More than a few parents have dreamed of their child going on to be hugely successful by playing professional sports. From the first time they tied the laces on their cleats, tossed them a basketball, or helped them oil their first baseball mitt, visions of the NBA, NFL, or MBL draft danced in their heads. And while that’s not realistic for all but a very small portion of the population, going on to become successful in a career as a result of playing youth team sports is.
Remember that book that came out a few years ago “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten?” Well, it turns out, everything you need to be successful in the boardroom you learned while playing sports.
Did You Know: 95% of Fortune 500 CEOs participated in athletics/sports in high school.
That’s an impressive statistic. Also, a recent Cornell study shows that past participation in competitive team sports gives you a leg up in the competition for better jobs. Even if you weren’t team captain or you mostly sat the bench, experts recommend you include high school sports experience on your résumé for the duration of your career. Employers and co-workers expect former student athletes to possess greater leadership ability, more self-confidence and self-respect when compared to those who didn’t compete in varsity high school sports.
About the study’s results, Cornell researcher Brian Wansink said, “Something very special happens on scholastic playing fields and tracks and basketball courts. Student-athletes, whether or not they are captains or leaders of their teams, are exposed to leaders in an environment that rewards transformational leadership. The focus in youth sports is on prosocial traits: respect, trust and confidence. That experience spills over wherever their adult lives take them.”
If you want to help your child be successful professionally, sign him/her up for youth sports!
