The document is a senior paper arguing that sports are beneficial to high school students. It outlines several key benefits, including that sports promote a healthier lifestyle, build self-confidence, teach respect, develop responsibility, and can improve academic performance. Participating in high school athletics exposes students to an environment that provides important life skills and lessons that contribute to their development and success.

1. Danielle Sweet
Mrs. Tillery
A.P. Literature
17 November 2011
Senior Paper: Why Sports are Beneficial to a High School Student
There are pros and cons to any extracurricular activities that a high school student
may commit too, but the advantages to choosing sports are worth the time invested. In high
school sports, there are a wide variety of choices that allow students to find a sport that they
can enjoy. Not only does becoming an athlete cause great fun for the student, but also creates
an environment that will be very advantageous. The benefits that are included with high
school students who are involved in athletics include a healthier lifestyle, building of self-
confidence, development of respect for others, learning the importance of responsibility, and
increase in future academic opportunities.
One major aspect to why sports are beneficial to teenagers is that it can cause a
healthier lifestyle.Recommended by experts, teenagers are required 60 minutes or more of
moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. Exercise alone benefits every part of the
body, including the mind, aiding physical appearance, weight loss, lower risk of diseases,
and can help a person age well (Teens Health 1). Going the extra mile really does count
toward learning a better lifestyle habit into adulthood. Along with these health benefits,
young adults in sports are less likely exposed to the dangers of drinking, drugs, and obesity.
One main reason why teenagers use drugs and alcohol is because of the feeling of escaping
from a situation or simply boredom. To help prevent drug and alcohol use, giving these

2. young adults an active interest in athletics when they are young, and continuing that interest
through their teen years, are less likely to consider these illegal activities. Proven facts show
that teenagers that are busy are less likely to engage in drug-related behaviors. (Teen Drug)
This also encourages parents to build a bond and keep track of their teenagers by keeping
them occupied in extracurricular activities. “A strong bond between parents and their teen
may help prevent your teen from abusing drugs” (Mayo 1). Sports in adolescences encourage
parents to become more involved in their teenagers life, which can be promising in their
future by building a healthy relationship with each other. Teenagers who have activities to
keep them busy do not have time to think about drugs, or any other kind of harmful
activities. Also, the commitment teenagers make to a sport almost makes it
physicallyimpossible to experiment with such activities because their performance level
would be diminished. With these major health benefits only proves that sports in adolescence
insures the child of a promising future.
Another main factor of the pros athletics has on the adolescent is a boost of self-
confidence. Sports help "build confidence when you know you can practice, improve, and
achieve your goals” (Kids Health 1). Building of self-confidence is important for teenagers to
learn at an early age because it can help a student to make new friends, having a more
positive self-image, and most importantlyfeeling good and happy about themselves. All of
these factors are important in the developing process of adolescence. In addition to this, the
growing of self-confidence assures the teenager that he or she is more prepared for the world
when growing into adulthood. "I think athletics is probably the closest thing we have to
preparing kids for the world of work," Caroline County Assistant Superintendent Eric

3. Cunningham says, "it teaches kids how to play different roles and how to get along with a
diverse group of people"(Coghill 1). When a youth is proud of their accomplishments, being
encouraged from family and friends, and most importantly setting goals and achieving them,
they are in an environment that exudes self confidence. Creating self-assurance in any
teenager is greatly favorable due to the uplifting qualities that can develop in them.
"Good coaches teach respect for the opposition, love of competition, the value of
trying your best, and how to win and lose graciously" (Clark 1). This quote was spoken by
Brooks Clark as he shares to young athletes the importance of respect in any game. Respect
is another key factor and benefit of why student athletics are important in the growing
process of any high school student. There are infinite ways sports can teach respect. For
instance, teenagers learn to obey the authority of the coaches. In order for a team to function
as one, the requirements from an adult leader are a must. Failure to do so results in the
malfunction of a teams play along with consequences to the individual player alone. Also,
student athletes learn to respectothers by learning how to be humble in any victory and
gracious in any defeat. Although any athlete values winning highly, they quickly learn
through wins and losses that one of the most crucial aspects of the game is humility(How Do
Sports 1).By learning this, students learn to respect their peers which can lead to more
friendships along with the impression from parents that the student is very mature. In
addition, there is a development of inward respect for self that comes along with learning to
respect others. Respect is important for any student to learn if he or she wishes to be
successful in life and without learning this may result in a troubling future.

4. The teachings of responsibility are crucial in the development of a teenager growing
into an adult. Sports have a way to teach this life skill in many ways. For instance, time
management skills are important to learn and can be difficult to adapt to when a teen is first
growing into adulthood. As teenagers learns to balance their time between school work, free
play, and a sports team when first involved in athletics, their skills in time management
increase tremendously (Skyhawk 1).Along with time management skills, athletics also
teaches the important life lesson of leadership. In high school, it can be very difficult for a
student not to fall into the temptations of peer pressures. Learning leadership is very
beneficial to teaching students to be more of a leader, not a follower, which can come in
handy in questionable situations that can occur in high school such as cheating, drugs, and
other detrimental activities. These two qualities that are brought up through responsibility
show the positive side sports can have on any high school student.
Finally, another major reason why athletics are nothing but beneficial to teenagers is
the fact that sports help improve academics. To be a part of a high school team, teens must
follow the school guidelines in order to participate in extracurricular activities. “Participation
in sports encourages kids to stay in school. In order to play on the football, basketball or
baseball team, youngsters have to stay in school and keep their grades up” (Silverman 1).
This instantly encourages the student athlete to try and maintain a high GPA which is very
beneficial to the student athlete’s future. Also a plus, if the student wishes to take their sport
to the highest level, it can also help them enroll into a college with the help of an athletic
scholarship. This alone is extremely helpful for those who live in a low income family
environment that make it near impossible to send their teen to college. Although the process

5. of trying to obtain a scholarship is not easy, the NCAA does give thousands of scholarships
yearly and invest millions of dollars on the education of their student-athletes (Dial 1).With
the motivation of increasing the athlete’s skills in their sport in order to hopefully receive an
athletic scholarship betters their chances at a promising future. Good Grades, college
preparation, and scholarship opportunities are all positive enforcements sports can affect in
any student athletes life.
The fundamental elements of sports involvement in the high school setting set the
stage for a successful future. Students are enveloped into an environment where they are
given the tools to be better individuals. The setting is one that allows the student to learn and
develop key components of adulthood. Many psychological professionals believe that if
teenagers are taught these fundamental adult skills early in life, there is a higher rate of
success in early adulthood. The advantagesthat are received by highs school students who take
part in athletics include a healthier perspective, self-assurance in themselves, development of
respecting others, creatingan understanding of responsibility, and a promising academic future.

6. Work Cited
Clark, Brooks. "Famous Sports Motivational Quotes."Motivational Story.N.p.,
n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. <http://www.motivational-story.com/
sports-motivational-quotes.html>.
Coghill, Taft. "Sports Teach Lessons." Fredericksburg. N.p., 8 Mar. 2010. Web.
17 Nov. 2011. <http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2010/032010/03082010/
532697/index_html?page=2>.
Dial, Jenny. "College Scholarships Rare for Highschool Students."Chron. Houston
Chronicle, 1 Feb. 2010. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.
Kids Health."5 Reasons why girls should play sports."Editorial.Kids Health.
N.p., May 2009. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. <http://kidshealth.org/kid/
stay_healthy/fit/5_sports.html>.
Mayo Clinic Staff.Editorial.Teen Drug Abuse.N.p., 2 Aug. 2011. Web. 16 Nov.
2011. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/teen-drug-abuse/MY01099/
NSECTIONGROUP=2>.
The Nemours foundation."Teens Health."Editorial.Nemours.THe Nemours
foundation, 2011.Web. 16 Nov. 2011. <http://kidshealth.org/teen/
your_body/take_care/exercise_wise.html>.
Silverman, Steve. "Do Sports Help Kids Stay Out of Trouble." Editorial.
Livestrong.N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2011.

7. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/
226590-do-sports-help-kids-stay-out-of-trouble/>.
"How Do Sports Teach Kids Good Sportsmanship." Livestrong.N.p., 7 Sept.
2011. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/
538152-how-do-sports-teach-kids-good-sportsmanship/>.
Skyhawks. "Teaching ResponcibilityThrough Youth Sports Camps." Advertisement.
Skyhawks.N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. <http://www.skyhawks.com/
Home_Responsibility.aspx>.
"Teen Drug Abuse Prevention."Editorial.teen help. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 June
2011. <http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-drug-abuse/
teen-drug-abuse-prevention.html>.