Beyond the Classroom: The Social Benefits of Informal Sports for First-Year Students

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-630-7_31How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Informal sports; first-year students; social integration; mental health; university life; student wellbeing

Abstract

This narrative review explores the social benefits of informal sports for first-year students, emphasizing the critical role these activities play in enhancing social integration, mental health, and overall well-being. Transitioning to university life poses numerous challenges for first-year students, including navigating new social environments and coping with academic pressures. Informal sports, such as pick-up basketball games, soccer matches, and intramural leagues, provide a unique and accessible platform for students to connect with peers, fostering a sense of community and belonging. Research indicates that participation in informal sports activities significantly improves social networks among students, leading to increased opportunities for friendship and support. These activities also contribute to the development of essential life skills, such as teamwork, leadership, and communication. Moreover, informal sports serve as a valuable stress-relief mechanism, helping students manage anxiety and depression through physical activity and social engagement. The review highlights several case studies and empirical research findings demonstrating the positive impact of informal sports on first-year students. It also addresses potential barriers to participation, such as lack of facilities, time constraints, and varying levels of interest and skill among students. Strategies for promoting inclusive and accessible informal sports programs within university settings are discussed, including collaborations with student organizations, leveraging social media for event promotion, and providing resources for self-organized sports activities. In conclusion, the review underscores the importance of informal sports as a tool for enhancing the social and psychological well-being of first-year students. By fostering inclusive and supportive environments, universities can help students transition more smoothly into academic life and build lasting, meaningful connections.

Copyright

© 2024 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - M. L. Mathunjwa
AU  - N. M. Shandu
AU  - N. K. Ndwandwe
AU  - N. Shongwe
AU  - N. Linda
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/12/31
TI  - Beyond the Classroom: The Social Benefits of Informal Sports for First-Year Students
BT  - Proceedings of the Focus Conference (TFC 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 560
EP  - 580
SN  - 2667-128X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-630-7_31
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-630-7_31
ID  - Mathunjwa2024
ER  -