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| Source: Coaching Corps |
By Sam Piha
The research says there is a strong connection between organized sports and play and the development of SEL and character. Yet the rising costs of “participating in organized youth sports is making these activities unaffordable for many families, essentially barring kids and teens from important opportunities to improve their physical health, develop social-emotional skills, and build relationships.” [i] However, there is also a trend in schools to increase time for reading and math by eliminating time for play, including recess.
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| Source: CASEL |
That’s where OST programs come in. “They can play a vital role in making access to organized sports more equitable, according to the 2023 State of Play report from the Aspen Institute, a think tank.” [ii]
“You can also just have programming after school that is teaching and exposing kids to the sports. Some of the best ways to do that is by bringing in partners from your community. It’s a great opportunity as well for the community programs. Take youth soccer as an example: youth soccer associations that want to grow the sport, why would you not want to come into schools and find ways to subsidize this?” [iii] - Jon Solomon, the editorial director of the Sports & Society Program at the Aspen Institute
SHRINKING ACCESS TO YOUTH SPORTS
“I think more and more people recognize that you have to provide sports opportunities within the school setting because that’s where most kids are. These are kids who have less money, or their parents are working multiple jobs and can’t get them to practices and games.” [iv] - Jon Solomon, the editorial director of the Sports & Society Program at the Aspen Institute
According to Arianna Prothero, “Sports participation is much lower among children from low-income families than among those from high-income families. A quarter of kids from families earning less than $25,000 a year participate in regular sports, compared with 39 percent of kids in families earning more than $100,000 a year, according to the report.
While sports participation among 6- to 12-year-olds from low-income families has gone up over the past four years, participation among 13- to 17-year-olds in that income bracket continues to decrease, dropping from 38 percent in 2012 to 27 percent in 2022.” [v]
SPORTS AND SEL
“While organized sports are excellent SEL skill-builders, uniforms, referees, and rulebooks are not required for children to reap the social and emotional benefits of play. Like organized sports, all types of play offer opportunities to explore, imagine, and create. When children play with others, they practice cooperation, communication, and conflict resolution. Construction play, like building with LEGOs, activates children’s problem-solving skills. And through dramatic play, children take on the perspectives of others and practice empathy. So, get out there and play!” [vi]
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| Source: Edutopia |
COACHES TRAINING
If we want to see playing organized sports as contributing to character and social emotional learning, sports coaches require training. There are organizations such as the Positive Coaching Alliance that specialize in this kind of training for coaches.
“Are we as coaches concerned most with hoisting the championship trophy in the air at the end of the season, or raising up stronger character in our youth?” [vii] - Pete Paciorek
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ON PLAY
There are many resources on the topic of play. We cite a few below.
Websites
- The power of play – Part 1-5: This is a 5-part series from Michigan State University The Power of Play
- The Genius of Play has created easy to use activities, provides expert advice and more. And it's all FREE for anyone to use.
Videos
There are many TED talks and other videos on play. Below are some that we like.
- TED Talk by Stuart Brown entitled “Play is more than just fun”
- TED Talk by Peter Gray entitled “The decline of play”
Articles
- Embracing Learning Through Play by Elizabeth M. Ross
- Teaching Leadership Skills With PE Games by Donna Paul
- The Importance of Play for Adolescents by Heather Hayes
LIAS Blogs
For a full briefing paper on the importance of play, click here.
Check out our upcoming webinar on The Importance of Play in Afterschool. To learn more and register, click here.
END NOTES:
[i] Arianna Prothero, Kids Are Getting Priced Out of Youth Sports. How Schools Can Help
[ii] IBID.
[iii] IBID.
[iv] IBID.
[v] IBID.
[vi] The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), Connections, July 2024
[vii] Dr. Arthur Schwartz, What does the research say about the connection between sports and character?
