The Surprising Benefits of Youth Sports Programs

We know that sports programs can do wonders to improve youth athlete’s physical and mental health, but would you be surprised to learn that the benefits extend even further? Participating in sports as a young person can also lead to academic and career success, economic impacts and increase the chances of lifelong physical activity! It’s also a unique opportunity for mentors to help boost the benefits of sports both on and off the field!

Research shows that participating in sports is associated with improved life skills such as time management and goal setting and improvements in educational and occupational skills like critical thinking. What’s more, high school athletes are significantly more likely to attend and graduate from a four-year college. Participating in youth sports can also decrease direct, indirect, and personal health care costs due to the health benefits from physical activity (collectively, up to $28 billion per year)! Finally, if you’re not yet in awe of the power of sports, you may be surprised to learn that adolescents who play sports are eight times more likely to be physically active later in life than those who do not play sports.

Coaches have a unique opportunity to influence their athlete’s future success through mentorship positively. The benefits of mentorship are endless and it doesn’t have to be rocket science! Remember Maya Angelou’s powerful words, “People will forget what you said…but they will never forget how you made them feel.” As coaches, if we prioritize coach education and compliance, we contribute to those invaluable feelings of safety, trust and support among our athletes. Sports safety organizations like InjureFree can ensure coaches stay updated on coach education and more through the easy-to-use, web-based platform! The more we know, the more we directly impact the well-being of our athletes.

Click here to learn more about the many benefits of youth sports participation.

References

1. https://www.injurefree.com/
2. https://www.shapeamerica.org/MemberPortal/standards/guidelines/pcsfn-science-board-resources-for-youth-sports.aspx