What Sports are Good for an Only Child?
It may seem that there are very few sports that are good for an only child. This is because when you play a sport you are normally competing against others. Whether you are competing as an individual or as part of a team you need others to play a sport with. Therefore, it may seem as if children who are born into big families have a greater advantage in playing team games. They have their brothers and sisters to play with. But actually, as an only child, you could also have an advantage in taking part in a sport that interests you. This is because your parents only need to pay for you to join clubs etc. They only need to drive you to one club or two, rather than drawing up a huge weekly schedule picking up and dropping off all their kids at different clubs. Plus, if you are a serious competitor, your parents may have more resources to take you to big competitions around the country. So if you are considering taking up a sport, our guide will help you select the best sport to suit you.
What is a Sport?
Is Snooker a sport or a game? This is a question that has long been debated. What about racing driving? That’s just a person driving a car. You don’t have to exert that much physical energy to drive a car, do you?
According to the Cambridge Online Dictionary, a sport is:
“a game, competition, or activity needing physical effort and skill that is played or done according to rules, for enjoyment and/or as a job.”
And according to The European Council, a sport is:
“Sport means all forms of physical activity, which through casual or organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels“.
Bearing this in mind, we will only suggest sports recognised by UK Sport, so no Snooker here, I’m afraid.
For links to various sporting organisations and national clubs please see the Useful Websites at the end of this post.
(NB: We have shown the average concessionary prices for various sports organisations and professional bodies in the UK. However, not all clubs insist that you join the National Professional Body to be a member of your local club. But if you wish to compete in a particular sport you are likely to need to be a member of a professional body)
Sports for One
Archery – Once an art of warfare, archery has now become an official sport for leisure. It is even played at the Olympic Games. If you have a good sense of aim and very strong arms this may be the sport for you.
Average Start-Up Costs:
Beginners Course – Adults £55 – Juniors (under 18s) £30.
Kit Cost: c. £400
Start Archery – Begin Your Archery Journey
Athletics – Running, sprinting, jumping over high poles with another pole, these are some of the activities that athletes take part in. If you want to push yourself to see how far you can go then athletics maybe this is the best sport for you. Fortunately, a lot of high schools have an athletics track, so you can regularly practice your chosen activity.
Average Start-Up Costs:
Membership to England Athletics Club: £16
Find An Athletics Or Running Club | England Athletics
Climbing – We were born to climb. Climbing is a perfectly natural instinct for babies and toddlers, which is why people build climbing frames in playgrounds. Many people grow out of this impulse, but not everybody. For some people, the urge to climb lasts their lifetime. If you have this urge, then by all means climb away but be sure to do it in a safe place such as a climbing centre.
Average Start-Up Costs:
The Climbers Club Membership: Under 25’s £48
Membership to Leisure Centre with climbing wall: Various – Check your local leisure centre
The Climbers’ Club (climbers-club.co.uk)
Cycling – You can keep fit by going on a pleasant bike ride with your family, or you can take up cycling seriously. Maybe join a local cycling group to find new friends to cycle with, or look into becoming a professional cyclist. Cycling is a pleasant activity that can easily be turned into a competitive sport if that pickles your fancy?
Average Start-Up Costs:
Cycling UK Membership: £33
Average cost of bike: £379 – £750
NB: If you are just learning to ride a bike or you know a little one who needs to learn our post ‘How to teach your child to ride a bike‘ may help.
Diving – Does your local pool have a diving platform? If so, practice diving on a low board to see if diving appeals to you. If you take to diving like a duck to water then this is the sport for you and you just need to find yourself a pool that hosts a diving club.
Average Start-Up Costs:
Membership in local Diving Club – Various
Equestrian – I confess, I believe only rich people can take up an equestrian sport. It is way too expensive to maintain a horse for most people. Some stables may be willing to let you ride a horse regularly if you volunteer to work there, but if you want to compete in the equestrian sector you may need a sponsor.
Average Start-Up Costs:
Average Cost per competitive season: £14, 400
(According to Statista)
Figure Skating – If Sops had the option to take up figure skating she would totally do it. Alas, there is no ice rink near us. Ice rinks were very popular in the 1980s and were built all over the UK. I think this was due to the popularity of Torvill and Dean. If you are lucky enough to live near an ice skating rink give figure skating a try and see what you think of it. Let us know if you think it is a career for you in Discord.
Average Start-Up Costs:
Membership to British Iceskating UK: £61
Lessons: c.£10 per hour (group lesson). £20-£25( private lesson) £48 per 6-week course.
Rink Hire: £5-15 per session
Boots: £60-£100
Gymnastics – Now this is Sops’ sport. She is gymnastics crazy. She adores bouncing around and swinging on stuff and tumbling. Believe me, she was doing gymnastics before she was born. If you are a bag of bouncing beans give gymnastics a chance. Although, if you want to compete at a higher level you will have to start quite young.
Average Start-Up Costs:
Membership to British Gymnastics: £22-£44
Club Membership: Various depending on the local club
Skateboarding – I was surprised to see this on the list of recognised sports by UK Sport, but skateboarding does involve physical activity and a lot of unique skills. There are quite a few skateboarding parks dotted around the UK that you can practice using for free. Just remember to wear protective gear.
Average Start-Up Costs:
Membership to SkateboardGB: £17.50pa
Cost of Equipment: Skateboards £22.95 – £87.95 (from Skatehut)
Cost of Protective gear: £34-59 (from Skatehut)
Swimming – You should learn how to swim, even if you don’t take it up as a profession or hobby. It is a key skill that could save your life or the life of another. If you are a strong swimmer you could train to become a lifeguard and that opens the doors to an interesting part-time job. For example, you could become a counselor at a summer camp and serve as a lifeguard rather than slopping out meals in the canteen.
Average Start-Up Costs:
Swim England Membership: starts at £9.50pa
Lessons: various depending on local clubs
Triathlon – As if running is not hard enough, in a triathlon you are expected to swim and cycle too. You need a lot of endurance for this sport. But the good thing about competing in a Triathlon is that you can build skills in three different sports.
Average Start-Up Costs:
Membership to British Triathlon: £26.50
Weightlifting – You need to be careful if you are lifting weights as a sport. Many gyms don’t allow people under a certain age to use weights as you can easily hurt yourself if you use the weights the wrong way. It is a great sport to participate in as it can help you keep fit and build your strength, but make sure you find a quality instructor to coach you.
Average Start Up Costs:
Membership to British Weightlifting: £35
Cost of Local Leisure Centre: Various
Cost of Home Weight Kits: c. £30-£40
Team Sport
Artistic Swimming – Isn’t synchronised swimming so beautiful to watch? I admire the grace and symmetry of artistic swimmers. You need to be a very strong swimmer to participate in artistic swimming and you need strong communication skills to relate to your troupe. But if you like dancing and swimming then artistic swimming might be a good fit for you.
Start Up costs:
Price of local club: Various
Badmington – I used to enjoy badminton in my younger years, although my teacher kept trying to convince me it was a wholly vicious game. How vicious is it to knock a feathery shuttle cock over a net? Badmington hasn’t the same prestige as its brother sport, tennis, but for many, badminton seems the better game, because getting a shuttle cock in the face is a lot less painful than a tennis ball.
Membership to Badmington England: £4.50
Local Club Membership: Various
Equipment: c. £30 for rackets and Shuttlecocks
Basketball – You don’t have to be tall to play basketball, but it helps. That hoop is jolly high and some people are able to manage ‘slam dunks’. As a very small person, I will never have that power, but I can happily dribble the ball cross the court where it is so low barely any of the giant players can reach it. So if you are tall or small there is a position for you to play in Basketball.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership of Local Team: Various
Equipment (Ball, trainers, etc) £50-£100
Boccia – Boccia is a unique game aimed at people with high-level needs. It is like a fiercely competitive game of bowls. It requires high-level accuracy when throwing, which for some can be particularly challenging. This is a great game to enable disabled people to build their fitness level and engage in a unique sport.
Start Up Costs:
Membership to Boccia England : £5pa
Membership to local club: Various
Equipment: c. £204 (but a local club will supply equipment)
Boxing – I wonder if many parents will allow their only child to compete in boxing. I am sure I wouldn’t be comfortable if Sops chooses this sport, so don’t be surprised if your parents are not thrilled if you choose boxing as a sport. Granted, boxing is an ancient game that dates back to the ancient Greeks. Some have argued that it is a tactile game, that requires high levels of skill and concentration. I have my doubts. But I am biased. What do you think of boxing? Let us know in the comments below or on Discord.
Start-Up Costs:
Lessons: c.£20 per lesson
Equipment (incl gloves, helmet and bands): £40-60
Canoeing – Canoeing is super fun. I think every child should try it out. Canoeing tends to feature at most outdoor adventure centres. You can start out on a calm lake until you get used to using the paddle and then venture out on the open waters on a wild river ride. Just don’t go over a waterfall like all the movies portray. Only cartoon characters seem to survive falling off waterfalls.
Start-Up Costs:
Local Activity Centre: Various
Membership of British Canoeing: £35
Canoe: £200-£1500
Curling – I am not sure how popular curling is in the UK, but I know it is a popular sport in Canada and Northern European countries. Curling is similar to bowls in that you roll an item down a long strip to get close to another item, but this time the strip is made out of ice and the item is a stone. Curling features in the Winter Olympics.
Start-Up Costs:
Local Club: Various
Equipment: £700-£1500
Fencing – Fencing dates back to the early Egyptians, so it is an ancient sport as well as a method to kill people. Fencing is considered a romantic sport by many. It has been used to allow men to carry out their disputes with other men in a controlled fashion. Some would argue it is a gentleman’s sport. If you are interested in a career in acting it is worth learning how to fence so you can audition for juicy roles in a period drama.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership to British Fencing: £13pa
Fencing lessons: c. £65 per term
Equipment: Starter Set: £54
Football – Strangely, football is not a sport recognised by UK Sport, despite the fact it is a highly popular competitive game. But I felt I had to add it here, as it is a great team game and there are many football clubs dotted around the country that you can enjoy. Football is also played during the Olympics, so I think it is safe to say that football is a sport worth pursuing.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership to local clubs: Various
Goalball – Goalball is another sport that has been specifically designed for the disabled. Primarily designed for those with visual impairments, goalball allows the players to identify the whereabouts of the ball by a bell. The court is also marked by taped-down string to allow the players to figure out their location. They score goals by bowling the ball across the court.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership to Goalball Uk: FREE
Handball – Whilst using your hands is against the rules in football, in handball you are required only to use your hands. You can pass the ball and dribble the ball across the court, but you can only use your hands. The aim of the game is the same aim as football: get as many goals as possible. So, if you hate the fact you cannot use your hands in football, then handball might be the better option for you.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership to Local Clubs: Various
Cost: Goal – £22.99-£599.99, handball – £10.99-£14.99
Handball Equipment | Shop Handball Gear | Net World Sports
Hockey – Whether you play hockey on the ice or on a muddy field you have to agree it is a thrilling high-speed game. Using a stick you have to roll a ball across the field to get a goal and prevent the opposing team from snatching the ball or bashing you in the shins with their sticks. Make sure you wear highly protective gear when playing hockey.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership to Local Clubs: Various
Equipment: Sticks £16.95-£153, Balls: £35.95, Protective Gear: £51.80-£264.84)
Hockey Direct – Hockey Equipment | Hockey Gear | Hockey Shop
Judo – Judo is a unique martial art. The aim of Judo is to use your opponent’s tactics against them. Judo is similar to karate as it can use the same moves, but karate is known as a hard martial art because it involves striking. Judo is a soft martial art aimed at defense. It is wise to learn Judo first and see how comfortable you are with this martial art before moving on to karate.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership to British Judo: £31
Equipment: £25-£36
Child’s GI (britishjudo.org.uk)
Netball – Netball is an interesting game. I confess I feel negatively towards netball. All the girls had to learn it at school and there seemed to be a million rules on how to stand, move and pass, until one is standing in a weird contorted position trying to pass the ball. But, it was a popular game among the girls and I was not a sporty child in my youth, so whom am I to judge? If you like netball then tell us all about it in the comments below.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership to British Judo: £31
Equipment: £25-£36
Rowing – Now this was an activity I rather enjoyed as a student. I often rowed on the Thames near Richmond in my youth. I found it very therapeutic. As a pastime, rowing can be accomplished alone, but if you want to compete then you want to find yourself a rowing crew.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership to British Rowing: £32.50
Costs to Local Club: Various
Rugby – Rugby is another sport that did not feature in the UK Sport, but I felt compelled to mention it. Rugby is a very popular game around the world. It’s the ultimate contact sport. You get to huddle with other players and bash into them and run and kick the weird-shaped ball. So if you like running with the ball and bashing into people then Rugby is the game for you. Just make sure you wear plenty of protective gear.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership to Local Clubs: Various
Sailing – It seems strange to think sailing is a sport. To me, it seems like a leisure activity for the middle classes. But it has been recognised as a sport by UK Sport. Admittedly, when I watched sailing at the Olympics it looks like you need to have incredible strength and skills to steer a sailing boat, so I guess it is a sporty activity after all. Just don’t take it up if you suffer from motion sickness.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership of Local Club: Various
Table Tennis – I loved playing table tennis at school. Those pesky plastic balls are just so darn bouncy. I think I spent half the time picking them up from under the dusty spectator’s seats. But it was great fun bashing them over the table and it is a great way to develop your hand-to-eye coordination.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership to Table Tennis England: FREE
Equipment: c. £30
Taekwondo – If you think karate is a hard martial art then Taekwondo takes it to the next level. Taekwondo originated in Korea and features punching, kicking, and even high kicks. You have to be especially fit to practice Taekwondo. This is another sport that I would recommend world-be actors to learn, so they can play kick-ass superheroes.
Start-Up Costs:
Membership of Local Club: Various
Equipment: c. £101.96
Useful Websites
CyclesUK
National Governing Body | British Ice Skating | Sheffield
British Weightlifting
Artistic Swimming
Boccia
British Canoeing
British Curling
English Handball Association
British Rowing
Goalball UK
