With thousands of students facing various important exams each year striking the correct balance between their studies and sports provides a difficult dilemma for students.
So where does sport fit into this picture. Well the problem is that it doesn’t play enough of a role for many. Last year the ERSI report on sport and children found that time spent on PE in schools in the Leaving Certificate year averaged at 54 minutes per week. This compared with an average of 70 minutes in 2nd year. In extra-curricular sports the number of young people taking part in sport 2 to 3 days per week dropped from 36% to 24% from second to sixth year, and those not taking part at all rose from 15 to 34%. In community sports clubs the figure of those not taking part at all increases from 18 to 25% over the same period. The overall picture is one of significant drops in physical activity levels by the Leaving Cert year.
Many teachers and students cite time pressure from schoolwork as the main reasons for this drop off, but the same ERSI study found that while time spent doing homework did increase as students progressed through second level school, there was no drop in time spent watching television. So it seems the direct trade off during exam years is to take part in less sport, and do more homework while watching the same amount of TV.
Spending time studying and watching TV as well as more time in the classroom means that exam year students are getting less exercise for up to ten months. As well as the negative impact on fitness, health and long-term exercise habits this drop off can also mean that a student misses out on the positive effects that sport and exercise can have on exam preparation and results.
Research evidence has shown that the involvement of young people in sports produces multiple benefits for them. At their best, sports promote responsible social behaviours and greater academic success, confidence in one’s physical abilities, and strong social bonds with individuals and institutions. Teachers attribute these results to the discipline and work ethic that sports require. Regular involvement in sport and physical activity throughout the exam year will also help reduce stress, clear the mind for study and keep good exercise habits alive.
Exam tension is very common and is not necessarily a bad thing as a certain amount of stress can help motivate some people to work harder. While not life threatening, stress can drain the body of vital resources at a time when it is needed most. Hard working students can experience headaches, eyestrain, racing heart, fatigue, irritability, sleeping problems and muscle tension. Stress can be tackled physically with small bouts of activity, which can help to relax the body, relieve tension, and as a result studying will be more productive.
During the exams the pressure increases and students may feel there is no time for long breaks to exercise but there are a few things that can be easily worked into study time and don’t take too long to do. A brisk 10 minute walk outside in the fresh air to revitalise the body and give the eyes a break from the books; students can also break up revision sessions by putting on some music and dancing around the room for a few minutes. During high stress times relaxing activities such as yoga or jogging can help relieve the pressure.
Parents and students heading into an exam year next year should think about including sport or physical activities into their timetable. This is not the year to drop all activities just to be sensible about the amount. Aiming for 2 to 3 sessions of activity a week is a good guide. For those worried that staying involved in their club is too much commitment if the research doesn’t persuade you, then look around at some of our top athletes in the county. The most recent were the young women from Killorglin Rowing Club who won gold and bronze medals at the World Coastal Rowing Championships in Italy last October. Those young women continued training not only during the year but also while sitting their exams and they believed that their training helped them study better and attain better results. If world class athletes can train at the level needed during exams then every student should be able to fit in 2 or 3 sessions a week.
Remember a healthy body, and healthy mind go hand in hand.
For further information contact
Kerry Local Sports Partnership
Tom Crean Centre, Institute of Technology
Tralee, North Campus
www.kerrylsp.ie