School isn’t easy for all kids. In fact, many children experience stress, trouble focusing, or social difficulties related to school. Athlete Bronson Barna recently explained that participating in sports can have numerous benefits for children, including improving their performance in school.
“Researchers have been studying the relationship between academic performance and participation in sports for decades,” Bronson Barna said. “These studies have shown unwavering results that sports can improve a child’s academic performance, social life, self-confidence, and more.”
Barna explained that one of the simplest ways sports aids academics is through physical activity. Kids who play sports are generally more physically active than those who don’t. This physical activity produces certain brain chemicals that can help individuals sleep better, experience less pain, and experience reduced stress.
“The brain releases endorphins known as ‘feel good chemicals’ that can improve a student’s sense of well-being,” Barna finished. “This can help reduce their stress and decrease negative thoughts, so they can focus on the importance of learning.”
A child who is physically active and sleeping a sufficient amount is more likely to stay awake and focused during class.
“Sports can present a variety of highs and lows associated with wins and losses,” Bronson Barna said. “Kids who play sports learn to use every setback as a chance for improvement. They learn to identify where something went wrong and how to improve their chances for success in the future.”
These skills can easily be transferred into an academic setting. A child who has the critically thinking skills to take setbacks and turn them into achievements can do so on the playing field and in the classroom.
Bronson Barna added that kids who participate in sports develop a variety of social skills that can help them academically. They learn to listen to instructions from authority figures and work in team settings. This can improve the way they listen and learn in the classroom.
“Teamwork is something that is used far beyond the playing field,” Bronson Barna said. “Teamwork is required in school when working on group projects, in the workplace when achieving sales goals, and at home in a family setting.”
Bronson Barna explained that many of the lessons learned through sports can benefit children academically, then throughout the remainder of their lives.
