Sports, Stillness & Schooling

Neuroscience shows that physical activity helps improve memory, concentration, emotional balance, and thinking ability. Regular exercise helps children learn better and reduce stress. Even with these benefits, many schools give more importance to academic subjects and reduce physical education classes. In our school, equal importance is given to studies, physical health, and mental wellbeing. We also focus on moral values and character building, which help children stay calm, confident, and patient while facing different situations in life. Children should be taught to stay calm and happy through mindful training and physical activity, which eventually helps improve their academic performance.

Body & Brain Development

Expecting a child to sit for such long hours and then focus, remember information, and manage emotions places a heavy demand on a developing body and brain. For children, play itself is learning, and they naturally need movement for healthy growth and better brain function. If we do not include physical activity, we are ignoring the emotional needs of children, which is not a balanced approach for the overall development of the child. In our school, we give importance to physical activity like all outdoor games and children especially love football, karate, NCC, and trekking. Our children enjoy these activities and stay happy. Not every child must excel in academics; every child deserves a supportive and carefree environment for healthy growth and overall wellbeing.

Yoga & Meditation

The Central Government, through our Prime Minister, has sent an important message about Yoga and its benefits. An event held in 2021 with most participants being children, manifested into a happy and energetic gathering. I feel yoga and meditation should be part of the curriculum like other subjects. It helps children stay calm, focused, and improves learning, supporting both mental and physical wellbeing in school life.

Olympics – A Distant Dream

Schools should give importance to physical education in the curriculum because it helps children understand Olympic values and their importance in life. Through regular games and physical activity, children learn excellence by improving their skills, respect by following rules, and friendship by working in teams. More inter-school competitions should be organized so children can interact, communicate, and build friendships. These values build discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship, and unity, helping children develop good character, confidence, and a positive attitude in daily school life. Enrolling the children in NCC, NSS, makes them service oriented and develop leadership skills.

Sustained or Performative

If sports is included only for special occasions and becomes performative, then children may not gain real benefits. As mentioned earlier, it should be made part of the school curriculum so that children experience true benefits like calmness, focus, and good health. When practiced consistently, these habits truly support children’s mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing, which will benefit them throughout their lives. We need to make changes that have a genuine and lasting impact, not just short-term goals.

Infrastructure Issues

A school without adequate sports facilities may not provide complete education to children. An institution should give equal importance to all facilities, not only academic ones. Play, fitness, and relaxation are just as important as studies for a child’s healthy growth. Parents should also ensure that schools encourage co-curricular activities before enrolling their children. Proper sports facilities show that a school values balanced development, where physical, emotional, and academic growth are all equally important for a child’s overall wellbeing.

Girls in Sports

Girls’ participation in sports is as important as boys’, and they do not lack talent. However, social pressure, limited access to safe and supportive sports environments, and lack of proper facilities often reduce their participation. Five of our branches in Northeast India run residential girls’ schools, and we have seen that these girls are no less capable than boys, especially when they are given proper facilities and a safe environment. Schools and colleges must create equal opportunities and encourage girls from a young age, with support from families and teachers without judgment.

Rewards v/s Resilience

Children should be happy on the field and engaged in different activities. Schools should build a healthy sports culture by valuing participation, teamwork, discipline, and enjoyment instead of focusing only on winning. Winning is important, but it should not be the only goal. Every child should feel encouraged to play and improve without fear of failure. Efforts and participation should be celebrated equally. Physical educators must also be trained in child development and positive mentoring to help children build confidence, emotional strength, teamwork, and love for sports which will help them in their studies as well. A happy and calm mind can achieve anything.

The Impact of Sports

It builds confidence and self-belief, which are important to achieve anything in life. When children realize their potential, they see themselves as capable and active individuals. This positive attitude shapes their identity and makes them braver and more motivated. Values learned through sports also support their studies. They learn to handle both success and failure equally. Thus, sports improve their personality, learning attitude, and help them live with values and respect.