It’s that time of year again, when we all catch football fever. Living in the south, most of us can’t help but be excited when the calendar turns to August and local high school, college and even pro teams start practices.

But football, and sports in general serves another purpose than just for our entertainment. It teaches our youth the ability to work in a team environment and gives them a healthy way to stay busy when school closes for the day.

Sports, such as football, show our youth the importance of teamwork, because one player cannot win the game by himself or herself. That’s one of the first building blocks we need our younger generations to learn. When they find themselves out in the real world, they know how to contribute successfully in the workforce.

Youth football registration started last week and the Selma Recreation Department is expecting record sign-up numbers.

That’s a fantastic sign for our community.

When our local youth participate in sports, it makes our community stronger. Keeping our kids involved in a positive activity prevents often keeps them out of trouble.

It also gives coaches, who are generally very involved in the community, a chance to enforce the values of right and wrong decisions.

Coaches often become like second fathers or mothers to players, as they help them through the ups and downs of the sports seasons.

Sports also give children an easy way to get their daily exercise, which is a key component in their growth.

We encourage parents to register area youth for extracurricular activities.

Whether that be football, cheerleading or something else, it keeps them busy, shows them the benefit of teamwork and allows them to have success outside the classroom.