Are school sports worth the time and effort?

Balancing sports, school, sleep and social lives can be a challenge for many school-age kids. To be successful in balancing it all, the athlete, parents, coaches and teachers have to be on the same team. 

School Support for Athletes

“Sports are an extracurricular activity – the student’s No. 1 job, when they’re in school, is school,” shares Noelle Matson, a ProMedica Sports Medicine athletic trainer at Anthony Wayne High School. 

At most schools, GPA minimums for sports participation exist to help keep student-athletes on the right track. With many coaches being teachers, they’re well aware that class comes first. Many coaches keep close tabs on their athletes’ grades and take action before it gets to the point where the student can no longer participate in the sport. And many coaches don’t stop there. Matson shares that some coaches will even set aside practice time for the team to do study tables together. 

When possible, many coaches make it a priority to schedule practices at times that allow students to make the most of their days and maintain a social life outside of athletics. Scheduling practices right after school when possible frees up the evenings for students to complete homework or spend time with family and friends. 

It’s also important for coaches and parents to encourage students to fuel their bodies with proper nutrition and enough sleep. Rest days are just as important to an athlete’s performance as practice or game days. “Proper nutrition, adequate sleep and stress management all correlate with fewer injuries and an overall improvement of health and well-being,” Matson shares. 

Providing Parental Support

Being the parent of a dedicated athlete can be difficult to navigate. Matson shares that the most important thing that you do is to be their biggest cheerleader. Additionally, help them set small goals. If they have a week full of practices, a big game and three exams, help them break down their to-do list to put things in perspective. 

“Having an end goal is important but setting small goals along the way will help your child see all the things they are accomplishing,” Matson shares. “Help them focus on what needs to happen today, regardless of what’s on the schedule for tomorrow.”

Benefits of School Sports

While athletics do add another thing to the to-do list, Matson believes that the benefits gained make the extra time and effort worth it – stating that for some students, sports are the best part of their day. “Sports give students a sense of purpose and pride,” Matson shares. “Their team becomes their second family and they’re motivated to work hard to do well.”

School sports also help students get the daily exercise that their developing bodies need. “High school sports, with the proper training, are good for teen bodies,” Matson shares. “Proper training includes appropriate weight training, off days, recovery days, being accommodating to weather conditions, and appropriate practice times and intensity.” 

Students are also able to learn valuable life skills from athletics. “Teen athletes are learning leadership skills, empathy, how to work on a team, how to fail and how to take care of their body and mind,” Matson shares. “These are skills that extend beyond school athletics – these kids are learning how to be the best person that they can be.” 

Additionally, Matson recommends that if possible, students should participate in more than one sport during the calendar year. “Playing one sport year-round causes a higher rate of overuse injuries because they are using the same set of muscles,” Matson shares. “Limiting teens to only one sport can also cause increased stress and occurrences of burnout because students may become tired of the sport earlier than a multi-sport athlete might.”

So, yes, while sports may be another ball to juggle, the benefits might just make them worth it.