Athletics have been shown to have a positive effect on academic performance because of the likelihood that athletes would possess higher self-esteem than their peers. In addition, athletics are beneficial in teaching lessons that might not be learned in a home environment. Among these lessons are teamwork, dedication and success in the midst of adversity. Studies have also shown that regular physical activity may increase blood flow and promote the growth of interneuronal connections.
Though not directly related to success in academics, a student's social and emotion health affect their performance in the classroom. In addition, extra curricular activities teach students valuable lessons that relate to their success in the classroom. These include their ability to work in a group and compromise to meet a goal. In addition, extra curricular activities create relationships that can be easily translated to study partners and peer editors.
Extracurricular activities help reinforce time management and organizational skills. These skills relate with a student's success in the classroom, especially with turning in assignments and leaving enough time so that cramming is not a regular practice. According to Hollrah, extracurricular art activities teach analytical skills and problem-solving skills.
Formal extracurricular activities, meaning those with a consistent structure and some sort of guardian or coach, had a more positive influence on academic performance than those that were informal. Studies have found "that more time in leisure activities was related to poorer academic grades, poorer work habits and poorer emotional adjustments," while more time in "structured groups and less time watching TV were associated with higher test scores and school grades." The thinking is that formalized extracurricular activities are more effective because of the presence of an invested adult to reinforce positive lessons taught by the activity. If children are left on their own to pick up these lessons, often they are missed.