Cross-sectional evidence suggests that high school athletes experience better outcomes than non-athletes, including higher educational attainment, more employment, and higher wages.
Students self-select into athletics, however, so these may be selection effects rather than causal effects.
Sports appear to be good for children. Simple correlations indicate that children who participate in sports have better academic outcomes than those who do not.
Broadly, there are two groups of potential mediating mechanisms through which athletics may influence academic and career outcomes. The first relies on the actual playing of a sport. Athletics is a highly regulated system in which social conflict is displayed in a positive light. From this, players learn how to compete. Participants also learn how to operate successfully under a formal code of rules and procedures. Furthermore, players are taught to function as a team. The development of these skills could be especially important for girls who must try to maneuver their way through traditionally male occupations later in life.
Participation in school extracurricular activities is often viewed as a nonessential part of a child’s education. These activities are often among the first items to be targeted for budget cuts in times of financial constraints. However, student participation in extracurricular activities is associated with a host of positive outcomes including increased school performance and participation, increased in community pride and involvement, and increased self-esteem and perception of self-worth (McNeal, 1998).
Many studies have been done pertaining to the relationship between high school athletics and its impacts on the student. Studies have indicated that there is a positive correlation between participation and athletics in academic achievement. According to Stegman (2000), students frequently participating in athletics outperformed students who seldom participated in athletics. Many schools require a certain GPA to play, thus“forcing” students to perform in the classroom. Some schools......
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