Throughout the globe, high schools offer various extracurriculars and activities to students and sports is the most popular activity out of all the others.
Every school has some sort of team, whether it is American football, basketball, soccer, tennis, etc. Even for those who don’t like sports and don’t join these activities, students still love to attend games and show their support for their school’s team by wearing school colors and following game themes like blackout and whiteout.
High school sports bring students together in a community and is a great way to raise school spirit throughout the school.
In New Jersey, nearly 50% of all high school students participate in some sort of sport. Those stats are some of the highest in the United States of America. In some states, like Maine and Iowa, that number is even higher, being up to 60% of students. This shows how truly popular sports are in various high schools across the country.
Even throughout the world, the number of students participating in school sports increases more and more as the years go on, even after the pandemic. During the previous school year, a total of over 8 million students participated in some sort of sport for their high school team, which is higher than any other year.
Even when people think of how popular school sports were back in time periods like the 1980s, today’s times surpass that by an astronomical amount. This goes to prove that high school sports are impactful, popular, and important to students all around the world.
Many people say there are plenty of benefits that come with participating in these sports, saying they teach valuable things to students as they are learning and growing along with giving kids exercise and giving them a good way to burn off energy. Not only does it keep them active, but it also develops skills of teamwork, critical thinking skills, perseverance, and more.
It also offers chances to get close to your teammates and make new friends in your school district. A lot of people who participate in these sports say that they would not be who they are without their team and their friends from these sports. Not only are there physical benefits, but it also improves mental health, as being active and putting effort into a sport you enjoy is bound to help with feelings of sadness or stress. It brings other students not in sports together to celebrate their school, and brings a sense of community and pride on their local teams, especially when they win.