Athletics and the Classroom: The Effect of Participation in School-Sponsored Sports on Academic Achievement and Perception of Classroom Work Habits

Author/Creator

Author/Creator ORCID

Date

2016-05-12

Department

Program

Masters of Education

Citation of Original Publication

Rights

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Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine whether participation in school-sponsored sports was related to academic achievement, classroom work habits and students’ perceptions related to their courses and achievement. A survey was completed by 126 high school students whose second marking period grade point averages were accessed from school records. The investigator, a high school teacher and coach, compared self-report data regarding students’ decisions to play or not play a winter sport, athletes’ beliefs about whether their participation in sports affected their academic achievement, and all students’ perceptions of their classroom work habits and academic choices. The results indicated that student athletes’ mean grade point average was statistically significantly higher than that of the non-athletes. Student athletes also rated some of their classroom work habits as more diligent or rigorous than did non-athletes on average. Future research might inquire further about the motivations of student athletes in terms of course selection and work habits and how these further affect their options to participate in other activities, and how such participation affects their course selection and work habits.