Benefits of Playing Youth Sports
A Healthier Michigan
| 3 min read
As of 2020, more than 54% of school-aged children in the United States participated in youth sports. Youth sports are associated with higher levels of physical activity and improved physical and mental health. Here are five ways your child can benefit from participating in youth sports.
Youth sports provide routine exercise.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends youth get 60 minutes of active exercise daily. Youth sports provide regular opportunities to get this exercise. Not only do youth sports provide organized opportunities for routine physical activity and exercise in a way that can be enjoyable, they can help to instill a love of athletics and exercise. Similarly to how childhood obesity can increase the likelihood of obesity in adulthood, participation and enjoyment of a sport in youth makes it more likely the child will enjoy that sport or activity continuing into adulthood.
Youth sports participation is tied to academic achievement.
Sports participation has a positive correlation with cognitive abilities and academic achievements. Youth sports participation is correlated with higher grade point averages, psychological resilience, self-discipline and overall life skills. Athletes are also more likely to self-report that they enjoy school, are more likely to complete their homework and have access to more role models and mentors than students who do not play sports, according to the American College or Sports Medicine.
Youth sports can increase self-confidence and social skills.
There is a correlation between participation in youth sports and higher self-esteem. The most common self-reported sources of stress for students include anxiety and depression. Youth sports can lower the risk of anxiety and depression in students, and help students avoid becoming withdrawn from their peers, according to a 2022 study. Sports involvement improves self-confidence, while also increasing physical fitness and improving self-image issues or body image.
Youth sports instill team mentality and leadership skills.
Playing team youth sports allows students to become aware of or identify their strengths and weaknesses and the individual qualities they bring to the team. Leadership opportunities come in the form of filling roles such as team captain or manager, but also by providing encouragement, support and assistance to teammates. In fact, fulfilling these roles can instill more leadership strengths than being a captain or taking part in leadership learning courses, according to a 2022 study in Frontier of Psychology. Athletes learn that individual accomplishment is tied to overall team success and vice versa.
Youth sports provide time away from screens and social media.
Attending practices and sporting events for youth sports can cut into the time students spend on social media, watching television and movies or live-streaming media. Participation in youth sports requires students keep up with schoolwork, attend school and maintain acceptable grades. Students who are not involved in youth sports tend to watch much more television and spend more time on their devices than student athletes. There is one exception, in that some students who increase participation in youth sports may consume more sports-related media or watch more live sports.
Overall, youth sports are correlated with multiple positive outcomes for students’ current and future physical health, emotional health, social wellness, and academic success.
