Importance of sports in education

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", a popular proverb sums it all. Without a balanced approach towards education, a child will only have a lopsided perspective. He will not be able to appreciate the other finer aspects of life, if only studies are in his mind. It is often perceived that sports is a complete waste of time and instead, students should utilise their time in learning and studying. However, such thinking needs to change, as sports has its own benefits.

Advantages of sports education:

Making children active and agile: With the invent of Internet, computers and television, children these days are leading a sedentary lifestyle, either being glued on their TV sets or playing/surfing on their computers. This has led to various lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart problems even in kids. Also, obesity has become a major challenge in these children. In order to combat these issues, it is important to inculcate the habit of playing outside or develop a passion for sports that would ensure certain amount of physical exercises. 

Developing mental abilities: In order to play any sports, together with physical ability, it is also important to create mental faculties of the players. A child is taught to sharpen his problem solving abilities, take instant decisions, and handle pressure situations while on the field. These skills are also important in personal life as well, and help in developing the overall personality of a student. 

Nurturing sportsmanship spirit: Sportsmanship spirit teaches to be fair and ethical in one’s conduct, strives to have a winning attitude and even while being in the losing team, should be graceful in one’s behavior. Such an attitude is also essential in equipping a person with life skills and to face various challenges in one’s life.

Initiating team building: A person cannot work in silo, it is essential for people to work together to create greater impact. When a child learns any sports, he is also taught the basics of being a team member and how a match could be won only through team collaboration. He is told that besides individual brilliance, team effort is also needed for success. 

Giving wings to passions: Many kids are passionate about sports. They often want to become a sportsperson rather than an academician. A parent should respect the interest of their children and encourage their kids to take up this passion and translate it into a profession. 

Sports in fact, is the medium through which a child is initiated into another dimension altogether. He is shown another perspective to nurture his curiosity and channelize his energy in a positive manner.So, next time when you go for your child education, ensure to check these small details. These surely would go a long way in the holistic development of your child.