years old is not too old to get started. 

[trulycrabby]

Volleyball? Tennis? 

[unsinkable]

Field hockey would be a good choice.

 

However, women's hockey is growing. there are many programs now that teach you to play hockey and skate at the same time...these can be found at all levels, from kids to adults, both men and women.

 

So depending on how many rinks are in your area, you might be able to find a learn to skate and play combo program.

 

for a boy, I'd say starting at 10 in hockey without skating would be tough but for a girl, it'd be easier.

[Catwoman]

Does your dd have a preference or does she just want to play any sport, just to be part of a team? If she doesn't have a strong preference, I think I would lean toward choosing the least expensive option, in case she ends up hating it and wanting to quit after a short while.

 

I know that tennis has already been suggested, and I would like to second that idea! :)

[unsinkable]

I've of Girls on the Run, too. It could help build her stamina for other sports.

 

http://www.girlsontherun.org/

[Hoot]

Of those three, softball will probably be the easiest to find locally.  Though, I would say that if you can find a field hockey team that would be my first choice.  It's way more fun than softball, in my opinion.  I played field hockey in school and it was great. 

[AlmiraGulch]

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

She came to me with the three choices.  She really thinks she wants field hockey, but I can't find a team for her age group in our area.  I'm not completely opposed to ice hockey (my brother-in-law, niece and nephew were very into it for many years), but she doesn't skate all that well.  I'm thinking it would be awful to try to learn to skate and learn the sport at the same time.  As for softball....she can't throw very well, but I guess you learn over time.  

 

We'll research and figure something out.  I really want something accessible, not to expensive, and not too much travel, although I'm assuming that wouldn't be a problem for a beginner's team.

 

 

[whitestavern]

My dd started ice hockey at 12 last year. They have a learn to play class that everyone starts at, regardless of age. It's male and female. As they progress in skill they move up to leveled classes, so on any given leveled team there are kids between 7 and 15. At least at our ice palace, the olders are really great about playing and mentoring the youngers. My dd absolutely loves it.

[redsquirrel]

My guess is that the girls in high school come to field hockey from soccer. The games are very similar and soccer is more popular. It might be easier to start there and then move to field hockey.