Being involved in extracurricular activities such as sports at a young age has proven to be directly linked to self-confidence and academic excellence. Early involvement in youth sports was the ticket to success for many of today’s star athletes as it not only helped to further connect them with their schools, but it also paved the way to college scholarships.
Unfortunately, the early youth sports programs through the public school systems that we have come to know and love are quickly disappearing due to budget cuts, and the impact will be felt hard. By eliminating youth sports in the public school system, students will miss the opportunity to learn important life lessons that simply can’t be taught in the classroom.
As youth sports programs are vanishing from the public school system, they are popping up more in the private school setting. Understanding that there is a direct correlation between involvement in youth sports and academic success, many private schools are offering a wide variety of youth sports programs to foster the development of well-rounded students. Many parents that are unsatisfied with the decline in youth sports through public schools are now opting to give their children a private school education so that they will have the opportunity to participate in sports at a young age.
Here are several reasons how children can benefit from participating in youth sports early on in their schooling:
Healthy Habits
In addition to helping to keep your child active and fight childhood obesity, those that begin participating in youth sports at an early age are much less likely to abuse alcohol and drugs down the road. This is because athletes have come to place value on what their bodies are capable of doing and want to maintain those abilities.
Behavioral Benefits
Youth involved in sports tend to be more focused in the classroom and possess an increased drive to succeed academically. It’s also been proven that children that participate in youth sports are less likely to skip class, drop out of school, or have a discipline problem.
Personal Development Benefits
If you get your child involved in youth sports at an early age, you will help him, or her, to build a positive self-image, confidence, self-respect, and dignity. Perhaps there is no better way to teach your child about the importance of teamwork and good sportsmanship than youth sports programs. Other critical personal development lessons learned on the field or court include leadership, self-discipline, and dealing with adversity.
As you can see, children that do not have the opportunity to participate in youth sports are at a disadvantage. At St. Barnabas Episcopal School, we strive to provide a private school education that will enrich your child in every aspect of his or her development. Over 90% of students at our school have participated in a sport at some point during their time here and we offer more youth athletic programs than any other school in Volusia County. Our athletic program plays an integral part in our mission and overall curriculum of providing our students with a well-rounded education.
To learn more about our private school athletic programs at St. Barnabas Episcopal School, please contact us to schedule a tour.
