After playing sports for 13 years of my life, I have learned a lot of things. The most important lesson I learned is how good sport is for mental health.
From the age of 5 to 18, I played every sport imaginable, but the one that had the biggest impact on me was football. All of my closest friends that I have met to date played football.
One of the best relationships I made through sports was my relationship with my grandfather. We constantly talked about sports and he was my biggest support throughout my sporting journey. He was even one of my football coaches for a game. Everything changed when I was 13 and he died suddenly during football season. I didn’t know if I wanted to continue playing without him, but with the help of my teammates and other coaches, I was able to get back on the field.
Something I will remember for the rest of my life is being at my grandfather’s wake and seeing all my teammates and coaches line up. After the vigil, my teammates and coaches told me all their favorite memories and stories about my grandfather, who meant so much to me. My teammates and friends helped me grieve and were able to cheer me up when I was going through one of the worst times of my life.
According to a 2022 stud farmy, 11,235 children aged 9 to 13 were assessed for their mental health. Children who played sports had 10% lower anxiety/depression scores.
Many people will say that football is bad for players because of the risk of head injuries. But football is becoming safer thanks to new technologies in helmets and equipment like the Guardian Cap. The Guardian Cap is a padded helmet cover and is now even seen in NFL games. The National Football League reported a 50% reduction in concussions incidence since 2022 following the mandate to wear the Guardian Cap for team training.
Without sport, I don’t know where I would be in my life. Playing sports and being part of a team has helped me overcome many obstacles throughout my life. Now, every time I watch a football match, I will always have the memory of being on the field with my grandfather.
Nathaniel Artis from Plainville, Connecticut is a 3-year student at Central Connecticut State University.
https://ctmirror.org/index.php?gf-download=2024%2F12%2F Why-Sports-Are-Good-for-Your-Mental-Healt h.pdf&form-id=1&field-id=11&hash=2fb98dc47210e72c6164dcbdfa4bb7e753389da173b8826ea8151988952602ce