Athletics Help Students Develop Important Skills, Matt Schilit States

Matt Schilit

Former wrestling coach and school administrator sees many benefits of youth athletics.

LEXINGTON, S.C. – April 30, 2013 – Matt Schilit, former school wrestling coach, notes that students who engage in athletics develop skills that go beyond the classroom. Athletics are a great way for children to learn the importance of teamwork, leadership skills and persistence—all skills Matt Schilit feels are key to excelling in life.

In addition to the mental benefits, Matt Schilit also emphasizes the physical health aspects of being involved in sports. Child athletes learn from a young age that physical activity can be both fun and rewarding. The amount of training required for athletics goes far beyond what is taught in physical education class, Matt Schilit has found.

As children try out for, train and compete in school sports, Matt Schilit notices that they learn core skills that help them in every facet of their lives now and in the future. From learning to be a good sport even when they lose, for example, they’ll be able to cope later in life when someone else is chosen for that big promotion. Matt Schilit adds that they’ll also learn to win gracefully, without becoming arrogant or condescending to opponents.

Since school athletics often come with strict rules, Matt Schilit finds that young athletes get an early lesson in following guidelines, which they’ll experience as they proceed to college and beyond. Since each sport has its own rules, Matt Schilit also believes children should learn about various sports.

Perseverance is among the most important skills Matt Schilit found young athletes learn. Whatever a young person’s dream, perseverance is required to achieve those goals. Not only is a student unlikely to make a team on first—or even second—try, Matt Schilit has found that doing well on that team requires daily practice and discipline. Even the team itself may be on a losing streak, Matt Schilit has found, requiring athletes to continue to work harder to turn that losing streak around.

Teamwork is perhaps one of the biggest benefits of sports, Matt Schilit notes. A former school athlete himself, Matt Schilit has personally witnessed the power of teamwork in his own work over the years. When someone learns to do what is good for the team as a whole, rather than simply for his or her own personal gain, Matt Schilit finds that anything is possible.

As Matt Schilit continues his career as a school administrator, he continues to express the importance of school athletics on a child’s growth. While schoolwork should always come first, sports can help students develop character and build life skills that will help them once they grow into adulthood.

Contact Matt Schilit:
100 Old Cherokee Rd, Ste F
Lexington, SC 29072
803-220-4552