The Academic-Athletic Playbook: A Guide to Maximizing Benefits for All Students

In America, it is difficult to get people to agree about anything, especially when it comes to the public school system. One nearly universal belief among parents and educators is that after-school sports are beneficial for their high school aged children. This paper will not be looking into whether or not after-school sports teams are good for kids. Instead, it will explore what aspects contribute most effectively to their academic success. In short, the guiding question for this capstone is: What specific components of after-school sports contribute most effectively to the academic success of high schoolers, and how could they be delivered more effectively? Through the creation of a set of handbooks called the “Academic/Athletic Playbooks,” a more meaningful relationship between activities and academics is created and can serve as a gateway to discovering the rewards of hard work and dedication.