Sports and Academic Achievement
Students that participate in athletics have greater academic success than students who do not participate in athletics.
Central Michigan University
April 24, 2012
Abstract
Many studies have been done regarding the positive impact that athletics has on a student’s life. Studies have looked at the physical impact that athletics has on a student’s life like sportsmanship, healthy lifestyle, discipline, strategy, and time management. We will be looking at studies that have explored the impact that athletics has on students’ academic abilities. Academic success can be measured in many ways but we will explore grade point averages, math and English test scores, and graduation success rates to show the positive impact athletics has on a student’s academic abilities.
Introduction
Participating in athletics offers students the opportunity to learn valuable lessons they can use for the rest of their lives. Some lessons include teamwork, self-esteem, perseverance, discipline, time management, and healthy living. However, these lessons are not the only lessons a student learns. Students also learn lessons that carry over into the classroom and have a positive impact on academic achievement. These lessons include increased memory, diligence, time management, and memory capacity which can be supported by scientist that have researched the impact of physical activity on the brain. These studies have concluded that exercise causes “neurogenesis”, the process of growing cells in the brain therefore, increasing memory and learning capacities (Blaydes, 2011).
The National Federation of State High School Associations in their 2008, “The Case for High School Activities” article shows that the return on investment on athletic programs and other extracurricular activities is very high.
“At a cost of only one to three percent (or less in many cases) of an overall school’s budget, high school activity programs are one of the best bargins around. It is in
Central Michigan University
April 24, 2012
Abstract
Many studies have been done regarding the positive impact that athletics has on a student’s life. Studies have looked at the physical impact that athletics has on a student’s life like sportsmanship, healthy lifestyle, discipline, strategy, and time management. We will be looking at studies that have explored the impact that athletics has on students’ academic abilities. Academic success can be measured in many ways but we will explore grade point averages, math and English test scores, and graduation success rates to show the positive impact athletics has on a student’s academic abilities.
Introduction
Participating in athletics offers students the opportunity to learn valuable lessons they can use for the rest of their lives. Some lessons include teamwork, self-esteem, perseverance, discipline, time management, and healthy living. However, these lessons are not the only lessons a student learns. Students also learn lessons that carry over into the classroom and have a positive impact on academic achievement. These lessons include increased memory, diligence, time management, and memory capacity which can be supported by scientist that have researched the impact of physical activity on the brain. These studies have concluded that exercise causes “neurogenesis”, the process of growing cells in the brain therefore, increasing memory and learning capacities (Blaydes, 2011).
The National Federation of State High School Associations in their 2008, “The Case for High School Activities” article shows that the return on investment on athletic programs and other extracurricular activities is very high.
“At a cost of only one to three percent (or less in many cases) of an overall school’s budget, high school activity programs are one of the best bargins around. It is in
References: Gorman, D. A. (2010). The effect of athletic participation on academic achievement for high school seniors in Eastern Tennessee (Doctorial dissertation). Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA. Lumpkin, A. & Stokowski, S. (2011, Spring). Interscholastic sports: A character-building privilege. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47(3), 124-8. National Federation of State High School Associations Naughton, J. (1997). Athletes on top-ranked teams lack grades and test scores of other students. Chronicle of Higher Education, 43(46), 43-44. Schaben, L. A. & Stephens, L. J. (2000, February). The effect of interscholastic sports participation on academic achievements of middle level school students. NASSP Bulletin, 86(34), 34-41. doi: 10.1177/019263650208663005 Stegman, M Unknown. (2001, Fall). High school athletes outperform nonathletes again by wide margins in massive statewide academic study. North Carolina High School Athletic Association Bulletin, 54(1), 2. Zaugg, H. (1998). Academic comparison of athletes and non-athletes in a rural high school. NASSP Bulletin, 82, 63-72. doi: 10.1177/019263659808259910