Physical, Social and Emotional Benefits of Participating in Sports for Students
More and more school age kids spend their time on computers playing video games, or in front of the television catching up with the latest installments of exclusive shows on Netflix. It’s no surprise that most of the population leads an inactive lifestyle. What is startling about leading an inactive lifestyle is the fact that numerous studies show that the majority of students who are overweight and physically unfit spend more time watching television or in front of a computer. Students who actively engage in sports instead of endless hours in front of an electronic box, on the other hand, enjoy a host of physical benefits such as maintaining a healthy weight. That’s not all they enjoy, however. There are a range of emotional and social benefits that come with spending a few hours at the school gym or even on the pitch playing a game of catch. Here are some of them. The good thing is, students don’t have to miss a day at the gym because of academic overload; customwritings you need to get top grades effortlessly, as well as a slew of other academic assistance services online.
Fitness
Fitness is obviously the largest of the physical benefits of engaging in sports. Studies have shown that fitness gained during school years goes a long way in preserving lifelong fitness. A study demonstrated that female students who were given the chance to participate in athletics in high school maintained a favorable weight and body mass ratio after high school. What’s even more interesting is the fact that students are much more willing to drop their sedentary activities such as watching television if they are given other options after school. These findings are demonstrative of the fact that students are more in fact drawn towards physical activities such as sports naturally. Engaging in sports and extracurricular activities comes naturally to students.
Another benefit of engaging in physical activity stems from the fact that numerous studies show that students participating in sports are less likely to engage in unhealthy or risky behavior compared to their counterparts engaged in sedentary activities. Taking parts in sports comes with the added physical benefit of avoiding risky behavior such as drug abuse or sexual activity that often leads to disastrous consequences.
Improved Academics
There difference in GPA between students involved in sports and those involved in sedentary activities is quite significant. Numerous studies show that students who take part in sports are likely on average to have a higher GPA compared to students who spend their time on sedentary activities. Improved academic performance is a great boost to the social and emotional life of students in every institution. High academic achievements generally make students feel more fulfilled which in turn plays a significant role in their emotional makeup.
There’s no better feelings of self-worth than those that come with achievement. Humans are wired to look for cues of self-worth in achievements that come with each undertaking. Students are no different. They feel a great sense of self-worth when they score excellent grades in their subjects. If academic achievements have a positive impact on the self-worth of a student, then sports have tremendous emotional benefits for students.
Another emotional benefit a student gets from participating in sports stems from the fact that engaging in sports leads to better self-esteem. Through the skill-building process common in almost all sports activities improves a student’s self-belief. With new found self-belief in themselves, students who engage in sports are bound to have increased self-esteem which meanders in other areas of their lives. Going from rarely making a basket to almost never missing a foul shot does wonders for the confidence of a young person. They get that boost in their confidence that in turn allows them to take on bigger challenges in their lives and overcome them.
Better Social Relationship
In regards to social benefits, sports help students all the way to the university level develop better relationships with their colleagues. In a team, better friendship ties are created which in turn help the participants learn the mental, emotional, and the physical realities of human interactions where each person gets a reward. The relationships forged in a high school team, for instance, tend to persist years after high school. The bond created as a result of sports are often instrumental in the development of a person where they get time to develop a common passion and understand the dynamics of being a team.
Through the same virtue of creating social bonds, sports also play a significant role in the development of leadership skills. Being part of a team can help a person learn valuable leadership skills that are instrumental later in life when a person gets charged with leading a group of people towards a common objective. Taking part in athletics where a team captain gets charged with mentoring younger members and holding them accountable goes a long way in solidifying the leadership skills of that person. These leadership skills then play an important role in the ability of the individual to take up the leadership role in the family or even as the head of a business.
Related Articles
