Studies show that sports have a positive impact on educational outcomes including academic performance, greater inclusivity, and participation in the classroom, as well as improvements to student health and preparedness for the future.

Academic Performance: Participation in sports and physical activity, both inside and outside the classroom, positively impacts students’ academic performance and efficiency.

Learning: Integrating sports into students’ routines increases their ability to learn and apply new skills; access knowledge and experience; and apply organizational and memory skills.

Attention & Concentration: Routine participation in sports leads to higher levels of attentiveness in classrooms, increasing students’ ability to concentrate on, absorb and recall content and subject materials.

Cognition & Brain Function: Frequent participation in sports from a young age encourages positive cognitive development in youth – developing and learning to use the core skills of the brain to think, read, learn, remember, reason and problem solve.

Inclusivity & Participation: Sports provide students with the opportunity to interact and engage with others – promoting strong relationships and helping to make the classroom a positive space for learning. Team-based sports can be particularly beneficial in overcoming divides as they instill a shared sense of identity, fellowship, and purpose between participants. This is especially important for students in Malawi, Africa, as sports empower young women and girls who continue to be under-represented in school sports and physical education.

Physical Health: Children who play sports have a decreased risk of illness and disease, as well as lower involvement in drug and alcohol use.

Mental Health: Sports can impact mental health by fostering feelings of safety, connection, and purpose. Integrating sport in education can also help to reduce levels of anxiety, stress, and depression, as well as improve levels of confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth.

Preparedness for the Future: Sports in schools enable students to develop the skills, knowledge, and networks not only to succeed in the classroom but at home, in the community, and in their careers.