Youth Sports and Positive School Experience

High self-esteem and being socially accepted are two key factors that lead to positive feelings associated with school.

The benefits of youth sports participation include increased social competence, problem-solving skills, self-esteem, self-efficacy, locus of control, academic achievement, and school attendance, as well as reduced juvenile arrests, teen births, and school dropouts.

Athletic participation helps adolescents develop positive peer associations and higher self-esteem by providing them with an opportunity to interact with peers and build relationships, as well as by helping them develop a sense of accomplishment and self-worth.