School Athletic Participation: Mostly Gain with Little Pain

Abstract

Participation in high school sports had positive effects on many Grade 12 and postsecondary outcomes (e.g., school grades, coursework selection, homework, educational and occupational aspirations, self-esteem, university applications, subsequent college enrollment, and eventual educational attainment) after controlling background variables and parallel outcomes from Grades 8 and 10 in a large, nationally representative, 6-year longitudinal study. In contrast to Zero-Sum and Threshold Models, these positive effects generalized across academic and nonacademic outcomes, across the entire range of athletic participation levels, and across different subgroups of students (e.g., SES, gender, ethnicity, ability levels, educational aspirations). Sport participation is hypothesized to increase identification/commitment to school and school values which mediate the participation effects, particularly for narrowly defined academic outcomes not directly related to sport participation. Consistent with this Identification/Commitment Model, extramural sport, and to a lesser extent team sport, had more positive effects than intramural and individual sports.

The relationship between psychological compatibility and academic achievement in swimming

“…Swimming is a special sport based on water, as it is particular playing environment, compared with other land-based sports; it presents higher requirements to achieve high quality outcomes, many studies have tested the effects of physical activity on a host of educational outcomes. Participation in interscholastic sports, intramural sports, or athletics was associated not only with reduced dropout rates (e.g., Mahoney, & Cairns, 1997) and higher grades (e.g., Marsh, & Kleitman, 2003), but also with higher social and academic self-concepts (e.g., Marsh, 1993). Studies have also established a positive relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement.…”

Using High School Football to Promote Life Skills and Student Engagement: Perspectives from Canadian Coaches and Students

“…Researchers have demonstrated how participation in high school sport can lead to positive outcomes such as improved quality of life and contributions to society. For instance, high school sport participation has been associated with better grades, stronger perceptions of school belonging, higher educational aspirations, higher educational attainment, and higher professional aspirations (Fox, Barr-Anderson, Neumark-Sztainer, & Wall, 2010;Eccles, Barber, Stone, & Hunt, 2003;Marsh & Kleitman, 2003). Furthermore, students participating in high school sport have been shown to have lower levels of depression and emotional distress as well as higher levels of self-esteem and a healthier self-image than non-athletes (Fredricks & Eccles, 2006;Harrison & Narayan, 2003).…”

Time Spent in Sports and Adolescent Problem Behaviors: A Longitudinal Analysis of Directions of Association

“…An additional individual factor considered to influence selection into sport is the participant's previous behaviors (Endressen, & Olweus, 2005;Marsh, & Kleitman, 2003;McHale, et al, 2005). In a cross-sectional study of "power sports" (combative sports, wrestling, and weight lifting), Endressen and Olweus (2005) suggest that increased violent behavior and antisocial behavior by the athletes in these sports may reflect personality traits that predispose them towards participation.…”