It has amazing benefits for growing minds.
New research suggests that playing team sports during childhood may have a unique benefit for developing cognitive abilities. A recent study found that children who participated in team sports like soccer and volleyball performed better on tests of executive function—the mental skills necessary for organizing, remembering details, making decisions, and staying focused—compared to children who either didn’t participate in sports or only played individual sports.
Dr. Alison Brooks, a professor of orthopedics at the University of Wisconsin, emphasized the importance of these findings, noting that team sports, such as soccer, help improve executive function skills, which are vital for various aspects of life. The study, published on December 17 in JAMA Network Open, was conducted in The Netherlands and led by Lu Yang, a graduate medical student from the University Medical Center Groningen. It analyzed data from nearly 900 schoolchildren who were tracked from 2006 to 2017, assessing their physical activity and cognitive function at ages 5 to 6 and 10 to 11.
While moderate physical activity did not significantly affect the children’s cognitive abilities, the study revealed that those who engaged in team sports showed consistently better executive function at ages 10 to 11. Children who participated in team sports like soccer and volleyball had higher scores compared to those involved in individual activities such as swimming or martial arts. This suggests that team sports might provide specific cognitive benefits.
The researchers explained that team sports place children under high cognitive demands due to the need to interact with teammates and opponents, requiring quick thinking and adaptability. These challenges can help enhance skills such as decision-making and organization. Dr. Brooks, in her commentary, pointed out that the positive effects observed in the Dutch children could also apply to U.S. kids, highlighting the broader benefits of organized sports for children, such as improved self-esteem, peer relationships, and academic performance.
However, Brooks also noted a troubling trend in the U.S., where many children, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, do not have access to organized sports. According to a 2022 survey, only 53.8% of U.S. children aged 6 to 17 participated in a sports team, and by age 13, 70% of children stopped playing sports. This decline is partly due to rising costs and the increasing commercialization of youth sports, which create barriers to participation. Brooks argued that these obstacles might prevent children from fully developing their potential.
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