Benefit of Sports
Sports build more than just muscles.
It fosters discipline, perseverance and self-respect.
Sports has always been associated with fostering self motivation, self-discipline, and strong work ethics.
Children who participated in after-school activities were more successful in life than those who did not.
Youth athletes who engage in sports not only experience the well documented cardiovascular health benefits of being active but also benefit from the social and character-building experience of being part of a team. Moreover, sports, whether competitive or recreational, allow for the development of fundamental life skills, such as leadership, time-management, sportsmanship and accountability, which are invaluable for youngsters as they develop their identities. Knowing this, we all need to be advocates for the young members of our society. We need to take active roles to ensure our youth have equal access and opportunities to be more active and to be healthy. This can be achieved by making sports more inclusive, integrating more green space into our communities, promoting investment into after-school programs, increasing planned physical activity time in students' schedules, and helping to organize and coach community teams.
The evidence is clear. Kids gain a lot from being active, which translates into a better quality of life for them and those around them. For this reason, let's all do our part to help all kids participate in sports by broadening access, opportunity and inclusiveness.**
Sense of Belonging
Team sports introduce participants to a built-in community of people with the same passion, loyalty, and goals. Young athletes have access to higher levels of social support from teammates and coaches, often forming an extended family where they can find and provide acknowledgement, encouragement, and accountability, key factors in building psychological well-being. ***
Self-Confidence
Being a part of a team and contributing to its success can bolster positive belief in oneself. In addition to building self-confidence, regular physical activity also leads to increased stamina and fitness, resulting in more energy. Being in on the action even boosts the production of endorphins, neurotransmitters that induce feelings of overall well-being. ***
Quick Thinking
The speed of the action during a game helps athletes cultivate the fast-thinking abilities needed to make smart moves under pressure. Choosing to throw or pass the ball, to stay or to run, teaches players to be decisive and take risks in a crunch. The ability to make consistent, difficult judgements helps individuals function in stressful scenarios in the game and elsewhere. ***
Leadership Training
Playing sports can help people become more effective leaders. Research reveals a strong association between sports play and the forging of leadership qualities. The link between sports and the cultivation of a competitive mindset, perseverance, and social skills is hard to ignore, as is the effect these skills have on the leaders' performance both on and off the field. ***
Building Communication Skills
The ability to communicate clearly and appropriately is essential to success in virtually any endeavor and arena. Sports provide contexts in which to learn how to listen, speak up, and observe non-verbal cues. Athletes must be able to collaborate on plays, agree, compromise, and follow instructions from coaches. These experiences can help build people into better players, family members, students, employees, and citizens. ***
References
* https://www.csus.edu/faculty/m/fred.molitor/docs/sports%20and%20academic%20performance.pdf
** https://www.mcgill.ca/familymed/article/benefits-youth-sports#:~:text=Moreover%2C%20sports%2C%20whether%20competitive%20or,as%20they%20develop%20their%20identities.
*** https://facty.com/lifestyle/wellness/how-playing-sports-benefits-mental-health-and-success/2/?da=true&daInit=12