The Best Sports to Practice when you're a Teenager

If you have a teenager and want to know what the best sports are for them to enjoy, stay tuned to the following article. Here we'll propose some terrific examples.
The Best Sports to Practice when you're a Teenager

Last update: 20 August, 2019

Playing sports is very beneficial for both adults and young people, but it has an especially important role during adolescence. Therefore, in this article, we’ll review some of the best sports to practice when you’re a teenager. Find out more below!

Sports help children to develop their physical skills, meet new friends, learn to work in teams, and improve their self-esteem. Beyond these benefits, when a teenager wants to start playing sports, it can turn into a great challenge for many parents because of all of the distractions that young people have at their disposal.

Unlike other activities, sports help to develop good work ethics and provides necessary values ​​for growth. And, as if that weren’t enough, it also fosters competitiveness that, when used in the right way, can be an excellent tool for challenging young people.

Moreover, physical activities come in many different forms, and it’s a good idea to encourage an activity that covers aerobic exercise, as well as strengthening bones and muscles. This contributes greatly to promoting a healthy lifestyle.

The reality is that there are hundreds of different sports available, from swimming, running, playing tennis, among others. To facilitate the task of choosing the best discipline for your child, we’re going to present a list of what we consider to be the best sports to practice when you’re a teenager.

Five sports to practice when you’re a teenager

1. Soccer

The first sport that we want to talk to you about is soccer. Whether your child is an introvert or outgoing, every child will find their place in a soccer team.

In many countries around the world, soccer is by far the most popular sport. Therefore, it won’t be difficult for you to find the perfect team or club where your teenager can start playing soccer.

Soccer is one of the best sports for you to practice as a teenager

2. Tennis: one of the best sports to practice when you’re a teenager

Tennis is another sport that your teenager might be interested in. This sport requires, among other things, precision, concentration, and a good sense of observation. To overcome the various adversaries, teenagers will seek to overcome themselves, which will demand willpower and perseverance.

3. Martial arts

Martial arts are an ideal discipline for young people who are nervous or who have behavioral problems. Remember, this discipline entails very strict rules by which participants must abide.

While training, students practice staying calm, a time during which they train their minds to execute the proper movements. Also, we recommend martial arts for teenagers who lack self-confidence or those who are shy.

Martial arts is one of the best sports to practice when you're a teenager

4. Basketball: sports to practice when you’re a teenager

On the other hand, basketball is a sport in which team spirit is fundamental. This sport allows children to channel and control all of their energy, besides strengthening all of the muscles in their bodies. And, it’s also ideal for improving physical endurance, as well as improving coordination and agility.

5. Swimming

Without any doubt, swimming is one of the most complete individual sports. However, a lot of motivation and love for being in the water is required.

It constitutes an ideal activity for adolescents who love perfecting their technique and precision, and, of course, enjoy a challenge. It’s more suitable for individualistic children, but it’s also excellent for those who are restless and need to discharge energy through movement.

Before ending, we want to remind you that all of the sports we’ve mentioned above guarantee that your teenager will be healthy and physically active. In any case, it’s necessary to remember to always have fun and never to make it a chore. Obviously, they need to choose the one they enjoy the most.

Don’t forget that, although individual sports are great, team disciplines teach important life lessons. The main one being that the success of a team depends on hard work and cooperation between all players.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


    • Gómez-Colell, E. (2015). Adolescencia y deporte: ausencia de referentes femeninos en los medios para las adolescentes. Apunts. Educación Física y Deportes, 4(122), 81–87. https://doi.org/jsn118 [pii]n10.1093/jpepsy/jsn118
    • España. (2006). Promoción de la actividad física en la infancia y la adolescencia. Consejo Superior de Deportes, 21–24.

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.