Specifically, a lack of sports and physical activity has been linked to increasing physical and psychological ailments such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low self-esteem, and poor mental health including anxiety and depression (2) which tend to surface in adolescence and worsen throughout one’s life.Īccording to Bailey (1), participants in physical education and sports experience several benefits. The positive influence of sports and physical activity are widely recognized as directly combatting and preventing obesity and its related health issues (12). Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health issues of the 21st century (35). These staggering statistics are most concerning since physical activity significantly declines through childhood and adolescence (12).

Approximately 3.2 million deaths occur each year that are attributable to insufficient physical activity. According to the World Health Organization (36), globally, around 31% of adults aged 51 and older were not sufficiently active in 2008. The rise in adolescent and adult obesity has been well documented in literature as a widespread epidemic over the last two decades. Keywords: sport participation, early sport participation, youth and adolescent sport participation, athletic participation, self-esteem, happiness, depression, subjective well-being This study found that a lifetime of sport participation beginning in youth and adolescence improved physical and psychological well-being of individuals as they enter young adulthood.

Data were collected in the spring and summer 2017 semesters using survey questionnaires which included the Rosenberg Self-esteem scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and demographic questions. Spearman’s Rank Correlation and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed that of the 514 college students surveyed, those who participated in sports prior to college reported higher self-esteem and happiness than non-sport participants. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between self-esteem and happiness with participation in sports prior to college. Effects of Early Sport Participation on Self-esteem and Happiness Wayne, NJ Nandini Mathur Collins is an Adjunct Professor at William Paterson University and Southern New Hampshire University and she is also an alumni of the United States Sports Academy.

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