K12-Powered Schools Help Young Athletes Make It To the Major Leagues
What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s an age-old question asked of kids once they hit school-age. It’s the time to dream big about being an astronaut or a pop star. A recent survey found that professional athlete was a top childhood dream job. Playing sports for a living might feel out of reach, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. Online school might be the place to give your child an edge to go from the minor leagues to the major leagues.
Flexibility
Practice makes perfect when it comes to athletic ability. Nothing boosts motivation more than playing that sport when operating at peak energy. The problem is your child might miss out on the best times to practice by sitting in a brick-and-mortar school. With online school, families can create a schedule that allows their little athlete to fit in more physical activity into the day. Stride K12 student Demonty plays basketball at noon and baseball at 5 p.m., thanks to the flexibility of his online school schedule.
Finding a Balance
The online school schedule makes sure your child can operate at full capacity in their athletics. With online classes allowing for plenty of breaks, they can be well-rested for when they get on that court or field. A study published in Reuters suggests that one to two hours playing sports each day provides the largest positive impact on teen mental and physical well-being. Having the opportunity to intertwine athletics with the normal school day not only makes for better sports performance but greater academic success from not sitting all day long.
Take School with You
For kids to reach their full athletic potential, a demanding schedule for training and competition travel comes with the territory. Those requirements don’t fit in a normal school schedule but might just awaken leadership skills and passion that can be applied to all aspects of life. Though your child might thrive in a sports setting, that doesn’t mean the foundational academics should suffer.
There’s often a negative correlation between student athletes and grades. The main reason? Balancing sports and school are undoubtedly a challenge. But online school schedules can greatly simplify the balancing act. School can come with them to the training gym and the out-of-state tournaments. Online school’s emphasis on personalized instruction means a teacher can better accommodate a demanding schedule to make school equally important rather than a burden.
Greater Possibility
It’s certainly not a coincidence that many teen Olympians were online school students. In a message to Stride K12 2020 graduates, Olympic medalist snowboarder Arielle Gold credited her online attendance at Destinations Career Academy of Colorado for getting her to the Olympic level of competition. Your child could be the next future Olympian or pro-athlete, but that potential might not be realized without the space and time to explore the possibility. Instead of postponing natural talent and ability, their schooling can meet them where they’re at when dream opportunities come up.
Even if being an athlete isn’t the final career path, a focus on athletics early might secure a path to a college out of reach. Statista reports that 152,000 athletic scholarships were offered for the 2020-2021 school year. The extra time to demonstrate competitive talent might mean a huge difference in educational opportunities, and in turn, future career opportunities.
If you’re noticing natural talent or excitement whenever your child plays their favorite sport, it might be the perfect sign to get them on the right path to greatness and invest in their abilities.
Is your child a student athlete? Consider enrolling them in a Stride K12 school to allow the perfect training schedule.
