Little Tiger or Tortured Tot?

A Parents Guide to Starting a Sport.

Want your child to learn to take turns, perform under pressure, accept feedback, win with grace and deal with defeat? We've talked to area pros to find just the right time to start your little one in a host of popular sports.

Soccer

"The only real requirement to starting soccer is to be able to run around," says John Brown, Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources for the Town of Apex. He suggests age five as a good time to get kids involved in soccer.

Basketball

"We start youth basketball at age seven because they need some hand-eye coordination, the ability to listen to directions and to pay attention," says Brown. At recreational basketball programs in Apex, the game is modified to suit the age of the players. "The officials are a little more lenient and try to explain traveling and double dribble when they do call a violation," says Brown.

Golf

According to Tom Prots, a golf professional at Lochmere in Cary, the age to start a child in golf depends on the child's interest. "I tell parents to let their kids play around and when they're ready, they'll ask for help." Prots suggests holding off until age eight for regular lessons unless your child shows interest.

Swimming

At Raleigh Swim Association, the minnows are the youngest swimmers. They are five to eight years old and they must be able to swim at least 25 yards unaided to join the team. They learn the four competitive strokes - freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly - at three practices each week.

Hockey

Age three is a great time to start hockey according to Mike Tefft the Hockey Director at Carolina Sportsplex. "To learn the fundamentals of skating, a child needs to take a 'learn to play session' prior to joining a league " says Tefft.

Softball

Although Little League T-Ball can begin as early as age five, children do not begin pitching until age ten. "That's because kids don't have the ability to control the ball and they can do damage to their bodies if they try to throw too hard at too young an age," says Brown. In Peewee leagues, the step following T-ball, coaches pitch to players.

Dance & Gymnastics

Gymboree Play and Music offers parent-child classes that explore movement and pre-gymnastics skills, but most child-only gymnastics and dance classes begin at age three. At The Studio Dance and Gymnastics Center in Durham, three and four year olds can take "Creative Dance 1," a class that combines ballet, tap and tumbling.