Could High School Sports Save the Nation's Schools?

According to a recent survey from the National Federation of State High School Associations, 55.5% of all students have participated in some kind of high school sport. This happens to be the 22nd consecutive year in a row that participation numbers have increased.

While schools throughout the nation face threats of serious cutbacks due to the recent recession, most high schools have made a commitment to preserve sports programs and even encourage student participation.

Why High School Sports Teams Save the Day

If you're wondering what makes high school sports teams so important for students, it is precisely because coaches remain hard-nosed and place pressure on players to perform their best day in and day out.

As a result, many schools have observed that coaches have a higher standard of behavior for athletes than the average student. Teachers in a classroom are more likely to let individual student issues slide as they are responsible for the general population of a class.

Nonetheless, the debate still remains of whether or not high school sports teams should be cut to put more money into academics. Some schools in Michigan have gone so far as to charge students to play a sport since it is an optional extracurricular activity.

But before schools take the plunge to cut out high school sports entirely, it's important to recognize that sports teams are the lifeblood of a school. Organized school sports can teach important characteristics to young students, improve academic performance, and keep them motivated to reduce overall dropout rates.

If schools are looking for one main reason to keep high school sports in the budget, here it is: According to statistics published in Social Science Research, students that participate in high school sports or related activities are more likely to earn more just 10 years later. These statistics are compared to students with similar academic test scores.

Schools that are hoping to improve results and provide students with a bright future can rely on the foundation laid by high school sports teams to enhance both character and development. Without further ado, here are several specific benefits that students can receive from playing high school sports.

3 Benefits of High School Sports Teams That Can't Be Overlooked

1. Support a school's academic results. Although many people are likely to believe that an extracurricular activity like Austin indoor soccer could take away from academics, quite the opposite is true. Students who participate in high school sports are more likely to have higher GPAs, better attendance, less discipline issues, and lower dropout rates.

2. Provide another depth to education. As mentioned above, hands-on high school sports will provide students with another element of education to teach sportsmanship, respect, and teamwork. Many of these concepts may be difficult to reinforce in a classroom setting. Students will also learn critical characteristics on a sports team to build self-esteem and improve self-discipline.

3. Promote future success. It may have been said one hundred times before, but it bears repeating. When a student participates in high school sports, it can predict their level of success later on in life - in college, their career, and how they influence society.