Teacher and track and field coach Nate Heddleston Alliance Ohio recently discussed how youth sports can have a positive impact on grades and academic performance.
ALLIANCE, OHIO / APRIL 30, 2020 / Nate Heddleston Alliance, Ohio is an esteemed teacher and track and field coach. As an advocate for youth sports, he recently discussed how youth sports can have a positive impact on academic performance, grades, and the overall experience of schooling. Nate Heddleston quoted studies backed by major universities, psychologists, and more.
Nate Heddleston Alliance Ohio explained that the link between academic performance and sports is strong. First, he remarked on how numerous studies have shown that physically active kids are generally healthier and perform better when tested on intellectual or cerebral ability.
“Study after study after study shows that physical exercise is clearly linked to superior mental acuity,” Nate Heddleston said. “Kids who participate in sports tend to have a superior memory, learning abilities, and the ability to concentrate better in class.”
According to experts and coaches like Nate Heddleston Alliance Ohio, kids who take part in team sports also acquire a number of useful skills for the classroom and beyond. In addition to learning the importance of fitness, kids who participate in sports learn superior critical thinking skills, the benefits of teamwork, and how to accept guidance from coaches and other superiors.
Research published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise stated that kids who were active in various types of sports, from football to skateboarding, performed roughly 10 percent higher than non-participating students in science, math, social studies, English, and other core subjects.
“Kids are joining teams and playing sports to have fun,” Nate Heddleston remarked. “But they’re also learning teamwork, cooperation, leadership skills, time management skills, and more. These are valuable lessons that follow them into the classroom and throughout life.”
Nate Heddleston Alliance Ohio and other enthusiasts agree that kids who participate in sports generally enter the classroom and life with many of the skills they need to succeed. They’re able to get creative in finding ways to improve their skills, they learn when to (and when not to) take risks, they take responsibility for their performance, and often develop stronger skills for handling stress and pressure. These are all valuable learning and development assets they apply to homework, testing, and general in-class schoolwork.
“A minute percentage of high school athletes will become professional athletes,” Nate Heddleston Alliance Ohio said. “But a much higher percentage will be prepared to succeed in life, and that’s what we as teachers, coaches, parents, and mentors are striving to achieve.”
