Sports are a great way to keep your mind active, especially as you get older. Many sports require you to plan, think about tactics and work as a team. It also helps you focus on what’s happening around you, where the ball is going and how to react.
Social Benefits
Getting out and playing in a sport often leads to meeting new people. It’s a good way to meet people from different communities, backgrounds, religions and beliefs. This is often a great way to make friends and create lasting relationships that you may not have had otherwise.
Mental Health
Physical activities can help to lower the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline. They cause the release of endorphins that are known to help to reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Social Benefits
High school teams provide a safe space for kids to develop friendships that are built on a common interest, camaraderie and discipline. Coaches are mentors and role models for the team, teaching them how to be teammates who are supportive of each other and able to cheer on their fellow players when they win or lean on each other in times of loss.
Leadership Skills
Being part of a team involves a lot of communication, leadership, and respecting others’ strengths. This is why being part of a team is such an important life skill. Practicing a sport helps you learn how to appreciate the differences that each person brings to the game, how to support and encourage one another and how to work best together as a team.