The Times is giving local youngsters who want to write stories – which we’ll publish on our website and in our digital publication – the chance to join our new Junior Journalist initiative.
On the surface, sport is all fun and games but, as junior journalist Romi Feng (Year 8) explains, it can provide benefits beyond basic individual physical fitness.
Sport is a fun, exciting way to get involved with others in our community and develop important life skills such as teamwork, cooperation and fair play.
What’s more, we feel the benefits from these often without even realising it!
There are three main ways that playing sport helps us: physically, mentally and academically.
One of the most obvious benefits of sport is that it improves physical health.
Participation in sport, even when we’re young, can reduce risks of a wide range of health conditions – including multiple types of heart disease as well as type 2 diabetes – from developing later in life.
Exercise (in general) strengthens lungs and a larger lung capacity helps all of our organs function better by expelling carbon dioxide from the body.
This means it helps us breathe easier in more ways than one.
Aside from physical health, sport can greatly improve the overall mental health of participants of all ages.
An active lifestyle has been shown to improve confidence and self-esteem while reducing the impact of issues such as depression, stress, and anxiety.
So, it’s not just our bodies that will thank us for taking part in sport, our minds will too.
Sport can also boost academic performance. Adolescents who exercise more have been shown to score better in tests than others.
The academic benefits are important for students, but physical activity of any kind can help adults improve focus at work. It can even assist seniors dealing with conditions such as dementia.
East Auckland has plenty of clubs to help keep locals of all ages fit and healthy.
From rugby, netball, football, tennis, badminton and baseball (for example) to walking clubs and even fitness classes for seniors, we have so many options available locally.
While students can often sign up at school, Auckland Council’s leisure website is a great place to start for people of all ages and levels of ability when choosing a sport.
