My son loves playing sports. There was a lull between baseball and soccer season this year. By the time soccer season rolled around, he was practically bouncing with excitement. He had really missed the fun and camaraderie of weekly practices and games.

But not all kids love team sports as much as my son ... and that's OK. Any activity that they enjoy is beneficial for their health and good for their social skills. I'm not a believer in pushing kids into activities they don't want to participate in. But making the sport more fun and encouraging your child can be a great thing ... for both of you.

My son and I have a habit of practicing the soccer drills he learns in practice in our backyard. We also go down to a local soccer field and I blast kicks at him so he can work on his goalie skills, then he takes a turn aiming for different areas of the net to improve his ability. (Admittedly, I don't present much of a challenge as a goalie.)