Road trips, eating out and spending quality time with their friends and family are just a few of the benefits that kids may enjoy as part of a sports team.

With a travel team, many athletes make connections that last for life.

“The obvious physiological health benefits of (physical activity) via sport, learning to value mastery experiences, the joy of success, the value of her body and what it can do versus what it looks like (which is the dominant culture messages for girls), and the social benefits are tremendous,” sports psychologist Jeffrey J. Martin from Wayne University said in an email.

Martin outlines additional consequences, both positive and negative, that can come from team sports, and specifically from the intense nature of travel teams.

While for many parents, sports is a way to keep their children active and healthy, young girls — who are most susceptible to low self-esteem and judgment toward their bodies and looks — build self-confidence and in turn have higher self-esteem.

Martin's 11-year-old daughter participates with a travel soccer team — it's something he said is more for her enjoyment than his.

"As a parent I read all of the literature a few years ago and gave myself two rules: 1) Always make sure it is my daughter's decision and that she knows it is her decision. And 2) Try not to let her involvement in soccer cause her to sacrifice too many other important life activities," Martin said in an email.

However, not all children will stay interested in sport as they get older. According to Martin, there are many factors that can push an athlete to quit a sport. One of those reasons — the possible negative feedback they may receive after a loss or failing at a certain technique.

“Parents need to be cognizant of the above social reasons for participation,” Martin said. “Also, parents should always remember that the outcome (winning) is never totally in their child's control (the other team wants to win too) so never punish them for losing. ... My reading of the literature is that when children feel it is not their choice and they have to give up too much, they tend to eventually resent their involvement, lose their intrinsic motivation, and drop out.”

If managed correctly, Martin said, participation in team sports can teach kids fundamental life lessons, and create a positive bond between parent and child.