TriOurWorld

Parents today, more than ever, should be pushing their kids to play sports. Whether they choose swim team, soccer, t-ball, gymnastics, or tennis, sports should be an integral part of a child’s life. These athletic activities do more than provide a workout and a good time for your kidsthey teach them valuable life lessons. Team sports teach teamwork, healthy competition, and the importance of both winning and losing. Individual sports such teach motivation and self perseverance. The sports your child chooses to play at an early age could easily influence their athletic endeavors later in life. Triathlons combine three major athletic areas into oneswimming, biking, and running. Kids who compete in triathlons gain the skill set to pursue any sport they’d like when they are older. Triathlons also help kids learn to love and appreciate physical activity and healthy lifestyles.IronKids is a group of kids ages 6 to 15 whose mission is “to inspire and motivate youth through the sport to lead an active, positive and healthy lifestyle.” Every year, they host the IronKids National Triathlon Series. Children who attend this event (they’re hoping for around 300-400 participants this year), will compete in 12 age appropriate events that focus on safety and fitness. If your child likes to be active, you can check the times and dates of IronKids race dates and locations to see if they’re coming to a location near you. Even if you or your kids have no experience with triathlons, the events are fun and family friendly making them easy to jump right into. Training is also available, and triathlon camps like the I Am Multisport of Indianapolis or training teams like the St. Pete Stingrays in St. Petersburg are great ways to get your kids interested in triathlons.