Infographic: The Benefits of Youth Sports

Today is National Youth Sports Day, an event to highlight the need for physical activity, living healthy, access, youth development, and safety within youth and interscholastic sports. With around 20% of children between 6 years old and 12 years old being largely sedentary, it is important that we work to get our kids moving and reaping the health and social benefits of youth sports. So what are these benefits?

Physical Activity and Living Healthy

As mentioned before, around 20% of children are largely sedentary. This means that today’s tech-savvy kids are spending a great deal of time in front of screens rather than playing outside. In fact, their screen time was measured at just over 27 hours per week! An inactive lifestyle has undesirable effects on children that can get worse as they grow older. Joining sports activities can prevent these from happening. For example, 88% of kids reported experiencing an improvement in physical health and 73% say it enhanced their mental health as well. Additionally, participation in youth and interscholastic sports is associated with a decreased likelihood of cigarette smoking, heart disease, and diabetes.

Youth Development

Besides providing children with a long list of health benefits, participating in sports allows children to reap many social benefits as well. Besides learning discipline and how to get along with their peers, 56% of parents say sports give their children skills to help in future schooling and 55% saying sports give their children skills to help in their future career. Participation in youth sports is also associated with:

• Higher test scores

• Improved academic achievement

• Postsecondary education

• Earning a bachelor’s degree

• Higher income

To learn more about the benefits of youth sports, view the infographic below created by Ohio University.

[Graphic Courtesy: Ohio University]