Kids and Competitive Sports

I know there is controversy about putting kids in too many activities and pushing them into competitive sports, but speaking as a person who never played sports or competed in a physical activity, I have an argument to make.  If you start out life playing sports at a competitive level, I think exercise becomes a habit for life.  Yes, there is definitely a benefit to letting "kids be kids" and they will run and play.  I agree, but I also know that's what I did as a kid and I have never been an athlete.  Growing up, my friends and I swam, roller skated and rode bikes.  I took dance and ice-skating.  Period.  Nobody pushed me to the next level.    I really wish my parents had encouraged or even "pushed" me to do some sport!  The funny thing is, only one of the kids I grew up with ever did sports - she competed in gymnastics until she injured herself, but luckily she recovered and is an avid runner.  As for me, in high school I had to take weight training and I loved it!  From there I joined a gym, took exercise classes and have had to forge my fitness from there.   I know sports are expensive and time consuming (which is probably a big reason why my parents never pursued them for me), but I think it is worth it for the long term fitness-mindedness of our kids!