Interscholastic Athletics

Children who participate in sports are less likely to be overweight or obese, have higher self-esteem on average, and are generally more invested in their academics. Sports are oftentimes seen as a gateway to academic opportunity, particularly for kids with fewer resources. While this logic is inherently problematic, it is true that high schoolers who were involved with organized sport were more likely to be enrolled in college later on. Youth sports also give children a place to develop socially by teaching them about teamwork, leadership, and compromise. Team sports in particular can provide children with a sense of belonging to a group, and therefore increase their self-esteem and improve their social competence. There are dozens of reasons why youth sport is important and beneficial to a child’s development, and with millions of participants each year in the United States alone, it doesn’t look like youth sports will be going anywhere anytime

Sports can be viewed as a learning environment that helps individuals learn life lessons, foster strong work habits and develop core values all the while learning a sport skill. Youth sports that truly benefit young athletes should be structured to emphasize participation more than just competition. Children enjoy a sport more when they are able to have fun (Humpries). Despite many excesses some sport programs still manage to promote important virtues like self- confidence, teamwork, personal responsibility, coping skills, and persistence. Through sports kids can learn to stay organized and learn how to prioritize (Ferguson). Sports enables development of physical skills and increasing proficiency makes kids feel good about themselves. It teaches kids that failure is something to overcome and and not to fear (Meyerhoff 8-9). Youth sports has many aspects that are truly benefiting for children, but these benefits are slowly being clouded by the negatives that are prominent in today's youth sports.

Playing sports or even having the knowledge of them can result into happier and more social students. In the video Notebook: Kids and Sports, Katie Couric states, “Playing sports cannot only give kids more confidence, it can also give them more rewarding friendships” (Notebook). This implies that our school can be more successful if we have greater variety of sports kids can join. Although being happier and more social isn't the only benefit of being in sports.

To many educational institutions, it is controversial whether or not sports are beneficial to scholastic success. Offering athletic programs is said to supply students with an enhanced learning experience, as well as adding amusement to a rather dull school year. Therefore, sports should be provided in all schools to reduce stress, improve academic performance, and develop teamwork skills and equal opportunity in school.

How can sports help a student’s performance in school?  To be able to play sports in school, students need to maintain their grades, thus motivating learners to do well in school (Harris). In addition, a sport allows a person to come out of their comfort zone to meet new people and build up their self-image. Athletes also experience positive health benefits. Especially at a young age, playing sports can help to reduce diabetes, heart diseases, and other sickness that could be very harmful to students (Morris). Sports is something all students should participate in because of its positive effects. Therefore, schools should require students to join at least one sport. Participating in sports will help students build their academic success, develop character and improve their

activity for young people everywhere, and this is why it is important for sports programs across

Many people assume that athletics in education are a blessing and not a necessary evil. Athletics keep truancy issues low and school spirits high, but come at a cost of the disappointing the athlete and could quite possibly scar him or her for the rest of their lives. In discussions of school sports, one controversial issue has always been if sports are truly good for the student. On the one hand, those for athletics argue that basic social skills and discipline are taught and enforced. On the other hand, however, an athlete must sacrifice learning and study to participate in his or her sport. Other students who do not participate in any athletic event maintain a steady average and learn with limited interruptions. My own view is that

Sports are embedded in many American schools in a way they are not anywhere else. One element of our educational system consistently surprises them, “Sports are a huge deal in American schools,” says Earl Smith of the New York Times. The positives have always outweighed the negatives in the case against high school sports. As Sato Kai state, “The benefits of sports as part of the education process are abundant and sometimes beyond quantifications,” According to many academic specialists, sports offer formative and life long lessons such as: discipline, responsibility, self confidence, and accountability. These skills can furthermore excel your later life and give you a greater chance of being employed in a high level job. Participation in high school sports helps your later development as an adult and teaches you life long skills that can't be taught elsewhere.

There have been many tests that have been conducted on the issue of sports. One of them conducted by the university of Alberta says that sports have a positive effect on children's social lives. Their test produced the result that children that play sports are happier and have better and more rewarding friendships than kids that do not have sports experience. It also said you don't necessarily have to be good or even play sports to get this important life benefit. But, those who do play learn the values of teamwork and cooperation. But minimal competence can still make you easier to talk to and relate to. This happiness can also lead to better focus on academics and can allow students to focus less on social problems and more on their grades.

Most would assume that the only health benefit that results from participating in sports is the physical body portion. Physique is crucial in developing a pleasurable body, but tangible appearance will not be the only health issue affected by playing sports. Mental health will be the most important factor influenced by team-based activities. The athlete will have improved self-worth and value. This confidence will provide a sense of control and mastery which can improve performance. Student athletes will demonstrate a more positive well-being and willingness to work diligently for any task (Forrester and Webb). With this positivity, student athletes will more professionally and maturely handle stressful and disappointing situations on and off the field. Sports will provide the individual with opportunities to overcome adversity and accomplish challenges resulting in a heightened self-esteem (Forrester and Webb). The ability to more easily focus in the classroom will be evident in the student athlete, given their experience of extreme concentration playing sports. Each of these mental health benefits gained by participating in sports will assist the athlete to better perform in the

Sports programs have been an integral part of all schools. They support the academics of the school and therefore foster success in life. These programs are educational and help produce productive citizenship. They help students experience and build skills that may help them in their future, like interpersonal and time management skills. Education may kindle the light of knowledge, but sports help to maintain the proper physique. Sports are also an important means of entertainment and a use for energy after long hours of study. Sports increase a student’s performance not only in the classroom but also in their life.

Athletics can have a very major impact on a child’s life. Students who participate in youth athletics learn many life skills that can positively affect their lives. Athletics benefit children in physical, psychological, and social development. Studies show that youth who participate in organized sports during middle and high school do better academically and are offered greater job prospects than children who do not partake in sports activities (Marilyn Price-Mitchell, Ph. D 2). Organized sports also benefit children by getting them active, decreasing health risks for them in their future. Students involved in athletics can develop positive friendships that

In the United States today there is a heavy emphasis placed on sports and sporting activities. Every public school, middle and up, offers some sporting program, and most private schools do as well. The real issue at question is whether sports are affecting the education of students and young adults, who may have carried their sporting career into college. In general, people of all ages spend a lot of time both in person and on TV watching sports, not to mention those who are actively participating in the sporting event. With sports taking up most of a student 's free time, some pose the concern that sports are taking too much time, and the students are unable to focus on their education. One may even make the argument that the United States culture as a whole focuses more on the success in sporting activities than they do the quality and level of academics that student athletes uphold. However this is untrue, it "hardly ever comes up in domestic debates about America 's international mediocrity in education” (Bowen and Hitt). With that being said, it is safe to say that sports have considerably more benefits than they do drawbacks. Sports are an excellent way to help to teach students of all levels many different valuable skills that can translate over into their chosen work field, or just life in general. Although the United States ranks lower than others academically, sports help students of all ages with both leadership and teamwork skills, as well as being an exemplary

Athletics, for a majority of the student population, provides a very meaningful experience in education. People that participate in athletics will have better self-esteem, social confidence, and more academic achievement. Participating in an athletic program will help the student contribute to the school community, which will help them identify with school values. One factor that may be overlooked in the participation of sports is that it helps students have better physical health. Students who participate in sports learn to respect their health and they will try to stay healthier than students who have never participated in a sport. There are so many numerous reasons to get involved in athletics in the school

One of the many benefits students receive from participating in a sport is higher grades and test scores. Research studies have been done on thousands of students who participate or have participated in a sport and the results show academic progression. According to Marilyn Price-Mitchell, the author of an article called “The Psychology of Youth Sports”,she states: “... studies show that youth who participate in organized sports during middle and high school do better academically and are offered greater job prospects than children who do not partake in sports activities.” (Price-Mitchell). In this article she states many of the advantages for a child who has participated in a sport and shows that sports are in direct relation to academic achievement. But, sports benefit these students even after they have graduated high