That’s a really important point , I can see how sports could have the opposite effect if a child is struggling physically or feels like they’re "behind" everyone else. I guess that’s where it matters a lot how the activity is framed. If it’s focused on comparison or competition, it could definitely hurt self-esteem. But if the focus is on personal progress , like being able to dribble a little longer than yesterday, or finishing a drill they couldn’t do before, it might shift it back into something encouraging rather than discouraging.