Roedean School’s Under 19s netball squad competed at The National Schools Netball Finals on Saturday 19th March and were thrilled to achieve fifth place from a total of over 1,000 state and independent schools competing in this age group.

Netball is just one of the many team sports where Roedean excels. Others include traditional sports such as Badminton, Rounders, Tennis and Trampolining to ones that you wouldn’t normally associate with a girls’ school such as Karate, Kickboxing, Sailing, Skiing, Scuba Diving, Volleyball and Yoga.

Roedean’s Head of PE, Jane Chandler, has explained why team sports are such an important element of education for young people. Not only does playing sports improve the levels of fitness and well-being for students, it can also instil crucial social skills and a positive outlook on life.

Physical benefits of sport

Team sports, like netball, encourage cardiovascular activity and therefore are a great way to keep fit and active. According to the NHS, taking part in regular exercise from a young age will only increase these benefits and set the pattern for an active lifestyle throughout adulthood.

Mental benefits

Not only does sport encourage cardiovascular activity, it also encourages goal-setting. It is found that people who regularly play team sports have better relationships with colleagues and more confidence in their professional life.

People who play sports also develop planning skills and learn how to benefit from collective thinking and strategising. Taking part in team sports builds confidence and provides a sense of accomplishment, which plays a critical role in social well-being.

Other psychological benefits of team sport participation include learning how to think critically, solve problems, develop patience and become self-disciplined. With proper guidance, children can also learn how to cope with disappointment in healthy ways. It’s not always the winning that counts, it’s the taking part!

Social skills

Playing team sports is extremely beneficial to the development of social skills. It can teach children how to interact with others and work together as a team to accomplish the aspiration of scoring goals and winning the game. Successful participation in team sports requires children to learn how to cooperate with their teammates, how to follow directions and how to develop friendships.

The benefits and rewards associated with setting goals and following through on a sports team are countless. While the actual context of the sport can vary greatly, simply being on the team and physically exerting themselves can to lead a happier, healthier life.

The greatest benefit of team sports is the sportsmanship that is shown by all- developing a sportive nature will help in many ways throughout life!