For anyone who was involved in sport when they were young, the memories easily flood back, and an understanding of the life lessons forged as being part of a team.
Sadly though, we sometimes get a bit of angst among parents, concerns over who is in what team, or why my child hasn't made the top squad.
One of the last things we want kids to be worrying about at a young age is selection and being ranked against their peers.
They all develop at different rates so it's inconsequential at early ages and it just leads to unnecessary pressures and focusing on things other than what it means to be in a team. A real team embraces all, and works and encourages to build up those that aren't quite there yet, together becoming stronger.
So, as we roll into another winter sport season, it's worth remembering what it's all about for the kids: fun with their teammates, competing.
If we grown-ups get too serious, then we can start to encourage specialising in particular sports, and trying to train children like high-performance athletes - forget it, if we do that, we will burn them out.
Ideally the tamariki get variety. A good mix of sports and activities when the brain is developing, when they're a sponge, will mean they develop greater decision-making skills - better vision, reading situations, and reacting instinctively - helping them in the future, no matter what sport they end up specialising in.
From a physical perspective, a greater range of sporting experiences develops a wider range of skills and movement patterns, which better prepares them as a more diverse athlete, able to specialise in a greater range of sports as they get older.
And, of course, variety at an early age keeps them keen and frisky for when it really matters. At those ages when they are ready to really compete they will still love it and be keen to put in the extra time required.
And putting competitive aspirations aside all together, having a good variety of sport-development experiences early in life sets one up for a lifelong involvement in health-enhancing physical activity - the ability to confidently engage in sport or activity later in life, keeping us on track physically and mentally.
Sometimes as a parent we overthink the importance of youngsters succeeding at a particular sport when they are young. We may think if they miss a season or so, or aren't playing it enough they're going to miss the boat.
Relax, as long as they are enjoying it, and getting good variety, they can easily pick it up later when the passion is there.
And that's the key, ultimately they need to be passionate about it (not us parents) they need to "own" it, it's their thing.
If they don't own it and they feel like everyone else wants them to do it, then as they enter those rebellious years that sport might be an obvious thing to rebel against, and they might just give it up all together.
And that's where events like the recent Hastings Super Sixes - the brainchild of Malcolm Dixon - are so great.
Year 6 children get to try a range of sports that they might not have otherwise.
The kids play competitively, have great fun with their mates and for many make new friends and end up joining a new sports team for the winter season.
So enjoy the winter mornings, give the kids plenty of encouragement, a push along if they need it, but keep the balance right and keep in fun.
-Marcus Agnew is the health and sport development manager for the Hawke's Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust.
