There are many reasons why participating in sports is beneficial for students. I know that the impact that my taking part in sports throughout high school has been great throughout my life. Without my athletics, I probably wouldn’t have the same motivation towards life that I have.

Playing a sport requires a lot of time and energy. While it may be hard to balance athletics and sports and some people may think this would distract student-athletes from schoolwork, the opposite is true. Sports require memorization, repetition and learning. These are skill sets that are directly relevant to class work or other things outside of school.

Fighting for a common goal with a group of players and coaches teaches a player how to build teamwork and effectively communicate to solve problems. This experience is helpful when encountering problems at work or at home. The problem-solving skills that are gained through sports can be applied to many other aspects of life.

Another obvious benefit to playing sports is the health benefits involved. Sports can help someone reach fitness goals and maintain a healthy weight as well as encouraging healthy decision-making. Participating in sports can also improve someone’s mood, boost energy and promotes better sleep. One of the best things that I have noticed from my time participating in sports is how much of a stress reliever it is. Exercising is a natural way to loosen up and let go of stress. Whenever I am stressed, I typically go for a run or do some sort of physical activity and I notice that it always tends to make me feel better.

Watching all of the hard work and dedication pay off and achieving goals develops self-confidence. Achieving a sport or fitness goal encourages the work ethic to set and achieve other goals whether it is in sports or outside of them. This is a rewarding and exciting learning process.

The end of a school year means the start of a new one after summer. Along with the start of a new school year comes the restart of the sports seasons. I strongly advise you to get involved in a sport if you are not already. The connections and joy that my high school sports have brought to me couldn’t be compared to anything else in my high school career.