The Positive Effects of School Sports

By: Esther Finger, Class II and Tiffany Yam, Class II

Photo Credit: Pixabay

 When thinking about school sports, the first thing that comes to mind may be interactions involving competition, teamwork, and physical strength. However, being a member of a school team has extensive benefits that surpass fitness or the adrenaline of a game. From building important friendships, increasing productivity, and teaching life lessons, sports are core parts of a student athlete's life, and can positively affect a student, socially, mentally, and academically.

Social and Mental Benefits

Teen mental health is crucial to the physical and social development of high schoolers, but recent data shows some concerning trends surrounding it. A national survey by the Health and Resources Service Administration states that between 2016 and 2023, “The prevalence of diagnosed anxiety increased 61 percent (from 10.0% to 16.1%) and depression increased 45 percent (from 5.8% to 8.4%).” But these are only the diagnosed cases, another survey from the National Institute of Mental Health estimated that around 29% of adolescents have undiagnosed mental health disorders.

While reflecting on the United Hospital Fund report, Ken Terry states, “The increase in persistent sadness and hopelessness among high schoolers is just alarming…the rate of this condition per 100,000 teens leaped from 28,459 to 42,347.” This dramatic rise, between 2011 and 2021, highlights the urgent need for effective strategies to combat the mental health crisis among teens– and team sports could be part of the solution. 

While the physical benefits of sports are well known, it is the impact on students' social interactions that is the most promising. School sports are an opportunity to expand a student's social circle. As Luca Simián, a Junior on the boys soccer team said, being involved with a team helped him make a lot of friends during his freshman year. He added, “I met people I probably wouldn't talk to otherwise.” Soren Rogers, another member of the Gaynor Campus soccer team echoed Simián’s words saying “Without soccer I would not really have gotten to know [my upperclassmen friends].” The uniqueness of bonds between teammates contributes to psychological well-being.

A study from the University of Illinois on the effects of team building reveals that engaging in collaborative problem-solving promotes trust and psychological safety, leading to deeper relationships. The security and support strong team bonds provide have significant positive effects on mental health. When asked, “Do you enjoy being a member of a Gaynor Campus team and why?” all TBLS athletes expressed their appreciation for the sense of community their team fostered, regardless of whether they enjoyed being on the team itself. Following a question on the effect of team bonds, Rogers said “school would have a completely different experience, and definitely be a lot less enjoyable.” Overall, the bonds formed within a team create a sense of belonging and emotional support, which are essential for maintaining good mental health. These connections not only help students navigate high school but also foster feelings of safety and acceptance that can positively shape their future.

Academic Benefits

There is a widely accepted belief that  student athletes  are unable to handle the pressure of playing their sport and completing academic work. However, as stated by the University of Bridgeport, participating in sports can lead to the development of healthy work habits. An article published by the university explains the science behind the boost in motivation after playing sports. Participating in sports after school leads to an increase in blood flow to the brain that improves communication between nerves. This results in boosted concentration levels and better problem solving skills. With increased concentration and stronger critical thinking, student-athletes are able to focus on academic assignments and complete them more easily.

Here at TBLS, students learn how to balance their academic life with other activities. Most student athletes that we interviewed stated that they felt an increase in productivity and motivation. Rogers stated in his interview that, “[he] was able to do a lot better on schoolwork because [he] was energetic and excited for the games [afterschool].” Jazzi Kaur, a member of the TBLS girls badminton team, states that, “[she] noticed that after practice, [she] was in a better mood to do homework.”  Many students stated that playing a sport fueled them with the motivation and encouragement that they needed to complete school work after a long day. 

In many cases, school sports even acted as a reason for students to go to school altogether. William Feng, a player on the boys basketball team, noted that, “the motivation of going to practice after [school] and playing something you love encourages you to go to school.” Amanda Dupler, a player on the girls basketball team, also observed that she felt like, “[she had] to go to school because [she had] practice.” Overall, playing school sports has definitely had a positive effect on the attendance rate of students at this school because it provides them with an opportunity to do an activity they love after school ends.

Participants of school sports experience an abundance of advantages. From physical to social to academic, student-athletes reap all the benefits. Being on a sports team creates lifelong friendships and memories, greatly improving the mental health of the average high schooler. Playing sports can also increase students’ motivation to complete school work and attend school, creating a positive impact that can be felt in all aspects of a student’s life.