Sport and academic attainment are conflicting elements as allocation of time is paramount in academic attainment. In addition, a student that allocates their time to sport is bound to achieve in sport and have a negative academic attainment in contrast to a student which places their focus on academic attainment. In this essay an attempt will be made to discuss if participation in sport has a positive or negative correlation with academic attainment. Firstly, the impact of a student using their time to focus on leisure time without paying attention to their academic tasks on their academic attainment. Following this, the impact of a sport orientated student on their academic attainment will be discussed. Following this, the impact of a balance between sport and academic attainment by a student will be discussed. After this explanation, a correlation between sport and academic attainment will be discussed. Finally, the conclusion will be used to summarize the correlation between sport and academic attainment.
Leisure time may be used as a tool to distract a student from academic stress and increase coping skills, however, negative use of leisure time by a student can be used to degrade academic performance and in turn educational attainment will suffer. In this way, a student can use their leisure time for “physical inactivity, social isolation, stress, academic and community disengagement, and illicit substance abuse” (Payne, 2010). In certain instances, a negative use of student leisure time is excessive alcohol consumption (Yarnal, 2013). Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with negative outcomes, including memory blackouts and academic difficulties, state (Jackson, 2005); (Schulenberg, 2002). Furthermore, leisure time has extremely negative aspects in terms of alcohol and substance abuse which will lead to a lack of academic attainment as a student’s allocated time will be used for negative activities instead of academic tasks.
Sport is a leisure activity that stimulates communication, health and confidence in students but can be detrimental to academic attainment without good time management. As stated by (Grimit, 2014), “Many people argue that the academic performance of athletes is troubling considering that after sports they only have their education to fall back on and make a life out of that knowledge.” As a study by (Coleman, 1961) states, “extracurricular activities were detrimental to an individual’s success in school. Time and energy allotted to these activities diverted time away from academic pursuits”. This explains why time management is important for students, as, a singular focus on sport leaves no time for a student to focus on academic achievement. As (Grimit, 2014) declares, “The hours of practice and preparation for game day undoubtedly take athletes away from their studies”. This explains why a balance is import for any student involved in sport as a sole focus on sport is bound to lead to no academic attainment which will leave the student stranded if their hopes of becoming a professional in their respective sporting field doesn’t work out.
A balance between sport and academic tasks can be used to benefit a student in terms of focus, motivation and eliminates the space for unnecessary leisure time activities. Per (Troutman, 2007), “Numerous studies centered on high school athletics have demonstrated that participants in interscholastic sport enjoy various positive benefits from their involvement”. In addition, states that, “In terms of health, student athletes report fewer mental problems, eating and dietary problems, and general health problems than non-athletes do”. (Steiner, 2000). “Involvement in interscholastic sport is also related to academic achievement. Participants have higher grades, spend more time on homework, have higher educational aspirations, and are more likely to attend college than are their counterparts” states (Barnes, 1999), (Broh, 2002), (Eccles, 1999), (Fejgin, 1994), (Hanks, 1979) and (Marsh, 2003). If some bad leisure activities such as watching television, playing computer games, smoking and drinking are reduced by participation in athletic activities, sport can have an indirect positive effect on educational productivity, explains (Pfeifer, 2010). This explains why most students that can balance sport and academic tasks are more focused and motivated which in turn leaves sport as a positive leisure activity.
Sport can be used for more than just confidence and communication but rather a life tool that benefits students in the real world. Per (Pfeifer, 2010), “sport does not only
train functional skills like dexterity and balance but it also teaches soft skills like taking
orders, leadership, teamwork, performing in a regulated system, and socialization”. In addition, sport can aid in developing the character of students because it teaches
behavioral habits like motivation, discipline, tenacity, competitive spirit, responsibility,
perseverance, confidence, and self-esteem, which cannot always be taught in the classroom, as stated by (Pfeifer, 2010). Furthermore, these behavioral aspects should lead to an increase in the willingness to succeed in school, and encourage social interaction with other students, which are associated with higher efficiency of learning because time is used more productively, explains (Pfeifer, 2010). Moreover, students are going to surpass their academic attainment and benefit themselves all the way into the workplace as their participation in sport will aid them in communication, discipline and responsibility in the workplace which is what is required to excel in most work environments.
The correlation between sport and academic attainment is open to interpretation. Per a study by (Lipscomb, 2006), high school sports participation resulted in a two percent increase in standardized math and science test scores on a national survey sample and student-athletes were five percent more likely to aspire to college attendance than their non-athletic peers. As (Eccles J. S., 2003) states, Participation in athletic activities is said to promote a range of “social, physical, and intellectual skills,” which leads to better classroom performance. As stated by (Rees, 2010), “there is a fair amount of evidence to support this claim. As noted above, high school athletes on average perform better academically than non-athletes, an association that persists even after controlling for factors such as race, ethnicity, and family background variables”. This explains the extent of impact of sport on academic attainment which in turn yields a correlation between the two.
In conclusion, sport can be viewed in direct correlation with academic attainment in both a positive and negative light. Consequently, “Students who participate in high school sports tend, on average or in general, to perform better academically than their non-athletic peers”, states (Hartmann, 2008). This can be justified through various studies such as one by (Lipscomb, 2006) in which the correlation between sport and academic attainment is shown through increases in test scores by students that participate in sport when compared to their peers that don’t participate in sport activities. Furthermore, “Athletic involvement, in other words, is believed to directly produce academic success that can be measured and assessed accordingly”, states (Hartmann, 2008). Through all the details explained above it has become apparent that sport is in direct correlation with academic attainment.
References
Grimit, N. (2014). Effects of Student Athletics on Academic Performance. The Journal of Undergraduate Research, 12(1), 5.
Troutman, K. P. (2007). From High School Jocks to College Grads: Assessing the Long-Term Effects of High School Sport Participation on Females’ Educational Attainment. Youth & Society, 3
8(4), 443-462.
Coleman, J. S. (1961). The adolescent society. New York: Free Press.
Steiner, H. M. (2000). Adolescents and Sports: Risk or Benefit? Clinical Pediatrics, 39(3), 161-166.
Barnes, G. M. (1999). Sports, sexual behavior, contraceptive use, and pregnancy among female and male high school students: Testing cultural resource theory. Sociology of Sport, 16, 366-387.
Broh, B. A. (2002). Linking extracurricular programming to academic achievement: Who benefits and why? . Sociology of Education, 75, 69-91.
Eccles, J. S. (1999). Student council, volunteering, basketball, or marching band: What kind of extracurricular involvement matters? Journal of Adolescent Research, 14(1), 10-43.
Fejgin, N. (1994). Participation in high school competitive sports: A subversion of school mission or contribution to academic goals? Sociology of Sport Journal, 11, 211-230.
Hanks, M. (1979). Race, sexual status and athletics in the process of educational achievement. Social Science Quarterly, 60, 482-496.
Marsh, H. W. (2003). School athletic participation: Mostly gain with little pain. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 25, 205-228.
Yarnal, C. Q. (2013, May 8). Intervention for Positive Use of Leisure Time Among College Students. Retrieved April 17, 2017, from Journal of College and Character: http://doi.org/10.1515/jcc-2013-0022
Payne, L. A. (2010). Leisure and Health: Making the Connection. Venture Publishing; State College, PA: 2010. State College, Pennsylvania: Venture Publishing.
Jackson, K. S. (2005). Drinking among College Students. In K. S. Jackson, & M. Galanter (Ed.), Recent developments in alcoholism (Vol. 17, pp. 85-117). New York, NY: KluwerAcademic/Plenum Publishers.
Schulenberg, J. &. (2002). A developmental perspective on alcohol use and heavy drinking during adolescence and the transition to young adulthood. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 14, 54-70.
Pfeifer, C. &. (2010). The impact of participation in sports on educational attainment—New evidence from Germany. Economics of Education Review, 29(1), 94-103.
Lipscomb, S. (2006). Secondary school extracurricular involvement and academic achievement: A fixed effects approach. Economics of Education Review, 26(4), 463-472.
Hartmann, D. (2008). High school sports participation and educational attainment: Recognizing, assessing, and utilizing the relationship. LA84 Foundation.
Eccles, J. S. (2003). Extracurricular activities and adolescent development. Journal of Social Issues, 59(4), 865–889.
Rees, D. I. (2010). Sports participation and academic performance: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Economics of Education Review, 29, 751–759.
Bibliography
1. Grimit, N. (2014). Effects of Student Athletics on Academic Performance. The Journal of Undergraduate Research, 12(1), 5.
2. Troutman, K. P. (2007). From High School Jocks to College Grads: Assessing the Long-Term Effects of High School Sport Participation on Females’ Educational Attainment. Youth & Society, 38(4), 443-462.
3. Coleman, J. S. (1961). The adolescent society. New York: Free Press.
4. Steiner, H. M. (2000). Adolescents and Sports: Risk or Benefit? Clinical Pediatrics, 39(3), 161-166.
5. Barnes, G. M. (1999). Sports, sexual behavior, contraceptive use, and pregnancy among female and male high school students: Testing cultural resource theory. Sociology of Sport, 16, 366-387.
6. Broh, B. A. (2002). Linking extracurricular programming to academic achievement: Who benefits and why? . Sociology of Education, 75, 69-91.
7. Eccles, J. S. (1999). Student council, volunteering, basketball, or marching band: What kind of extracurricular involvement matters? Journal of Adolescent Research, 14(1), 10-43.
8. Fejgin, N. (1994). Participation in high school competitive sports: A subversion of school mission or contribution to academic goals? Sociology of Sport Journal, 11, 211-230.
9. Hanks, M. (1979). Race, sexual status and athletics in the process of educational achievement. Social Science Quarterly, 60, 482-496.
10. Marsh, H. W. (2003). School athletic participation: Mostly gain with little pain. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 25, 205-228.
11. Yarnal, C. Q. (2013, May 8). Intervention for Positive Use of Leisure Time Among College Students. Retrieved April 17, 2017, from Journal of College and Character: http://doi.org/10.1515/jcc-2013-0022
12. Payne, L. A. (2010). Leisure and Health: Making the Connection. Venture Publishing; State College, PA: 2010. State College, Pennsylvania: Venture Publishing.
13. Jackson, K. S. (2005). Drinking among College Students. In K. S. Jackson, & M. Galanter (Ed.), Recent developments in alcoholism (Vol. 17, pp. 85-117). New York, NY: KluwerAcademic/Plenum Publishers.
14. Schulenberg, J. &. (2002). A developmental perspective on alcohol use and heavy drinking during adolescence and the transition to young adulthood. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 14, 54-70.
15. Pfeifer, C. &. (2010). The impact of participation in sports on educational attainment—New evidence from Germany. Economics of Education Review, 29(1), 94-103.
16. Lipscomb, S. (2006). Secondary school extracurricular involvement and academic achievement: A fixed effects approach. Economics of Education Review, 26(4), 463-472.
17. Hartmann, D. (2008). High school sports participation and educational attainment: Recognizing, assessing, and utilizing the relationship. LA84 Foundation.
18. Eccles, J. S. (2003). Extracurricular activities and adolescent development. Journal of Social Issues, 59(4), 865–889.
19. Rees, D. I. (2010). Sports participation and academic performance: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Economics of Education Review, 29, 751–759.