Aside from the obvious physical benefits of sports, there are also many other social and mental benefits that come from a sport.
Due to the amount of time sports take up as an extracurricular, it forces you to manage your time wisely. It might have been easy to get away with slacking off with homework before, but with sports practice, at least two hours of studying are gone. As a result, a balance must be found between the hours dedicated to schoolwork and sports. Good study habits are formed and you become better at working under pressure. Having less study time sounds daunting, but ultimately, you will benefit.
In addition, studies have shown that exercise relieves stress. By moving around, more blood is pumped through your body, increasing oxygen levels and brain function. Physical activity also produces endorphins — natural hormones that act as painkillers, make you happier, and improve your sleep.
Sports develops teamwork. With a team sport especially, teamwork is necessary in every aspect of the sport. When a team works together well, each player holds responsibility to support their team and can also trust their team to support them. Teamwork translates into real life situations too. Everyone likes a team player, and someone who cannot work with others will be passed up in job interviews and large projects.
While teamwork is a substantial part in sports, individual leadership skills are also demanded. A player must be assertive when they play. This involves being loud, taking risks, and staying strong under pressure. Leadership also includes being respectful. Good sportsmanship is always expected of a player. Through sports, you will gain self confidence as a player and as a person.
Sports also require you to be dedicated. You must put in hours of work in practice and out. To truly excel, a player makes the most out of the few hours in practice. They are focused, serious, and determined to improve. Outside of practice, a player keeps their grades up, manages their time well, and conditions. This dedication is highly valued with employers and impressive to others as well.
Playing a sport requires hard work, but the benefits you can gain are indisputably valuable. It is never too late to start a sport and better yourself.
