Sports Participation Benefits

Girls drop out of sports at six times the rate of boys (De Lench 2006). This is an alarming statistic, especially because sports participation has numerous benefits to offer adolescent girls. In spite of all the positive effects of sports, the rate of girls abandoning involvement is discouraging. Teen girls in America face many challenges today that may lead to potentially negative behaviors; however, by participating in sports, teen girls can boost their academic performance, improve physical health, and increase self-esteem.

Involvement in athletics has many benefits for teen girls, and one important benefit is improved academic performance. To be able to participate in a sport or activity, you must have passing and acceptable grades in order to remain academically eligible. This gives an added incentive to athletes to manage their time wisely and do well in school. According to a state-by state analysis conducted by Betsey Stevenson, sports participation accounts for about 20 percent of the increase in

Obesity is a growing problem that our society is facing today, and kids are just simply not getting enough exercise. As more girls have begun participating in sports, there has been a 24 percent increase in physical activity and a serious decrease in obesity among girls (De Lench 2006). Robert Kaestner conducted a study and found that girls’ participation in athletics is linked to a seven percent lower risk of obesity in women later in life (Kearl 2010). Reducing obesity rates is not the only benefit of girls participating in sports; in fact, girls who play sports have stronger immune systems which means less risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some types of cancer (De Lench 2006). Finally, female athletes who participate in sports are less likely to use drugs, and are less than half as likely to become pregnant as non-athletes (De Lench