Tuesday, October 22, 2019
(Family Features)--Sports help shape kids' lives, but due to funding shortages, some school sports programs are at risk.Most experts agree that physical activity is an essential aspect of youth development that teaches teamwork, builds confidence and fuels academic potential. However, according to a survey of middle school educators engaged with DonorsChoose.org, 6 in 10 feel their middle school athletic programs are barely funded or underfunded. In fact, a lack of funding accounts for 47 percent of cuts to middle school sports programs, the survey revealed.
Consider these benefits of youth sports:
Teamwork. Sports teach kids the advantages of working together toward a common goal. The ability to collaborate with peers, including those outside a child's immediate circle of friends, is a skill that provides benefits through adulthood.
Character. Learning how to accept wins and losses gracefully isn't just good sportsmanship, it's a life lesson. A playing field puts these lessons to use so kids can practice empathy and other social interactions in a comfortable setting.
Fitness. Sports are a fun way to get kids moving, and this increased physical activity helps build healthy bodies and reduces the risk of diseases. From cultivating a healthy heart and lungs to helping prevent high blood pressure and, ultimately, heart disease, regular physical activity provides numerous health benefits.
Discipline. While free play has its place, kids also need structure and boundaries. Sports come with rules, and kids naturally learn through positive reinforcement (scoring points or winning a game) and consequences (getting a penalty or losing).
Academics. Studies reveal that physically active children score higher on tests and are more likely to go to college, according to research published by The Aspen Institute. Sports help reinforce learning concepts and habits like repetition and problem-solving. Those skills, along with the sense of accomplishment that comes with learning, are transferable to the classroom setting.
Source: Kellogg's
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