Athletics Works Along-Side Education To Give Students A Life Away From Home
It is said that you find out a lot about who you are throughout all your years of education. People find themselves through class topics, friends, the arts, and most commonly, athletics. School sports teams are a way for young people to come together for a common interest, while making friends and expressing themselves along the way.
A successful school system is one that has something for everyone. Athletics, along side education, has given the school system a chance to embrace every interest in a student body.
The above charts, with data provided by the National Federation of State High School Associations, shows the most popular school sports by gender. As of 2018, participation in school athletics is at a high, with football at the top for male students and track & field at the top for female students.
With the growth of student athletics, there has been a growth in the faculty behind the sports programs as well. To dive further into the behind the scenes and importance of school athletics, I spoke with athletic trainer for SLAM Middle School/High School in Coral Springs, FL, Katherine Hartke, to get her take on the rise and importance of school athletics.
About four minutes into the interview Katherine dives into the importance of athletics in the school system outside of the fact that it is a physical activity. She states, “It (athletics) brings together a diverse group of students together where they learn how to communicate. They learn how to engage in proper team work and team building skills.”
People like Katherine who work in the school athletics industry know how deeply the affects of athletics runs in these students lives beyond the daily practices or games.
Besides the general notion that athletics are a great way for students to connect with their peers, it can also be a way for some students to get away from any struggles in their personal lives.
Katherine discusses her encounter with an athletics student that lived in extreme poverty, going home to live in a shack everyday, mentioning that the athletics program is the reason this charter school opened up its doors to so many people who otherwise couldn’t afford it.
“Sports really brought him an avenue of hope,” Katherine explains. Athletics programs in schools have opened doors to families of all incomes, giving their kids expanded opportunities. Unfortunately however, it is not always easily maintained.
As discussed in the interview, the SLAM school has been able to open its doors to all students regardless of income. Nationwide however, that is not always the case. In a study done by the Aspen Institute/Utah State University in the National Youth Parent Survey, a majority of families who make less than $50,000 a year have to withdraw their kids from sports due to increased expenses or time constraints.
Most parents raising a family in what is considered poverty, have to work multiple jobs to keep their family afloat, meaning less time time to take their kids to extracurricular activities such as school sports. On top of the travel time, unless the school provides funding, athletics can raise lots of expenses.
It is known by industry professionals, and by the rate at which school sports are played, that athletics in the school system make a positive difference in student’s lives. That being said, it is important to make these athletics as accessible as possible to families of all kind, because as previously mentioned, they are a great way to bring diverse groups together.
