Sports Benefits
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Bet you didn't know sports could do this...
Most people join a team out of the sheer enjoyment of playing the game.
Sure, most athletes are aware of the exercise benefits of sports, but team
play has many other advantages as well. In fact, many of these extras go
unnoticed because playing a sport is enjoyable and fun. Behind the obvious
"fun factor," lie hidden benefits that tend to go unnoticed.
You know you train for a reason. What keeps you hitting the ball field or
playground day after day? The answer lies in how sports activity makes you
feel. Not only does physical exercise help build the body up, reduce body fat
and keep you physically fit and looking good, endorphins, "feel good"
chemicals, are released into the body. These chemicals are produced by the
brain after a pro-longed duration of high intensity exercise. These natural
chemicals produce increased feelings of well being, protect against mental
illness and leave overall feelings of relaxation. Many times runners call what
they experience a "runner's high." Now we know why!
Athletes seem quicker, faster and more agile. There is good reason for these
observations. Participation in sports yields faster reaction times and builds up
motor skills. Young children quickly learn hand-eye coordination and
concentration, two very important abilities during childhood development.
Children especially learn how to deal with the "real world" through group
sports participation. Being a part of a group yields feelings of inclusion and
being a part of something bigger. Children also gain self-confidence,
discipline, critical thinking skills and sharper cognitive abilities.
According to the American Sport Education Program (1994), sports help
children to:
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Build an appreciation of personal health and fitness |
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Develop a positive self-image |
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Develop social skills with other children and adults |
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Learn how to manage success and disappointment and |
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Learn how to respect others |
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Children learn how attitude helps them accomplish goals successfully. Most
importantly, children learn the values of good sportsmanship that is
applicable on and off the field.
Children and adults alike can take a lot out of sports competition. The many
benefits of sports are far-reaching and relevant everyday. Whether you
enjoy solo activities or like to sweat it out with friends, sports yield dozens of
benefits to keep you and your family in tiptop mental and physical shape!
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American Sport Education Program. (1994). SportParent. Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
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