Most students find the dreadfulness of high school easier to endure when they have a team they know they can count on. The anxiety of the first day of school, the dread of finding someone to sit with at lunch, and the fear of failing a class are all things average students face when surviving their middle and high school years. However, students do not have to endure these circumstances under such a negative light. When students are participating and getting involved in group activities outside of school, they allow themselves to use their confidence to embrace their middle and high school years in a positive way. By looking at the mental, social, and academic benefits that follow participating in team sports, we can see that they are essential for a student’s development which shows how every student that is able should join a team sport.   

Team sports provide an excellent way of getting consistent exercise while forming the social skills crucial to not only survive but thrive throughout middle and high school. Team sports are essential for the growth and development amongst teenagers and helps them figure out where they fit in during the uncertain times of middle and high school. When a child actively participates in group activities they are more inclined to consistent exercise, therefore, enhancing their emotional well-being. In a recent study, “Most people report that they feel calm and have a sense of well-being after they exercise” (Bilich 12). Also, while feelings of relaxation occur teenagers will also find that exercising improves their energy levels. Many teenagers suffer from not getting enough sleep and feeling drowsy during class. However, with exercise reports shows, “Regular exercise often makes people feel more energetic, allows them to be more active, and reduces the likelihood that they will tire during the day” (Bilich 11). While exercise promotes health, it also creates a sense of positive energy that allows students to easily connect with each other. Fitting in becomes easier when one is surrounded with like-minded individuals which, “allows athletes to grow within a supportive environment” (Maslen 7). While students are more supporting of each other they are also learning to be more accepting of those not so similar to them. “Sports and physical education promotes respect for moral values” and creates an encouraging atmosphere making one’s high school experience more pleasurable (Ioan-Sabin 15). Exercising creates positivity on the inside while also spreading that on the outside making everyone better off. 

The mental benefits that come from staying active such as, good mentality, positivity, and confidence show how students remain better off when deciding to participate in a sport. Staying active creates a healthier lifestyle which positively affects a student’s mindset throughout their high school career. Developing teenagers will more likely feel better about themselves when they consistently exercise or partake in an activity. This does not necessarily advocate students to go out and train for the Olympics, however, studies show that activities through team sports “commits children to regular exercise, which helps boost immunity and contributes to overall physical health” (VanTassel 4). Students who decide to get out and consistently stay active have more of an ability to be happy because they’re more inclined to a healthy and positive lifestyle. Confidence contributes greatly to one’s happiness, therefore, building a student’s confidence is essential to their development and success throughout school as well as the rest of their lives.  Participation in sports allow students to build their confidence by having more of an opportunity to “show their skills, gain greater self-awareness, and enjoy an activity that they love the most” (VanTassel 3). Sports allow teenagers to feel content about themselves which contributes towards positively changing how they handle situations and ultimately effects their success throughout life. Embracing the emotional impact from sports not only affect students on the inside, but it also often leads them to better attitudes and effects how they portray themselves on the outside. Studies show that participating in a team sport creates more of a positive environment because “playing team sports builds character as it teaches people how to function at best in a group setting,” (UB Fitness 6). Students also prove to manage stress and anxiety more effectively when they are actively involved with sports. Team Sports prepare teenagers to deal with stressful situations by giving them the skills for “making smart quick decisions” as well as “proper management of time” (UB Fitness 8). Sports prepare teenagers to handle the dilemmas and problematic situations they face at school with more of a positive light, and creates more of an enjoyable environment for their friends and classmates.  

Social skills derived from sports enables students to build effective bonds among their peers and teammates while also guiding them to find important mentors of whom will help create a successful middle and high school career.  Another important factor that comes with how students feel about themselves on the inside is how they portray themselves to their peers. Many students throughout high school suffer from social anxiety or shyness leaving them with the feeling of loneliness and dealing with insecurities.  When joining a team, teenagers find the ability to “collaborate with others to reach a common goal” (Maslen 12). When being surrounded by like-minded individuals, students feel more included and supported. Support often builds self-esteem which, in turn, leaves students feeling more comfortable with social interaction. Students also feel more comfortable with diversity through team sports. “Countless people, across all races, ages, genders, and socioeconomics statuses, participate in sports,” therefore, students will get exposure to all different types of people improving their social skills and adaptability (Ultius Inc. 1). Students must understand how to deal with different types of people in order to achieve a successful career. The exposure of diversity through sports will altogether prepare developing teenagers to adapt in many situations. Students will not only find improvement with their relationship among their friends but also with authority figures such as parents, teachers, and coaches. Sports allows students to find relationships with coaches who often become important mentors for many to come. Studies show that “players who have positive sports mentors when they are young are also more likely to seek effective role models throughout their life” (Maslen 6). Having a close relationship with adults teaches young athletes the value of respect and humility. Research shows that “suicide often goes hand in hand with social marginalization,” while the engagement in team sports teaches one how to act as a “better person of a community following ethics of good character” (UB Fitness 4). Respect allows students to build relationships with adults which leads to finding effective mentors that will guide them through the tougher situations in life. 

Through physical activity as well as the accountability and standards brought on by teammates and coaches, students show to perform better academically while they participate in a team sport.  Student athletes tend to rise higher academically because of their increased expectations and standards set by the sport in which they participate. While actively engaging in an extracurricular activity, students will most likely have a set guidelines which forces them to keep their grades up above a certain level, as well as creating better attendance among high schoolers. Because student athletes often have more of an incentive to do better in school, it often leads these students to acquire a greater ability to do well in school than those who do not participate in sports. Studies have proven that student athletes are more successful students than non-student athletes, in fact “athletes were shown to have a better G.P.A outcome than non-athletes” (Maslen 2). Throughout school student athletes are held to higher standard and remain kept accountable by teammates and coaches. While it may seem overwhelming at the time, hard work pays off in the end because studies also show “more than 97% of student athletes graduated high school, 10% higher than those students who had never participated in sports” (Maslen 2). The pressure to do well might not only come from outside forces such as the team but from inside the mind of individual person as well. While on a team it becomes very likely that a student will obtain important leadership skills through “captainship positions and other distinct actions to advance the team’s success” (UB Fitness 13). Also, it is found that “as a student-athlete, you learn how to prioritize your time” (Foster 6). These skills allow students to take the initiative to do well within their studies. The standards students become held up to as a member of the team allows for them to achieve more as well as sets them up for greater success throughout middle and high school. Physical activity also contributes to giving students a greater chance at doing well in school. While outside forces influence a student’s academics, the impact from their consistent exercise will also allow them to perform better in school. A student that exercises more frequently releases a chemical called “endorphins” which can “impact mood and work performance, meaning athletes may be willing and capable of tackling the next big problem” (Maslen 3). The satisfaction of having exercised leads students to a relaxed state. This relaxation has shown to “promote increased concentration, better memory, enhanced creativity, more effective problem solving, and an improved mood-all benefits that will extend into the classroom” (Maslen 3). Students show to do better in school just by the benefits that exercise provides to their mental health. 

Although team sports increase the opportunity for risk, students will more-likely find themselves benefitted physically and mentally from the involvement in a group activity. While participating in team sports may seem easier said than done because of the required physical activity and time commitment, the positives that group activities bring from promoting physical and mental health as well as promoting a better lifestyle far outweigh the negatives. Some families find it concerning that participation in a team sports leads to an increased risk of injury. While this may be true, much research and time are devoted into finding reduction methods to decrease the amount of injuries endured by athletes such as, “implementation of a pre-participation physical evaluation” (Merkel 25). Also, families worry about the toll young athletes endure by the physical commitments of their sport. While not every student has a natural athletic ability, “participation in organized sports has been shown to break the cycle of an unhealthy lifestyle and inactivity by improving caloric expenditure, reducing mindless snacking, and increasing the time spent away from entertainment media” (Ultius Inc. 6). Physical activity is essential to the development of a growing teenager and team sports is on solution to ensure that a student’s activity rate is healthy and consistent. Parents not only are found to worry about the possible negative physical aspects of sports but also the mental aspects. Many parents worry about their students encountering the negativity that can occur when joining a team sport such as “negative peer interaction, social isolation, and lack of cooperation skills.” (Ultius 17). While in some extreme cases this negative impact can occur, the majority of sports teams have shown to help people “appreciate and understand the benefits of co-existing and encourage them to work with other as they try to aim for a set of similar objectives” (UB Fitness 5). Joining a new sport can be an adjustment at first for any first-timer, however, once a student is able to get themselves out there they will realize how easy it becomes to connect with their teammates who altogether are working towards a similar goal. 85% of students from a research project said their team sport is where they can find a lot of their best friends (Ioan-Sabin 11). Parents who keep their children from playing sports end up harming them more in the long-run. Studies show that 95% of students said yes when asked if they “like to work in a team, help their colleagues, communicate and socialize” (Ioan-Sabin 9). Very rarely can a student be harmed mentally when getting involved in a team activity because of the positivity getting spread through teammates and coaches. 

When students prioritize the involvement of sports, they find the teams that best fit them which helps create more of a positive environment among the classrooms and throughout the community. Today, opportunities to get involved continue to increase once people realize the benefits of staying active create better lifestyles. One way a person could find ways to get out and get involved would be to check out the teams through school by attending the sporting events. It has become found that “the more students attending events, the more popular athletics becomes at your school, which leads to more participation” (Fore 5). Young athletes tend to do better when they know they have support from the student body. School spirit expresses the value the school has on the athletics department, therefore, raises the value of non-athletes to attend the events and experience the importance of athletics. Another way for aspiring athletes to get involved is to check social media or the high school website to get more information on the teams that would best fit their interest. Effective ways to find the best-fitting teams would be to check “scores after every game” most likely posted in the newspaper or on the school’s website as well as “social media on a regular basis” (Fore 13). Schools want students to get involved, therefore, they will not make the process of getting involved difficult. Someone who wants to participate has to take the initiative to find what best fits them. Some schools may have a competitive sports team which may make it more selective and harder to get in. Community held team sports are also very liable sources that can provide just as genuine of an experience. Community created team sports may give one more of a social circle since it goes beyond just classmates from school. The benefits from getting involved with community includes, “chances for learning loyalty, commitment and discipline, and also delivers the right tools and atmosphere to better appreciate human relationships and an ideal for positive behavior in the public” (UB Fitness 3). Participation within the community also gives students a chance to grow closer with their families as well. When students play sports, “Moms, dads and siblings can practice plays, attend games and cheer each other on, providing a bonding opportunity for the whole family” (VanTassel 9). A student’s bond with the members of their family influences their happiness within their home and contributes to their focus on their studies outside of the home as well. Communities have great influence over the satisfaction of the residence within, for this reason community involvement creates more positivity and higher contentment among individuals. Finding ways to participate amongst a team has become easier than ever with the help of social media and the encouragement from peers. 

The evidence of improved mental health, increased social skills, and higher academic achievement, shows how team sports benefit many different aspects in a student’s life, and that the participation through group activities prove essential for the development of a growing teenager. 
