When I think about school, I think about the usual academic subjects like math, science, history, language, and social studies. They’re all important, no doubt.
When it comes to a well-rounded education, though, especially in early education, something has always felt missing: sports. And, I don’t mean the twice-a-week PE class where everyone jogs a couple of laps just going through motions. I mean structured, skill based sports like tennis, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and making them part of the school curriculum as early as elementary school.
Let’s be real, most kids just aren’t moving enough these days. The CDC says kids between 6 and 17 should get at least an hour of physical activity every day. But, with today’s culture of kids staring at their phones and endless scrolling, after sitting in class all day, they are more sedentary than ever.
Studies show that childhood obesity has tripled since the 70s, right along with childhood depression. Kids’ social skills are slipping too, since most communication happens through text or social media. They miss out on learning how to interact in person, face to face, how to read body language, maintain eye contact, or hold a conversation without feeling awkward.
I was one of those kids. My after-school routine mostly meant grabbing a snack, sitting down in front of a screen for hours, watching YouTube, playing video games, you name it. Most of my “social life” happened online. So, my mom, like a lot of parents desperate to find something that could compete with screen time, made it her mission to get me moving. She signed me up for everything: swim lessons, Krav Maga, tennis, and piano. Most of those were like the usual activities kids try for a few months and then quit. But tennis turned out to be different.
The first time I hit the ball over the net, something clicked. It wasn’t just exercise anymore; it was a fun challenge. I wanted to keep playing.
The more I trained and played, the more I realized tennis was teaching me more than just how to hit a forehand or backhand. Practicing shots taught me patience because nothing clicks right away. Footwork drills improved my balance and coordination, and staying in a rally forced me to focus. Every time I missed an easy shot, I learned to turn frustration into an opportunity to figure out how to shake it off and keep going. Tennis has taught me persistence, critical thinking, and discipline. That’s why I really believe starting skill-based sports early in school can make a real difference, helping kids get into healthier habits to boost their bodies and minds from the get-go.
When younger kids learn a skilled sport, they’re learning how to be a team player, as well as learning how to be resilient, patient, persistent, and able to handle failure. These are the same skills they’ll need later in real life, whether it’s preparing for college, working a job, or just handling everyday challenges. It builds confidence early on, and that confidence carries into everything else.
Here’s something else: studies show kids who play sports do better academically and emotionally, with improved memory and focus. That means an hour on the court might make you sharper for your next test. And research proves it, so why aren’t sports treated like a core part of early education?
Some may argue schools don’t have time or funding for adding sports to their curriculum, but if the intention for education is to help kids learn knowledge and skills for life, and if schools are supposed to prepare kids for the real world, then teaching adaptability, critical thinking, social skills, accountability & teamwork and how to stay healthy isn’t optional, it’s essential. We make room for algebra, science, and history because they matter. Sports matter too, and not just for the kids who dream of going pro. They matter for every child who will one day need confidence to speak up in a meeting, resilience to push through a setback, or the discipline to stay on track when life gets hard.
The question isn’t whether we can afford to add skill-based sports into the curriculum. The question is whether we can afford not to.
