How Organized Sports Affect Academics

Most countries in the world have facilitated sports for extra-curricular activities in schools. Sports provide an opportunity for which students can develop their physical fitness, mental stability, leadership qualities and teamwork skills. Sports play an integral part in the development of children. It teaches them how to compete fairly and how to handle pressure. Balancing sports and academics properly also teaches children proper time-management skills and balance of their activities. Organized sports can, however, also have negative effects relating to students’ academic load. Purpose of the research The assignment is a mandatory component of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) Caribbean Studies course, in which a research project that addresses social issues must be carried out. This research is intended to explore the effects that organized sports have on students’ academic performance. The results from this research can prove useful in informing students that participating in organized sports can aid in their academic performance. Significance of the research Previous studies have shown that organized sports do indeed affect academic performance in schools. This study differs from others as it intends to outline the positive effects of participation in sports, and to show how they significantly outweigh the drawbacks of such activities. Research questions This research intends to find out: * What percentage of students do involve in sports as an extra-curricular activity? * What sports do students generally participate in? Definition of Technical Terms Cognitive Skills and Attitudes – Attention, concentration, memory, verbal ability. Academic Behaviors – Conduct, attendance, time on task, homework completion. Academic Achievement – Standardized test scores, grades. Literature Review This review will bring further clarity on what is being researched, and show the effectiveness of the sources in providing timely, relevant and reliable information. Some say the impact of the involvement of students in extra-curricular activities of a sporting nature on their academic performance is quite positive, others disagree. This issue has been debated by researchers, students and parents for many years. Extracurricular Activities and Academic Performance Numerous studies have been conducted concerning the relationship between extracurricular activities and academic performance. Total extracurricular activity participation (TEAP), or participation in extracurricular activities in general, is associated with an improved grade point average, higher educational aspirations, increased college attendance, and reduced absenteeism† (Broh, 2002). Many extracurricular activities have proven to be beneficial in building and strengthening academic achievement, even if the activities are not obviously related to academic subjects. Guest and Schneider (2003), in looking at the previous research on this subject said, â€Å"Researchers have found positive associations between extracurricular participation and academic achievement†. Although researchers agree that extracurricular activities do, in fact, influence academic performance, the specific effect that various activities produce is debated. One study, conducted by the National Educational Longitudinal Study, found that â€Å"participation in some activities improves achievement, while participation in others diminishes achievement† (Broh, 2002). Formal versus Informal Extracurricular Activities Some researchers have divided extracurricular activities into informal and formal activities. The formal activities include activities which are relatively structured, such as participating in athletics or learning to play a musical instrument. Informal activities, on the other hand, also known as leisure activities, include less structured activities, such as watching television. The Relationship between Athletics and Academic Performance Some research indicates that physical activity not only improves academic performance, but has an actual physical benefit for the mind. Shepard, a world renowned neurologist said, â€Å"Regular physical activity might influence cognitive development by increasing cerebral blood flow, altering arousal and associate neruohormonal balance, changing nutritional status, or promoting the growth of interneuronal connections†. * U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division of Adolescent and School Health www. cdc. gov/HealthyYouth Revised Version — July 2010 (Replaces April 2010 Early Release) Results: Nineteen studies (reported in 14 articles) focused specifically on the relationship between academic performance and activities organized through school that occur outside of the regular school day. These activities included participation in school sports (interscholastic sports and other team or individual sports) as well as other after-school physical activity programs. All 19 studies examining the relationships between participation in extracurricular physical activities and academic performance found one or more positive associations. The evidence suggests that superintendents, principals, and athletic directors can develop or continue school-based sports programs without concern that these activities have a detrimental impact on students’ academic performance. School administrators and teachers also can encourage after-school organizations, clubs, student groups, and parent groups to incorporate physical activities into their programs and events. Children and adolescents engage in different types of physical activity, depending on age and access to programs and equipment in their schools and communities. Elementary school-aged children typically engage in free play, running and chasing games, jumping rope, and age-appropriate activities that are aligned with the development of fundamental motor skills. The development of complex motor skills enables adolescents to engage in active recreation (e. g. , canoeing, skiing, rollerblading), resistance exercises with weights or weight machines, individual sports (e. g. , running, cycling), and team sports (e. g. , basketball, baseball). Most youth, however, do not engage in the recommended level of physical activity. For example, only 17. 1% of U. S. igh school students meet current recommendations for physical activity (CDC, unpublished data, 2009). In addition to school-day opportunities, youth also have opportunities to participate in physical activity through extracurricular physical activities (e. g. , school sports, organized sports, recreation, other teams), which may be available through schools, communities, and/or after-school programs. Seventy-six percent of 6- to 12-year-olds reported participating in some sports in 1997, and in 2007, 56% of high school students reported playing on one or more sports teams organized by their school or community in the previous 12 months.