“Over the last decade there has been an increased interest in the correlation between participation in athletics and success in the classroom for middle school, high school, and even college students.” (Amos, 2013).
As a former high school and collegiate student-athlete, I learned many life lessons from participating in sports that helped me better myself and prepare me for adulthood. I attribute qualities such as my work ethic, my ability to work well with others, and my confidence to overcome adversity, with my athletic experience. However, I often wonder:
- Would have been a better student if I did not play sports?
- Would I have had a higher grade point average (GPA) had I not participated in athletics?
- Would I have had more time to dedicate myself to my studies and thus perform better academically?
“Previous research has shown that athletic participation can enhance the academic achievement of student athletes at the high school level.” (Schley, 2002) As a matter of fact, the overwhelming consensus amongst most research yields to the fact that athletic participation does enhance academic achievement. However, the problem with all of this research is that there is not much data that delineates this phenomenon by specific demographics. It is very general in nature. Moreover, there is no statistical data or evidence that supports any correlation between athletic participation on academic achievement for private High School students, which is where my focus will be, though others may choose a different segment that is more applicable for their environment. A foundational model for specific segments can serve as a template for future studies, and ultimately, an example to support the outcome that athletic participation does indeed enhance academic performance.
Just as important as these results, is the prospect of having a resource that school leaders would be able to reference if there was a study that can provide the degree of the effect of athletic participation on academic achievement for specific target groups. “With current budget constraints threatening the existence of athletics, more research needs to be conducted so that educational decision makers can become informed about the role that athletics has in the educational experience for high school students.” (Schley, 2002) Further, this would serve as an invaluable resource for decision-makers as we focus on the holistic education of students. “Within the higher education system, scholars continue to address ways to best educate students as holistic human beings centered on the student experience in addition to the academic experience.“ (Weight, 2014)
Extra-curricular activities are essential to the overall learning experience, and they do positively impact academic performance, but to what degree (i.e. GPA’s, graduation rates, number of dropouts, ACT test scores, and state assessments)? And does it vary by certain groups (this can include, but is not limited to race, gender, age, public vs. private school students, and socio-economic classes)? These are the questions to investigate and provide hard data for answers.
Then there are still those “outside the classroom” benefits mentioned earlier, including qualities such as socialization skills, learning how to handle defeat, and understanding the value of physical excursion. It lends for questions for readers to consider:
What other intangible benefits are there to playing sports? How do you feel about the effect of athletic participation on the classroom? What is the perception by the faculty and parents?
“All these aspects can help educators and parents better plan the student’s activities so that there is a developmental complement at each stage, adapted to the characteristics of each pupil.” (Moriana, J. A, 2006)
The aim of garnering this data will improve our overall education system, which is a primary topic at the forefront of our society. The more ways we can provide proven methods to enhance a student’s learning is beneficial to all. The future of our society is dependent upon the mental, physical, and emotional growth of the youth. If we can continue to build upon what we know works, then it will only yield for more positive results for student gains. This is one reason why the current value that we place on physical activity/athletic participation needs to be heightened. It supports that the classroom effect of this participation must be continuously and thoroughly reviewed, analyzed, and provided to our educational community.
Amos, C. (2013). A Quantitative Analysis of Collegiate Athletic Involvement and Academic Achievement among Sport Management Students.
Moriana, J. A., Alos, F., Alcala, R., Pino, M. J., Herruzo, J., & Ruiz, R. (2006). Extra-curricular activities and academic performance in secondary students. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 4(1), 35-46.
Schley, V. (2002). The effects of athletic participation on academic achievement and social status.
Weight, E., Navarro, K., Huffman, L., & Smith-Ryan, A. (2014). Quantifying the psychological benefits of intercollegiate athletics participation. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 7, 390-409.
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