Some parents want their children to play for fitness, some parents enjoy the social aspects of sports and some parents want their kids to be the next Richie McCaw. And there are the parents who recognise that their kids love sport and let them play for the sheer enjoyment of it.
All of these reasons are valid, but as a psychologist, and a PhD student studying wellbeing, I'd like to suggest that there are many other indirect benefits for children playing sports.
Firstly, they develop something called a growth mindset. This is where they understand that with patience, commitment, practice and effort they can develop skills and talents in their sport of choice.
This is a brilliant way to demonstrate self-efficacy (the extent or strength of one's belief in one's own ability to complete tasks and reach goals).
It may not mean that your child will wield a cricket bat in the style of Brendon McCullum by the end of one season, but rather that they go from hitting no runs to hitting one or two runs by the end of a season. The mere fact that there has been progression is something to be celebrated.
The second gift of sport, albeit a disguised one, is disappointment. There can only be one winner, and this is an important lesson for life.
Sometimes no matter how hard you try and how good you are, you will lose. The sooner children learn how to overcome their disappointment and get back in the game, the better.
Sports can enhance resilience. Learning how to cope through a challenging training session, remaining calm and thinking clearly in a high-pressured game, and knowing how to bounce back from a setback are all terrific ways to build resilience.
A final thought is that sport can teach children respect. Respect for each other, respect for the other team and respect for a good game. Win or lose, as long as you have played your best and you have had a challenging and fun game, then it is worthwhile.
When I coach my son's sports teams I award two certificates - player of the day and practising hard.
The certificates are based on four criteria: 1. The player has practised and he or she keeps getting better at the sport. 2. The player "shakes it off" when things do not go to plan. 3. The player encourages teammates. 4. The player is respectful towards the other team.
The certificate may not be perfect, but the kids get it.
They embrace the growth mindset and I have had some joyful experiences watching kids getting better and better at their chosen sport.
It pays to remember that the benefits of sports extend way beyond the actual game. And I think the Australian cricket team would benefit from remembering this.
-A registered psychologist with a Masters in applied psychology, Wanganui mother-of-two Kristen Hamling is studying for a PhD in wellbeing at Auckland University of Technology.
