There are so many valuable lessons that are learned through team sports such as fair play, cooperation, sportsmanship, and passion. Pairing these athletic experiences with a rigorous academic curriculum, students are able to work on self-discipline, respect, communication skills, and collaboration–all attributes that will greatly benefit them in their lives..

A hot topic for many parents right now is the decline in the number of athletic programs offered by schools throughout the country. Exposing your children to physical activity at an early age will greatly benefit their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being. Sports also provide children an opportunity to burn off excess energy so that they will be better focused in the classroom. And, of course, children that participate in athletics at a young age are more likely to have a passion for physical activity throughout life.

• Adolescents that participate in sports as school-aged children are much more likely to participate in physical activity as adults. In fact, 77 percent of adults aged 30+ that play sports also played youth sports.
• Students participating in sports at an elementary and middle-school age are much more likely to play sports in high school, and high school athletes are more likely to get college degrees.
• According to a survey of 400 women executives, 94 percent were involved in sports at an early age, and 61 percent of them said that it has benefited their career success.
• Adolescents participating in youth sports are less likely to experience depression, use drugs, or be sexually active.

Here are several ways that parents have found that participation in youth sports have benefited their children:

• Improves physical health
• Gives children a safe and healthy activity
• Teaches discipline and commitment
• Demonstrates how to get along with others
• Helps mental health
• Cultivates a social life
• Instills skills that will help with future schooling and career

There are many opportunities around Volusia County to involve your children in sports. For instance, DeBary Babe Ruth League is a rising youth baseball program that many families are involved in across Central Florida. With the decline of elementary sports, organizations like this are offering children the opportunity to explore their sports passion and develop their social skills on the field. You can visit their contact page for more information on how to get your child involved in upcoming youth baseball and softball programs.

Another great resource is to check out SportsVolusia.com, which offers a wide variety of sports programs to get your children involved in. If your child is expressing an interest in sports, this website is a great place to find out how your child can get involved.

We also invite you to contact us to learn more about the athletic programs we offer at our private school. If you schedule a tour at St. Barnabas Episcopal School, you’ll quickly see that athletic participation is highly encouraged in our learning environment.

Here is an overview of some of the athletic programs offered at St. Barnabas Episcopal School:

• Basketball
• Volleyball
• Soccer
• Baseball
• Flag Football
• Track and Field
• Cheer
• Tennis
• Golf

For the 2016-17 school year, we are also planning to add a softball team as well as elementary intramural sports.

There are so many sports programs being eliminated from schools due to funding. For this reason, parents that want athletics to be a part of their children’s education are now turning to a private school education. Please contact us at St. Barnabas Episcopal School to learn more about our athletic program offerings.

Our mission is to challenge each student in a supportive environment that promotes academic excellence, sound moral values, and high self-esteem within a framework of God’s love.