After School Sports

Soccer

"Enthusiasm is everything. It must be taut and vibrating like a guitar string." – Pele

Playing soccer means learning how to work in teams while supporting each other, how to deal with ups and downs, and most importantly, you learn how to achieve goals as a team. These are some of the benefits you get by playing soccer:

• Teamwork
• Discipline
• Character development (determination, responsibility and patience)
• Muscle development
• Reduces risks of heart disease
• Boosts self-esteem
• Reduces stress
• Body coordination
• Balance and coordination

Basketball

"The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, place I've always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It's been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It's a relationship that has evolved over time, given me the greatest respect and love for the game." - Michael Jordan

Basketball is played in two teams of five players each. This is a sport that promotes teamwork, fellowship, generosity and solidarity. Coordination, balance and body awareness can be developed from physical movements like high jumps and throws. Playing basketball also helps improve and build:

• Discipline
• Self-confidence and self-control
• Blood circulation
• Muscle strength, particularly in arms and legs
• Agility
• Reflexes

Volleyball

"Volleyball is one of the most interactive games going. It is a game of intuition, imagination, improvisation - but most of all, of reciprocity - of teamwork. There is no way to free-lance in volleyball."-Marv Dunphy.

Volleyball can be played one on one too, but it is better when it is played in teams, which are made of six players each. This is a sport that gives both physical and mental benefits, plus is a very fun way to burn calories, exercise and make friends. Some of the physical skills that you can develop by playing volleyball include muscle development of legs, abdominals, arms, shoulders and upper body in general. It also:

• Develops joints and bones health
• Improves hand-eye coordination, balance, speed and reflexes
• Diminishes stress
• Encourages sportsmanship
• Promotes social skills
• Favors decision-making
• Enhances energy level
• Strengthens cardiovascular and respiratory system

Track and Field

"Number one is just to gain a passion for running. To love the morning, to love the trail, to love the pace on the track. And if some kid gets really good at it, that’s cool too."- Pat Tyson

This sport is the base of every other sport. Given the physical demands of this sport, the students are able to develop their coordinative skills and physical abilities. It is a sport that requires lots of discipline and concentration and because it is mostly and individual sport, it helps build mental strength and emotional stability, as well as critical thinking. Athletics can teach students important values for dealing with circumstances in life and learn what healthy competition is while striving to be their best as individuals. Other benefits from practicing this sport are:

• Agility
• Organization
• Communication and affective skills
• Information management
• Introspection
• Self-control
• Self-confidence
• Commitment and integrity