Essay Sample on Sports Participation: Improving Health, Building Character

Introduction

Sports participation is quite essential in the development of people. Through playing sports, individuals can build their character and develop their strategic thinking. They can analyze things critically, set goals, and take risks. Games can benefit one with a healthier life, improve an individual's health while developing their social, communication, and leadership skills.

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Sports can help an individual attain a healthier life by improving their cardiovascular health. Exercises that are done during sports time help improve the mobility of the musculoskeletal system (Krustrup, Dvorak & Bangsbo, 2016). Healthy muscles become well-toned, enhancing the strength of joints and bone structure. The exercises performed also improve both the mental and physical health of those individuals who play sports.

Sports also improves the social and communication skills of an individual. They help in developing an individual's personality. Through games, people learn vital life skills such as responsibility, effective communication, resilience, and dedication. Those who play sports learn perseverance and determination to overcome challenges in life. Coaches teach sports players the importance of commitment, dedication, and hard work. Games teach essential social skills by exposing sports players to social situations where they express themselves (Krustrup, Dvorak & Bangsbo, 2016). Therefore, sports help in promoting and fostering relationships. Games develop self-esteem and confidence. Due to the social nature of team sports, individuals acquire social skills that guide them in social interactions. Through sports, they grow a sense of friendship and communal identity. Team players learn teamwork and nurture healthy relationships by respecting authority and showing mutual respect to teammates. They learn good virtues such as fairness, integrity, and good sportsmanship (Krustrup, Dvorak & Bangsbo, 2016). Fair play in sports is quite essential. Earnest and sincerity make up good sportsmanship. Winning and losing are part of sports and life in general. Sports teaches one to take losses positively and improve or sharpen their skills instead of giving up.

Sports help individuals to acquire excellent leadership skills and take responsibility through playing vital roles during games (Gould & Voelker, 2010). Leadership in games help people to lead individuals who come from diverse backgrounds towards attaining a shared goal. The leadership skills acquired in sports are essential and applicable to other leadership aspects in life. Playing games teaches individuals about accountability and responsibility by exposing them to roles such as playing a captain position. Sports help people to discover their hobbies and activities that they are good at, which in turn advances their leadership skills. Competitiveness in sports develops one's ability to handle pressure and work under tight schedules. Individuals are also able to learn time management because games are all about timely preparation and good practices (Gould & Voelker, 2010). Sports teaches one to be disciplined, time conscious, and responsible by keeping track of schedules. Sports equips one with a useful planning set of skills. Team games teach excellent assessment skills, adaptability, and flexibility, which are essential skills for a leader. Leaders also gain the skills to focus on their members' strengths and abilities. Leaders can appoint individual members to given positions according to their abilities, which is similar to captains giving places to their team members according to one's skills.

Conclusion

In conclusion, sports help in developing an individual's personality. Through physical and mental exercises, one acquires a healthier life. Team games teach social and leadership skills.

References

Gould, D., & Voelker, D. K. (2010). Youth sport leadership development: Leveraging the sports captaincy experience. Journal of sport psychology in action, 1(1), 1-14.

Krustrup, P., Dvorak, J., & Bangsbo, J. (2016). Small-sided football in schools and leisure-time sport clubs improves physical fitness, health profile, well-being and learning in children.