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Academic excellence plays a key role in career advancement and financial stability. Because of this, many people tend to focus only on academics and overlook the importance of sports. However, it is time to reevaluate this idea. Research shows that increasing physical activity and improving fitness can actually boost academic performance.
Studies show that Physical activity positively impacts cognitive development, such as improved memory, focus, problem-solving, creativity, and executive functioning. Exercise helps to stimulate the release of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine hormones, all of which can improve cognitive functioning.
Playing sports helps improve problem-solving skills in many ways. When athletes play, they often face challenges and must think quickly to make good decisions. They learn how to stay calm under pressure, come up with smart solutions, and adjust when things don’t go as planned. Sports also teach players how to work well with others on a team. They learn to communicate, share ideas, and solve problems together. Even when they lose, athletes learn from their mistakes and try to do better next time. These skills—thinking clearly, solving problems, and working with others—are not just useful in sports. They’re also helpful in school, at home, and in everyday life.
Exercise is great for the brain. When you move your body, your brain gets more oxygen-rich blood, which helps it work better. Exercise can also help your brain grow new connections, making it even stronger. Playing active games or doing sports can lower stress, anxiety, and other negative feelings that might block your creativity. Exercise also helps improve your memory by strengthening a part of the brain called the hippocampus. The better your memory, the more ideas you can remember and use to be creative.
Executive function is the ability to manage important thinking skills such as setting goals, solving problems, and staying focused. In sports, athletes use executive function to make quick decisions during games, stay calm under pressure, and work hard to improve their performance. Playing sports helps students build strong executive function skills, which makes them better at thinking clearly, staying organized, and reaching their goals. These same skills are useful in school, helping students plan their homework, concentrate in class, and solve problems in their subjects.
“Sport teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose – it teaches you about life,” – Billie Jean King.
Academics and sports should go hand in hand because both are important for a balanced life. On one hand, academics help us learn new things, improve our grades, and prepare for future careers. They teach us important skills like reading, writing, and problem-solving. On the other hand, sports keep our bodies healthy by making us strong and active. Playing sports also helps us relax, reduce stress, and build teamwork skills. When we combine both academics and sports, we can grow smarter and healthier at the same time, which helps us succeed in school and in life.
Our school – Shantiniketan International School has sports embedded in the curriculum as they recognize the significance of physical health and activity.
Sresht Bharadwaj (8A)
Shantiniketan International School, Bowrampet.
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