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Benefits Of Sports For Students

Author: Harsh Pandey
by Harsh Pandey
Posted: Jun 08, 2019
How Is Playing Sports Beneficial For Students?

All work and no play make Jack a dull boy …. Everyone talks about the importance of fitness and exercise for kids though it is hard to create a balance between work and play in the lives of children today. So, let's discuss the benefits of sports for students. Playing a sport is a great way for children to take a break from academics and release pent-up energy. A well-maintained balance between studies and an active lifestyle helps to shape up an individual in the long run. It also helps them lead fuller and happier lives as regular sports and fitness activities have proven to provide not only have physical benefits but also social and psychological benefits to children. Sports build important values such as teamwork, patience, confidence, etc. during the formative years of your child which end up being a part of their personality.

Below, we have compiled a comprehensive list of the benefits of sports for students and what your child will gain by playing sports or indulging in regular physical activity. By the end of this article, you will be enrolling your kid in a fitness program for sure!

Character Building Traits Self-Confidence And Self-Esteem

Playing sports not only boosts your child’s self-confidence but also increases their self-image and worth. Several studies suggest playing sports as it develops a child physically as well as mentally. A pat on the back, high-five from a teammate, appreciation from a crowd or handshake after a match really boosts a child’s confidence. Words of praise and encouragement from the coach, parents and other players raise the self-esteem of a child. Sports can end up giving your child a purpose as well help them to acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses. An important thing to remember is that a child’s self-worth should not be distinguished by victory or loss. Constructive criticism is key to children accepting and working on their weaknesses. It also helps when you ask ‘did you enjoy the game?’ rather than "did you win?". By focussing on the game rather than the outcome results in positive reinforcement.

Manage Emotions

We know how emotions run high in sports – whether watching a sport or playing it. Channeling negative emotions can be tough for children and a good coach will help them realize how negative emotional stress could hurt their performance. Aggressive competitiveness, jealousy, anger, are also some emotions that come to view during sports. It is very important to recognize these emotions in your child and help in eradicating them. Such wisdom ingrained earlier on in life will help them deal with other life challenges later on.

Discipline

Every sport requires some mental, physical and tactical discipline. Following rules, obeying the coach, practicing restraint, etc. are all forms of discipline children learn through sports. Following a disciplined routine and lifestyle when it comes to sports enables people to reach their full potential and realize their goals – a trait prevalent in all successful people.

Social Skills

Kids playing sports learn to interact not only with kids their age but also with the older and younger players on the team, the coach, sports authorities, etc. They are well equipped to handle new situations that may arise and are spontaneous as well. They also develop a sense of belonging and get an opportunity to make new friends. These communication and social skills help them in their future relationships and careers.

Patience

Practice makes man perfect and it takes patience and hard work to hone your skills. Practice plays a large role in improving performance in any sport or activity. ‘Practice makes you perfect’ but guess what practice and perfection need? Patience. Athletics teach kids how to keep practicing and be patient in order to see the results. It helps children to realize the hard truth that it takes time to get results and that nothing ever comes easy.

Perseverance

Perseveration and dedication in life are important factors for success. Just like patience and practice, sports also need perseverance and dedication. There are highs and lows during practice sessions and matches. Failure and hardships are a constant in sports. Kids learn to power through and persevere even during the bad times, thus becoming more resilient. Accepting defeat but not giving up constitutes an important skill in the life of your child. Thus at a young age, it gives them better coping and critical thinking skills to face bigger adversities in the future.

Accept Defeat

In sports, just like in life, one cannot win all the time. Playing a sport teaches children this truth early on in life. Therefore, children learn how to accept defeat and lose graciously. Getting aggressive and throwing tantrums are childish resorts that don’t provide overall results. They learn how not to get disheartened and to get back up and try again. It also teaches them about healthy competition.

Teamwork

"There’s no I in team". Children learn that the team cannot win unless they all work together and play to each other’s strengths. Understanding your teammate's strengths and working with them to create a winning dynamic goes a long way. They also learn how to become less selfish and not let ego get the best of them. Working together is an important trait in today’s life and learning how to do so early on helps kids become better team players in professional life.

Respect Authority

Playing a sport requires following a set of established rules, decisions and hierarchy. Through playing a game, children learn how to respect coaches, referees, peers, and other elders. Understanding the concept of rules and following them leads to harnessing maturity in your child.

Leadership Skills

Becoming captain or aspiring to become one, naturally teaches children how to become good leaders – how to talk to other teammates, manage team emotions, take one for the team, etc. They also put these skills to use outside the pitch or court making them good leaders that others want to follow.

Lifelong Habits

Sports help in inculcating in the child certain values that shape up their personality. Taking care of their bodies through proper food choices, regular exercise, stretching, maintaining discipline, etc are lifelong habits developed through sports. It also instills such fitness habits in them that they carry forward into adulthood, keeping any health problem at bay.

Physiological Benefits Reduced Risk Of Obesity

Fitness keeps health problems far and regular practice of sports helps to maintain an active lifestyle. The more active a person is, the more calories the person will burn. Fitness helps in preventing fat to be accumulated in the body and reducing the risk of obesity and obesity-related diseases.

Increased Cardiovascular Fitness

The heart is a muscle. Regular exercise increases performance and stamina The heart becomes stronger and more efficient when children play sports. A strong heart means a reduced risk of heart disease.

Healthy Growth

Sports develop a child’s physical as well as mental fitness. Physical stress caused by exercise helps muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones to become healthier and stronger. The bone density also increases, reducing the risk of osteoporosis – a condition which makes the bones porous and fragile.

Strengthens Lungs

The more you exercise, the more efficient your lungs become, thus increasing their capacity. Breathing fresh air and pushing your lungs to hone your body and its skills. Regular exercise also helps prevent the decline in oxygen intake that occurs naturally with age or inactivity.

Reduces Blood Sugar Levels

Eating right and avoiding junk food is a part and parcel of being an athlete. Exercise triggers muscles to use up the sugar in the bloodstream by turning the glucose into energy. This helps in keeping sugar levels down and reduces the risk of developing diabetes, ensuring to keep sugar related problems at bay at a young age.

Regulates Blood Pressure

Exercise is one of the best remedies to reduce stress levels. As stress goes down, the blood pressure also goes down, reducing the risk of heart disease. Regular sports activities also reduce the amount of harmful cholesterol and fats in the blood, contributing to regulating blood pressure.

Improves Coordination And Balance

Growing up while playing sports helps to develop your body faster as playing sports requires some hand-eye and foot-eye coordination. As children learn a new sport, their coordination and balance improve remarkably.

Improved Sleep

Sports leads to physical exertion which improves sleep quality and duration. It also reduces the risk of developing sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome. Fulfilling sleep is important to a growing child.

Generates Happiness

Physical stimulation releases beta-endorphins, a substance hundred times more potent than morphine. Practicing a sport you genuinely like increases your confidence and makes you feel good as well. It also increases the levels of serotonin in the central nervous system causing an increase in appetite, and the feeling of well-being. Serotonin also reduces mental depression.

Performance Enhancement Academic Performance

A healthy mixture of academics and athletics proves to attain balance in life. Sports have been known to improve the cognitive and memory functions of the brain helping kids perform better in tests and academics. Further, traits such as discipline and perseverance also play an important part in better academic performance.

Find Their Passion

Some kids who perform exceptionally well in a sport and enjoy it thoroughly decide to turn their talent into their passion and career. Encouraging children to pursue their athletic passions pave the way for a content life. Such passion gained early on helps them develop their focus and work towards achieving their dream

Good Life Choices

Pursuing a sport requires some discipline and dedication. It results in keeping you occupied and busy which also means lesser free time to spare. Due to this, kids are less likely to take into bad influences and habits. They can engage their free time in productive activities and also get exposure to positive role models who can help them broaden their horizons and make better life decisions.

Given above was the list of all physical, mental, and social benefits of sports for students.

So go ahead, let your child kick that ball!

The article is written by Mr. Dinesh Bakshi (Principal at JBCN International School, Oshiwara)

About the Author

The article is written by Mr. Dinesh Bakshi (Principal at Jbcn International School, Oshiwara)

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Author: Harsh Pandey

Harsh Pandey

Member since: Apr 10, 2019
Published articles: 2

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