How Youth Sports Help Careers

I’m a former national level athlete in equestrian sport. Every day I am thankful for that wonderful experience. It was tough, hard work, especially because I rode a self-trained horse. Extreme winter, extreme heat, thunderstorms, hailstorms (and one unexpected tornado) … I was out at the barn training in every kind of weather. Sport taught me how perseverance, dedication and commitment pay off, and that concept carried with me into my business career.

There are five top skills youth athletes tend to bring into the workplace:

1. Teamwork and Communication: Sports teach individuals how to work effectively with others, communicate clearly, and contribute to shared goals. These skills transfer directly to workplace teams and business projects. Students learn how to network professionally and are confident public speakers, valuable in any career.

2. Leadership: Athletes develop leadership abilities by motivating teammates, making decisions under pressure and accepting responsibility. These is an important skill in management and supervisory roles.

3. Discipline and Time Management: Former athletes are experts at managing their work-life balance and focus on achieving it. This translates well into strong organizational skills and a disciplined work ethic.

4. Resilience and Problem-Solving: Athletes know that they will not win every competition. The setbacks, losses and unexpected challenges, such as an injury, are all learning opportunities. Translated to a career, the person knows how to recover from failure and build resilience to adverse environments.

5. Goal Setting: Athletes regularly set training and competition goals. They diarize progress, focus and work towards optimal performance. This is a skill that professionals in the workplace use to achieve long-term objectives.

There you have them – multiple skills that prove why youth athletes have an advantage in the workplace. Students may not yet fully understand the impact sports has on their lives, however, with encouragement, the benefits always shine through. Do you have a student in your classroom who plays sports and understands how it will benefit them in later life? Ask them. I was a student like that once, and I count my lucky stars for the experience. It helped make me who I am today.