Sports are Not Only for Fitness An ideal day for me is a day when I have nothing to do. I enjoy the freedom and liberty of no plans and the feeling of cancellation. It’s not that I don’t like spending time with people, it’s just that it exhausts me. When I was younger, I didn’t have many obligations. Sure I played soccer, but who didn’t? Sometimes, I would have band or play practice and if I didn’t feel like going, I just wouldn’t. I wasn’t a slacker, but I was no role model of attendance. My freshman year of high school I joined the marching band, just as my brother had. It was a daunting task, as I had never been apart of something so immense. In the beginning, I had a lot of fun. I was meeting new people, and I was starting to feel like …show more content…
Many kids come into high school quiet and shy with limited ability to talk to and meet new people. By engaging in team sports, kids get a chance to meet to people and form new relationships outside of the classroom. In the article “The Social and Academic Benefits of Team Sports,” Paige Maslen communicates, “Teamwork is all about collaborating with others to reach a common goal. The diverse pairing of personalities and scenarios will help your athlete become adaptable, persistent, and patient.” These skills allow more introverted students to come out of their shell and get a leg up in life. Teamwork is one of the most important qualities one can learn in life and learning it at a young age is even more beneficial. Responsibility is also an important attribute that all students need. In “Social Benefits of Children's Team Sports,” Ivy Morris publishes, “In a team sport, what one member does affects the whole team. As part of a team, a child learns responsibility by going to practice when she doesn’t feel like it.” Sometimes in life you have to do things that you really don’t feel like doing. When you are involved in a group sport, you learn that vital truth first hand. Finally, working with their peers helps students to learn important problem-solving skills. Morris explicates, “An effective problem solver learns to compromise when disagreements with teammates arise. He learns …show more content…
When you are in high school, you go through some emotionally confusing times and doing group, physical activity can help with that. Robin Runyan states in “Benefits of School-Based Sports,” “Participation in PA (exercise) for teens was associated with decreased anxiety.” With so many commitments to keep track of, many students suffer from stress and anxiety. When they physically work together with their peers, these anxiety level can decrease, making their lives much calmer. Many people also suffer from depression, and exercise can help with that, “School sport participation has also been shown to reduce the risk of suffering from depression for up to four years” (Lagos). These mental health issues are serious topics that must be acknowledged and addressed in schools. There are far too many kids who keep quiet about what they are struggling with, and when they build a strong sense of community with the friends around them, they are more likely to open up about what’s of their mind. Self-esteem and self-image is also a major issue is teens. Many see themselves as not good-enough and compare themselves to those around them. In fact, Ruyan discusses this topic, “Participation in PA (exercise) for teens was associated with decreased anxiety and depression and improved academic performance; improved parental relationships, increased self-esteem.” Working with other not only helps you see the