Athletics are a part of many students’ lives. These sports look good on college applications, are just something players love to do, or a little bit of both. Something players might not think of is how these sports benefit you later on in life, health wise and even in the workforce.

A study recently published in the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies titled “Sports at Work: Anticipated and Persistent Correlates of Participation High School Athletics”, says that employers expect better leadership and self-confidence in people who played sports in high school. This, of course, makes sense. Athletes on teams are expected to be confident in their actions on the field, and they are expected to have a strong amount of self-confidence to trust in their plays. Another thing that makes sense is how strongly it will contribute in the workforce. Employees that have leadership skills should be excellent members in teams and most likely have the potential to be in high positions. Employees that have self-confidence are confident in the work they do.

High School athletics can lead to being healthier later in life. According to a study published by BMC Public Health titled “Fit in 50 Years,” people who played high school sports tended to have fewer doctor visits. This study translates to the fact that former high school athletes are more likely to exercise regularly, leading to greater overall health.

High school athletics have a ton of benefits, from making a person more eligible for a job to making someone healthier later in life. High school athlete Mary Royster (17’) participates in shot put and discus simply because she has found something she enjoys. She says it will “keep her fit” after high school. Another athlete Fiona Quenano (17’) plays tennis to “stay active and meet new people” she feels that sports have taught her to be loyal and trust her teammates, which will be beneficial in the future. The lessons learned from playing the sports stick with an athlete much longer after high school.