There is no doubt that sport is one of the biggest and lucrative industries but many African parents still harbour reservations when it comes to allowing their children pursue a career in sports.

Now that the 2022 FIFA World Cup is underway and children are seeing their favourite footballers put in a shift for their countries, perhaps it is time to rekindle that conversation on balancing sports and education.

Shalom Mbabazi, an educator and sports instructor says that parents must allow their children with a passion for sports to do their best to balance sports and education in order for them to decide at a later stage whether they should continue with both.

"It is something most parents don’t accept especially when a child gets into upper candidate classes. The pressure is to focus on either education or sports, despite some children being able to balance and excel at both,”

"However, most parents don’t want to take a gamble. They compel the children to choose education because they think either sport is a waste of time or is not lucrative enough in later life,” says Mbabazi.

He argues that it is important for parents or guardians to find a workable balance between the interests of their education instead of dismissing their sports talent, which comes with immense benefits.

Apart from ensuring that children grow up strong and fit, sport also comes with benefits including scholarships, which save you lots of money, travel opportunities and for those who excel at it, lucrative professional contracts.

Balancing education and sports may be challenging for a child. However, with the right approach, it is a great way to teach children all about time management, discipline, hard work, and skills that will equip them for a successful future.

With the right attitude, they can enhance each other; helping your child learn to balance school and sports is a lesson that will serve them well through adulthood. There are many ways to help your child strike a balance between sport and academics.

Right attitude and time management

As they say, attitude is everything. With the right attitude, sports and academics can enhance each other. Helping your child learn to balance school and sports is a lesson that will serve them well through adulthood and give them the right attitude in life.

It is also important to teach your child to manage their time well. Teach them how to make a plan and how to create calendar assignments for games, practices, and other deadlines. This way they will not get lost in sports because they know what to do at what time.

You can help them come up with a schedule once they get their syllabus and training schedule and you may discuss and review the plan together at frequent intervals to ensure that it is realistic.

Similarly, you can encourage your child to complete their homework on time and stay on top of their assignments, as leaving things for the last minute can cause stress for both you and them.

As earlier mentioned, sticking to their plan and tackling tasks as soon as possible will help them be more in control and avoid getting stressed during their free time, sports practice or games.

Studying smart

Parents and guardians can also help their children study in a smart and efficient manner, training them on how to best use their time. For example, time travelling to and from games may be utilized to complete an assignment, while they should make the most of study halls. Homework doesn’t only have to be completed at night, be creative with their time management so as to maximize their free time. This way, your child will also learn how to manage their time well.

It is also key to ensure that they have enough time to relax. It is important that your child’s plan incorporates breaks to enjoy their hobbies, hanging out with friends and family, and rest. This will help them perform at the maximum in both fields.

Both academics and sports can be draining because they require mental and physical involvement.

You can also be involved, making sure you engage with your child and keep a close eye on their behaviour in their academic and social environments. Both fields are capable of altering their behaviour.

If there is a change in their grades, sleep patterns, social engagements or general behaviour, it may be a good idea to discuss these changes and be supportive of your child.

Last but not least, remind them about their priorities and avoid discouraging them. Discouraging a child from pursuing a certain sport can also dim their academic performance especially if they are passionate about it. Also make sure that they don’t participate in too many sports activities.

Choose one they perform best and focus on it. Who knows, they might end up with professional contracts abroad and follow in the footsteps of their role models.