Sports helps kids concentrate

Sports for children help them develop their concentration skills that can help them in class, says Université de Montréal professor Linda Pagani.

Pagani’s research looks specifically at the impact of team sports. “We worked with information provided by parents and teachers to compare kindergarteners’ activities with their classroom engagement as they grew up,” Pagani said. “By time they reached the fourth grade, kids who played structured sports were identifiably better at following instructions and remaining focused in the classroom. There is something specific to the sporting environment — perhaps the unique sense of belonging to a team to a special group with a common goal — that appears to help kids understand the importance of respecting the rules and honoring responsibilities.”

Mr. Mico Delianova Licastro, the Italian National Olympic Committee’s US representative and organizer of the symposium, underscored that Prof. Pagani’s findings support the work his organization has been undertaking for years. “Coni is keenly aware of the need for children to start at a very early age to engage in an active life style and to participate in organized sports in and out of school when of the proper age,” Delianova Licastro said. “Coni is present in several countries with large populations of citizens of Italian descent, like here in the USA, to organize for the children of our communities’ all-in sports competitions, ludic events and to promote a healthy diet.”

Pagani is presenting her research in Chicago at “The Fundamental Importance of Free Movement and Organized Extracurricular Sport Activity for the Cognitive Development of the Child: The View From the Field,” a scientific symposium organized by Coni-Italian National Olympic Committee USA and the Italian Cultural Institute in Chicago.

Category: Features, Wellness and Complementary Therapies