3 Benefits of Being a Student-Athlete in High School and Beyond

Participating in high school athletics is an invaluable part of the high school experience for many high school students. Solo and team sports boast far-ranging benefits that can follow young people into their future personal and professional endeavors. So, it’s no surprise that many rising and current high school students are itching to get involved in their school’s athletics programs.

At St. Agnes Academy, we believe a holistic approach to the high school experience can effectively equip students for future success across multiple facets of their lives. That’s why our Tiger Athletics department offers students the opportunity to participate in sports such as soccer, volleyball, and basketball within a safe and supportive environment.

Let’s take a look at the benefits of being a student-athlete in high school. We’ll also discuss what sets St. Agnes apart for student-athletes looking to build a well-rounded skill set during their high school years. 

Over the years, a significant body of research has been conducted to assess how participating in high school sports impacts young people and their families. Overwhelmingly, this research has shown that high school athletic programs support students’ physical, mental, and emotional health and can even have a substantial, positive community impact.

Here are some of the ways high school students benefit from participating in high school sports.

Balancing academics, extracurricular activities, and sports participation requires excellent time management skills. High school student-athletes subsequently must learn how to organize their schedules effectively to meet the combined demands of practices, games, school work, college applications, and more. These experiences teach students the value of discipline and help to instill a sense of personal responsibility that will continue to benefit them in college and beyond.

At St. Agnes, student-athletes are expected to maintain a high level of academic achievement as a contingency of their participation in school athletics. This further solidifies the need for students to develop healthy and effective time management skills while juggling multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

All in all, student-athletes gain ongoing, invaluable experience prioritizing their time, practicing self-discipline, and applying themselves across multiple areas of their lives. 

A core element of participating in high school sports is working toward a common goal with teammates. Even solo sports like tennis and golf provide students with opportunities to engage and cooperate with their fellow student-athletes.

High school sports emphasize the need for teamwork and effective communication as a means to achieving a desired outcome. These team-oriented experiences foster leadership and interpersonal skills that are crucial for young people to master to achieve future success and satisfaction in other areas of their lives.

Being part of a team sport also helps student-athletes learn a deeper understanding of empathy, accountability, and perseverance. At times, students involved in athletic activities go on to find themselves in leadership roles. They may serve as team captains, for example.

Students in key leadership roles must learn the importance of modeling good behavior and practicing effective communication with their teammates. All of these shared responsibilities teach invaluable leadership lessons that will serve students well on the field and in the classroom alike. 

Participating in high school sports offers an impressive array of physical benefits for students in a crucial developmental period. Staying active as a teenager or young adult can help lay the foundation of a healthy lifestyle that will follow student-athletes into the next phases of their lives. In fact, athletics programming is associated with lower systemic healthcare costs, which suggests that the health benefits of playing sports are long-term and universal. 

Participating in high school sports can also contribute to more positive student mental health outcomes. Not only do sports teach students valuable interpersonal skills that can help improve the quality of their relationships, but student-athletes must learn effective self-care strategies to help them maintain a balanced lifestyle.

High school athletics departments, like the Tiger Athletics Department at St. Agnes, also provide students with ample mentorship opportunities so they can learn healthy habits and effective coping skills from adults they know and trust. 

Playing sports in high school creates many advantages that go well into adulthood. The lessons learned through high school athletics set the stage for lifelong success as students aim to achieve important life goals:

Students who play athletics receive ample opportunities to learn life lessons and practice the skills that will help them tackle various challenges in the years after high school. The benefits of being a student-athlete in high school are endless for students who engage in sports!

St. Agnes students considering joining a sport in high school can visit our website to learn more about each sport offered in the Tiger Athletics department. Learn more about what makes athletics a popular and beneficial extracurricular activity for students from all walks of life.