School Sports Week - How exercise can improve your mental health
For National School Sports Week 2023, the Youth Sport Trust are asking schools and families to ensure that all children and young people are active for a minimum of 60 minutes a day.
The ‘play for fun, play for 60’ campaign highlights the physical, social and emotional benefits that participating in sports provides, and the importance of access for all.
Encouraging involvement in school sports can help to address many of the common challenges that young people talk about with their peers on the Tellmi app. Engaging in exercise improves mood and reduces stress not just while scoring a goal or running a lap, but provides long-lasting benefits to mental wellbeing. School sports can act as an early intervention to prevent the growth of depression and anxiety, and reduce their symptoms among those who are suffering.¹
Taking part in school sports and exercise also helps to address feelings of loneliness and isolation that many Tellmi users report experiencing. Crucially, skill level isn’t a definitive factor, with the amount of time spent participating in school sports and exercise more valuable in combating loneliness and isolation than the intensity. Their improved self-esteem, confidence and communication skills from being part of a team often filter through into all other areas of their lives.², ³
In addition, having the opportunity to take part in school sports has been shown to improve academic outcomes, with improved focus and the development of coping strategies to deal with stressful situations helping to lessen anxiety around exams that young people on Tellmi are frequently overwhelmed by.⁴
Not only is it important that young people are encouraged to engage in school sports, but they are given the opportunity to do so. National School Sports Week promotes the need for schools to place greater importance on the impact of engaging their pupils in physical activity and overcoming barriers to delivering sports. We spoke to Sporting Way, an organisation that works with schools to deliver sports to all.
“Sport is the leveller,” explains Sporting Way founder and former professional footballer Bradley Pritchard.
“It doesn’t matter what your background is, you’re all playing on the same pitch, field or court. You’re all engaging in the same activity without outside influences being the focus. Everyone who is participating can work together to achieve without recognition or acknowledgement of different backgrounds.
“There’s a lot more collaboration, even in individual sports. They’ve all accepted that there are going to be universal rules that they will adhere to. Doing that through sport helps to build those personal social skills that young people need.”
Extended involvement in sport also helps to build relationships. Not only with peers, but also with coaches. There is a time to be present, to focus on the enjoyment of sports, and a time where the relationship is strong enough that a young person will trust the adult when they direct them towards services that can provide further support.
At that point, Pritchard will signpost young people towards services like Tellmi. A point that can’t be reached after just 60 minutes. A point that can only be reached across the UK if the objectives of National School Sports Week are long-lasting.
If you would like to find out more or get a quote for commissioning Tellmi in your area or school please contact us and we will be in touch.
Sport England (n.d). Mental health. https://www.sportengland.org/funds-and-campaigns/mental-health
Ozturk, O. T., Ozbey, S., & Camliyer, H. (2015). Impact of Sport-related Games on High School Students’ Communication Skills. Physical Culture and Sport. Studies and Research, 67(1), 53-64. https://doi.org/10.1515/pcssr-2015-0017
Tubić, T., Modrić, T., Sekulić, D., Bianco, A., Radjo, I., & Drid, P. (2023). Loneliness in sports active and non-active school-age children: Can sport protect children against loneliness?. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 1063714. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1063714
Bradley, J., Keane, F., & Crawford, S. (2013). School sport and academic achievement. The Journal of School Health, 83(1), 8–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2012.00741.x
