Based on a study by Consumer Epic, sports is an important source of revenue for a school. However, for a student, the skills they acquire while playing sports are not only applicable in their future workplace but also their day to day life. However, did you know that apart from the mental and social benefits, playing sports in college or university increases your chances of earning more when you graduate?
A recent study shows that college athletes have a higher chance of getting full-time employment, a higher salary, and being engaged in a workplace as compared to those who did not play sports in school. Furthermore, graduates that played sports while in school earned 18% more than those who did not participate at all.
This is because employers perceive students who play sports as having crucial skills such as time management, leadership, teamwork, organizational, and ability to follow instructions. The results of the study act as proof that involvement in school sports does, indeed, make a positive contribution to a student’s experience while studying as well beyond. So which crucial life and career skills do students gain by playing sports?
People Skill
Playing sports gives students expertise that they can still use even after they graduate. Some of the abilities cannot be developed anywhere else. Respect is a good example of such a skill. When a student is respectful, they are mindful of other people’s time and know-how to deal with authoritative figures. You’ll also respect other people’s viewpoints and know how to relate with others even when in a disagreement. Some other people skills that you develop while playing college sports include:
- Strong communication skills
- Active listening skills
- Knowing how to relate to others.
- Persuasive and negotiation skills
- Proactive problem-solving skills
- Leadership skills.
By playing sports, scholars learn a lot of people skills that build character.
Time Management
Essay writing requires a student to stay focused and be efficient with their time so that they can hand in the task before the stated due date. During the sports season, students partaking in the games often focus on doing their best and achieving great results. Besides, they have to study, play sports and even go to a part-time job. Being able to balance all these daily activities requires one to master time management. Not only does playing games allow student-athletes to know how to manage their time but also have a healthy and balanced academic and social life.
Self Discipline
While many opportunities allow pupils to get involved in sports while in college or university, self-discipline is a skill that most student-athletes have. Self-discipline prevents procrastination and enables the individual to focus on the task at hand. Besides, sports and any physical activities are known to have mood-enhancing properties. As a result, when you are chasing strict academic deadlines and have a task that feels challenging, pushing yourself during sports will come in handy when you urgently need perseverance and self-discipline to complete a complex assignment.
Commitment
Are you a student who tends to drop out every time a challenge crops up? Sports can help you develop commitment skills. Athletes are often committed to their teams and give their best because they do not want to let themselves and their teammates down. They also commit to other positive activities that may not be related to school. Such a mindset is crucial in completing academic tasks or when facing challenging issues in the workplace.
Goal Setting
This is a skill that even adults tend to struggle with. Fear, procrastination, and inability to take quick action are some of the hindrances that prevent you from achieving the set goals. College sports provide the ideal environment to learn how to set smart goals. In most cases, coaches set reasonable expectations for the team and communicate how they need to be attained to the team members.
This, in turn, allows student-athletes to learn the goal-setting process directly from an expert. Furthermore, most student-athletes are required to know the steps they need to take to achieve the set goals. This strategy works as a great teaching opportunity to embrace success and leave behind failures of the past. The setbacks and difficult times encountered when playing sports sharpen the individual mentally so that they know how to deal with adversity.
Employers are increasingly opting to hire graduates who can demonstrate abilities beyond academic achievements. Skills such as leadership, teamwork, and time management are developed through sports allowing the student to stand out and gain a competitive advantage.
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