YOUTH SPORTS BENEFITS
Exercise can do a lot for mental health. It’s a great form of stress relief, helps get your mind off things, and of course, has many benefits for physical health. Homegrown Select Lacrosse Ltd. provides an opportunity for youth to belong to an organized team, which carries a positive social aspect because it gives youth an opportunity to interact with peers who share the same interest in lacrosse.
There is a lot of evidence supporting just how great playing sports can be for adolescent mental health. Sports participation has been shown to lower depression rates. Additionally, research has demonstrated that athletes find their parents and/or coaches to be important sources of support in their lives and have a strong desire to assist those who may be experiencing mental health issues. Bonds are strong with those who play sports together and in general, team participation in sports have been found to have antidepressant effects.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF SPORTS
Even with all this information, the rates of anxiety and depression among scholastic athletes have increased in the past decade. The reason for the spike supports the theories that younger generations have been experiencing more intensive and increased pressures to meet nearly impossible standards. That is, adolescents and young adults today are told that in order to succeed, they have to be “perfect”, and the best way to do that is to start early and engage in activities related to it as much as possible. In the case of sports, adolescents may be training many hours per week, having a monitored and strict diet, and losing sleep to train as much as possible.
The treatment of student athletes as “professionals” can very easily lead to exhaustion, both physically and mentally. Student athletes’ lives aren’t all about the sports – they’re students as well. Spending hours training and travelling for games means that they have less time to do homework and studying.
WHERE CAN I GET HELP
This is especially difficult for the adolescent brain. Adolescent brains have a lot of plasticity, and because it is still developing, it can be affected by extreme situations and stress. Adolescents can be severely affected by the pressures placed on them; even by their own brain, which can then in turn affect their mental health to a more extreme level.
Sports participation has a significant positive impact on physical health and well-being, but going too far can actually cause significant harm. Mental health can be affected in the same way, so be careful and check in as much as you can to see how you’re feeling mentally and physically. Homegrown Select Lacrosse Ltd. is aware of these issues and recognizes that young athletes can experience many challenges with mental health.
We understand that youth and families can feel confused or overwhelmed, and may not know where to turn. Please take comfort in knowing that there is support available.
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