Obesity is a problem many teens and adults are struggling to overcome. Playing sports allows teens to exercise and keep their bodies in better shape. Teens are often pressured to lose weight which can increase their level of stress. Playing sports allow teens to lose weight without the added pressure because they have fun and drop pounds simultaneously. Sports also motivates teens to lose weight if they feel being too heavy is preventing them from playing the sport at a high level.
Playing sports teaches teens valuable lessons such as the importance of practice. Teens discover they perform better at their sport when they take the time to practice. Patience is another lesson sports teaches teens because they will often have to wait for things like the opportunity to come in the game and play. Playing sports also teaches teens persistence. They will see success often follows the players who refuse to quit.
A positive effect of playing sports is the ability to make friends. Many teens dislike school simply because they're not good at making friends. This in turn can cause them to feel depressed and left out. Being part of a sports team simplifies the process as making friends will happen naturally due to the amount of time players will spend together. Hours and hours of time spent practicing and taking trips will cause the players on a team to bond. The friendships created from playing sports often last a lifetime.
Many teens dream of going to college only to find their parents simply can't afford to send them. A teen who is good at sports may receive a scholarship which will make attending college much more affordable if not free. Even though they get into the college because of their sports playing ability, once they're there they can take advantage of all the opportunities the school has to offer.