“A kid in sport stays
out of court”
Sport...to many it’s not seen as a school subject as such.
Traditionally sport and physical education were seen as the exclusive domain of
a certain cohort of students, namely those who were more active or “sporty”.
However, as evidence increasingly shows, sport and physical
education bestows an equal amount of benefits to young people as do subjects in
the academic curriculum. Educational psychologists like Howard Gardner have
developed a classification of the different intelligences which one can strive
to develop in life.
It can be seen, that even as important as traditional academic
skills are, we can also strive to improve our spatial skills, interpersonal skills
and kinaesthetic skills among others. Sport is invaluable in allowing young
people to develop these skills. It also allows for participating in a group
discipline and lets students appreciate why frameworks for rules and
regulations are necessary in life.
And of course, sport is paramount in promoting a healthy
lifestyle for students as well. Indeed, studies have shown that participation
in sport and physical exercise boosts academic and exam performance.
So in conclusion sport and physical exercise not only allow
for better physical and mental development but also complement the other parts
of the curriculum. Here at St Mary’s we have a tradition of taking part in a
number of sporting competitions, including among others, basketball, gaelic
games, soccer and athletics. But as equally important to competitive sport is
sport for fun, where students can partake in vigorous exercise in PE and other
classes.
For further information on the benefits of sports for
students, you can see the following links.
From New Zealand, home to the fearsome All Blacks..
How sport can help potential early school leavers to stay in
school ...
And finally, what are your favourite all time Irish sporting
moments?
