Sport isn't only about exercise
I know it sounds like a strange thing to say - of course participating in any sporting activity or event is, usually, partaking in exercise. But I believe that exercise is just the start of a long list of reasons as to why everyone — young children, teenagers and adults alike — should regularly take part in sports. On 25 September, we’ll be celebrating National Fitness Day across the country. It’s really important for both young people and adults to have a healthy relationship with sport and fitness.
There are obvious physical benefits to an active lifestyle and it’s important to acknowledge that exercise is important for an individual’s health: the NHS tells us that it can reduce the risk of some major illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer. However, what is often forgotten is the host of other positive benefits that come from regularly exercising. These include mental health, wellbeing and resilience, and even future employment and skills. Sport, especially in younger years, is not just about getting fit and healthy, but becoming a well-rounded individual.
Mental health & wellbeing
It’s no secret that sport and exercise are linked to mental wellbeing - everyone has experienced that good feeling at the end of a workout — magnified when it’s winning a match or finally hitting a personal best! Regardless of differing capabilities, there’s something to be said for achieving those personal goals and the effect it has on your mental health.
In Sport England’s recent findings from the ‘Active Lives Children and Young People Survey’, they present that mental wellbeing decreases with age. Students in Years 9-11 reported feeling a 6.2 out of 10 on a scale of happiness (where 10 is ‘very happy’), which was down from 7.7 out of 10 from students in Years 3-4. However, when looking at the activity levels of these students, the score improved as levels of activity increased, again highlighting the importance of PE and Sport for mental wellbeing.
Over 30% of students in Years 9-11 were reported to do more physical activity at school than outside of school. This is a huge indicator that we should be encouraging students to take part in sports during their school lives — both in the curriculum and in their extra-curricular activities at school.
Attitudes and resilience
According to Sport England, attitudes to sport and exercise are often shaped by experiences in childhood. This tells us that the earlier we introduce a positive mindset about regular exercise and “having a go”, the better an impact it can have on students as they go through life. Education Secretary, Damien Hinds reiterates this point in the concept of the ‘Activity Passport’:
“it’s important that children have the chance to try things out, to get a taste of the world around them, to see and do things that they wouldn’t normally do, or go to places they wouldn’t normally go”
The lessons students can learn by trying something new are invaluable — and the bumps they may hit on the path to their future are far easier to overcome with the resilience they’ve built through their experiences. Sport is only a fraction of this, but undoubtedly the most popular element, and perhaps the best place to start with the Activity Passport.
Skills for future employment
Whilst skills for future employment aren’t immediately what you’d think of when looking at the benefits of sport and exercise in schools, they are more closely linked than it might first appear. Damien Hinds says in relation to his Activity Passport that “in 10 years’ time their exam results might be a distant memory, but the life skills they acquire will stay with them forever.”
Sport can develop important life skills: taking part in team sports, the most popular activity for Years 9-11 students (ref. Sport England), can promote collaboration, communication and confidence, for example. These skills are vital for students’ future lives in the workplace.
Another key skill is leadership. The Sport England report reveals that ‘30% of Years 7-11 students volunteer to support sport and physical activity’ and over half of them do so by coaching, instructing or being a sports leader or ambassador. Gaining experience in these roles is exactly what young people need to prepare for their future employment, regardless of whether they go into a sport industry role, or something else entirely.
So what else is sport about?
There is no doubt that young people’s participation in sport and exercise has a whole range of benefits for them and their future - and it is clear that sport really isn’t just about doing exercise. It helps to develop well-rounded individuals who have healthy minds and bodies, resilience in the face of unexpected challenges and are equipped with the skills that they will need in their future — no matter what they choose to do.
At Pearson, we believe in the power or sport and exercise, and in its ability to develop individuals far beyond the classroom. We offer a broad range of qualifications for PE and Sport, so you can choose the course and progression route that’s right for your students’ learning styles, personal strengths and ambitions — making sure every individual learner has the chance to reach their full potential.
Penny Lewis is the Subject Advisor for PE and Sport at Pearson. She has been working as a Subject Advisor for 10 years and was a PE teacher prior to working at Pearson. Penny is very passionate about PE and Sport and outside of work she manages a colts cricket and hockey team.
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in these blogs belong solely to their authors, and are not necessarily those of Pearson.
