Sometimes it may seem that sports are simply an escape from the classroom–that kids look forward to and enjoy playing sports because they've just spent hours sitting behind a desk and desperately need to stretch their legs, that what's done in the classroom and on the court are virtually unconnected aside from cause and effect. But the reality is, many of the skills kids acquire from just the act of having to attend school, are actually quite important when it comes to being successful in sports. Here are five important lessons from school that your kid can use to become a better athlete:
Read more ¿Qué más?: 4 Life lessons your kids can learn through sports
1. Focus. If you don't pay attention in school, you won't do well in school. It's as simple as that. You can't learn new things and master new skills if you're off daydreaming (or texting) through class. The first and most important lessons kids must learn when they start school are to pay attention to the teacher and to focus on the task at hand. Without these skills, kids would have a whole lot more trouble understanding sports–both how to play any particular game and how to be good at it.
2. Following directions. Knowing how to follow directions is absolutely crucial in a school atmosphere. A very smart child who knows the material covered on a test very well can fail an exam if he hasn't read and followed the instructions properly. Children who fail to follow a teacher's directions often find themselves branded as troublemakers, and may end up spending more time in the principal's office than in the classroom. Most kids figure this out, and quickly learn to listen to their teachers, which is of great importance in sports. Without this ability, a person could easily mess up a play and cause a crushing loss for the team, leaving both himself and his friends devastated.
3. Practice makes perfect. Reading, spelling, multiplication, algebra, the periodic table–it takes practice, practice and more practice to master these subjects as well as many others. But when the work is put in, the results are obvious and encouraging. Through learning these skills, children learn the concept of practice makes perfect–one that translates quite literally when it comes to sports.
4. Being present and punctual. You can't succeed in school if you don't show up and show up on time. Even the brightest student can be held back if she logs enough absences and tardies. Same goes for sports–you can't learn and improve if you're not there. Plain and simple. And this is something kids are taught the importance of from day 1 of kindergarten–long before sports get competitive.
5. Giving it your all. Students who do the very best they can at school–who put every effort into learning what they're taught–are often rewarded. Both by getting good grades to bring home to their parents and with certificates and awards. The personal and physical satisfaction of hard work boosts confidence and encourages kids to keep working hard–an especially necessary value in sports, in which there's a direct correlation between hard work and perseverance and improvement and success. So naturally, kids that have learned to put in the work in the classroom will be better primed to put in work on the court and vice versa.
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