I’ve always been athletically challenged. In fact, I’m probably one of the least competitive people you’ll ever meet. As a kid, I strayed away from most sports and other physical activities.
But for some reason, when I started high school, I decided to join the tennis team. And I’m so glad that I did. Here’s why.
My PE credit was taken care of
At most high schools, playing a sport is the easiest and most straightforward way to fulfill physical education requirements. You will not have to worry about taking exercise classes or finding other ways to satisfy graduation requisites. Go the simple route. Just sign up for a sport and you’re done! It will make registering for classes a little less stressful.
Team bonding
Joining a sport almost guarantees that you’ll make new friends. And the bond you form with teammates is a unique, wonderful kind of friendship because you’re used to supporting each other and working together.
It’s also fun to be a part of something in high school, where a lot of people feel like they don’t fit in and can’t find their place. Find your place by getting outside of your comfort zone and trying new things!
School spirit
Being on a team will give you a lot more pride in your school. You’ll feel more spirited, and just plain happy to go there.
You’ll love when people come to your games to support your team, so you may feel inclined to attend other school sporting events in order to spread the love.
High school and college are the only times in your life when you can really take advantage of the fun opportunity to enthusiastically cheer on your school. Don’t miss out!
Exercising without feeling like you’re exercising
When you’re playing a sport, a million things are running through your mind. You’re thinking about your own technique, your strategy, how your teammates are performing, how the competition is performing… You’re also just having a lot of fun. The last thing on your mind is the pain in your muscles. It’s nothing like running on a treadmill at the gym. You get in better shape without even realizing it.
A nice change of pace after a long school day
High school involves a lot of sitting at desks, scribbling in notebooks, and staring at screens. None of the above involve a lot of physical fitness. So it’s nice to have a break from all the academia when you run onto that field or court. It keeps you not only sane, but happy. We all need a little balance in our lives.
It looks good on college applications
You shouldn’t join the team for this reason alone, although it is a nice upside. Colleges love to see students who are involved in their school community in any way. So even if you’re terrible at the sport, you can still list your participation in your applications.
Start freshman year! The more years of participation, the better in the eyes of admissions officers. Plus, your skills will improve. By senior year, you’ll likely be getting more playing time and less time on the bench.
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