We all know that various sports are extremely popular in schools and colleges today. Starting from elementary school, students are encouraged to join the sports team and, if they show excellent performance, there is a chance of getting a college scholarship.
Most of us are used to thinking that joining a sports team while being in college is a good thing that can only increase the student’s achievement. However, that’s not always the case. Although not many know this, sports can hurt your academic performance and life in general.
What are the advantages and downsides of being a young athlete? In this article, we are going to figure it out! Let’s change the approach and start with negatives.
:
Cons of Sports Participation Regarding Academic Performance
Constant Lack of Time
At the university, most students experience a continuous lack of time. They have to keep up with loads of homework, which is not always possible because of their busy schedules.
Now, add to this sports participation, and you will basically have no time left for rest. Luckily, handy tools like EssayPro Writing Service can rid students of some of their load. But still, the issue related to constant lack of time remains pretty pressing.
Demoralizing Attitude from Coaches
As a rule, coaches in school or college have the students’ interests at heart. In most cases, they try not to push it too hard and, instead, strive to inspire their teams for higher achievements. However, there are exceptions from the rule. Some coaches prefer to take a win-at-all-costs approach.
They may embarrass or humiliate young athletes, put too much pressure on them, and thus, mentally devastate young people. This causes a significant drop in students’ self-esteem, making them feel insecure and eventually, leads to emotional burnout and worse academic performance.
Sports Participation Does Not Necessarily Equal Scholarship
Of course, high-achieving athletes have a chance to get a full scholarship from a university. However, being in a team and performing well doesn’t necessarily give you a 100% guarantee of success. Some students forget about this and have an illusion that they are doomed to be offered a scholarship.
What happens in this case? They spend all their time training and committing to sports, meanwhile giving up on their studies. Evidently, this can lead to failure.
Too Much Pressure
The studying process itself is pretty stressful, not to mention how much time it requires to perform well. Engaging in sports, young people often experience an unhealthy dose of pressure, which may result in some really unpleasant consequences, including stress, anxiety, drop in performance, academic burnout, and others.
Now, let’s forget the drawbacks and concentrate on the positive side.
Pros of Sports Participation Regarding Academic Performance
Physical Activity
Probably the most apparent benefit is physical activity. There is no need to argue that staying physically active and fit is good for your health and overall wellbeing. However, there is much more to it than just retaining physical activity, so let’s look at some other pros that young athletes can enjoy!
Better Organization
Proper organization and time management are the two things that most young people lack, and it often holds them back from success. Combining studies with sports requires excellent self-regulation and a strong ability to organize your time wisely.
With this in mind, it is fair to say that student-athletes have much more advanced time management skills, which allows them to perform better.
Resilience
While obtaining an education, young people face a variety of challenges. Often, it takes the power of will to get up after a failure and keep moving towards your ultimate goal. Unfortunately, most teens find it hard to handle the problems. They crumble and give up, but that’s not the case with athletes.
Athletics character teaches to set goals and achieve them overcoming all the obstacles. Be sure that resilience and willpower obtained in sports are just those qualities that will help you reach new academic heights.
Teamwork
Most sports teach you to be a team player and collaborate with others. Collaboration is one of those skills that are the most vital for success in life. First of all, being a team player will ensure that you remain a high-achiever in college. But, most importantly, it will help you reach success in the future.
Efficiency
Athletes often develop better self-esteem, which transfers to other spheres of their lives. They know how to reach goals by putting the effort, which makes them much more productive than other students.
Final Words
So, does sport have a positive or negative impact on academic performance? It is hard to tell for sure because there are both some pros and downsides of being an athlete in college.
We believe that with the wise approach and enough effort, combining athletics and studying can do more good and help you reach incredible success in life!