Some students earn scholarships for academics, while others rely on their athletic success to earn them a spot in college. Even though these students are there for sports, they must try to excel (or at the very least do well) academically if they want to maintain their scholarship. This makes it important for students to perform well in both arenas. Some students may turn to help sites like thesishelpers, while others actually perform better because of their participation in sports.
How Sports Performance Improves Academics
Research has proven that there is a strong correlation between sports performance and academic performance. While someone may assume that the commitment to sports gets in the way of academic obligations, students who manage time well often end up at the top of academics. This is because physical activity helps to increase cognitive abilities.
Even though people often credit athletics as being all brawn and no brains, the opposite is true. Sports require students to organize and use their brain quickly to make plays. These activities also teach valuable skills like leadership and self-discipline.
The Evidence
There are countless studies that have evaluated the academic performance of student-athletes. All found that there was a correlation between success academically and on the field. In a study published by the New York Times, this relationship was explored. The schools that had more sports opportunities for students also had higher graduation rates and better test results. If you were to have someone write an essay for money, they would explore this correlation. The reality is that there is no reason that schools should not be offering athletics—they do not hinder academic success. This is especially true since the majority of schools hold their student-athletes to grade standards, requiring them to perform academically if they want to participate in the sport.
What About Physical Activity?
Other evidence shows that there is a correlation between any type of physical activity—not just sports. As a person gets more exercise, their cerebral performance increases. Some studies have suggested that the results are nearly immediate—even just five minutes of walking has the potential to boost cerebral activity and help you perform better on cognitive tasks.
Part of this might be related to the increased blood flow that is experienced after physical activity. The blood brings critical oxygen and nutrients to the brain, giving you a cerebral boost. This is why people might do jumping jacks or walk around when they are working on a lengthy task.
Is There Any Risk?
The biggest struggle that athletes face is time management. Sports, especially on the university level, require a big time commitment. If you have ever had to order an essay, then you likely understand what happens when you put too much on your plate. You must perform sub-standardly, because you cannot give the different commitments the time they need to be successful, or you have to find outside help.
Improving Time Management
Students that have their sights set on participating in a sport at the university level, as well as the parents of these students, must make an effort in learning time management skills. Some good practices for time management include:
- Knowing Your Practice Schedule- By knowing your practice schedule ahead of time, you can schedule academics and a social life around these things.
- Learning to Track Assignments- Writing down your assignments, practice schedule, and other obligations can help you stay on track.
- Remembering to Schedule Down Time- Even the best athletes need time to rest and recover. Be sure to give yourself time for a social life and relaxation in your schedule too.
- Give Yourself Leeway- Ideally, you should schedule yourself extra time for assignments or plan to have them done a day or two early. This gives you time to relax if you need to after a tough game.
Conclusion: Sports and Academics Complement Each Other at University
When students participate in sports, it teaches them critical skills that they might not learn from other places. It teaches things like leadership, organization, cognitive skills, and self-discipline. Students must also practice time management to succeed. However, when they do not, it is just as easy to get a writer to help them maintain their grade during playoff season.
Cover photo by Marvin Meyer