Individuals Who Participated In Sports While in School Earn More and Are More Likely to Have Gone to College

NEW YORK, March 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Perhaps you were the starting quarterback or broke a school record for running the fastest mile. Maybe you preferred to face an opponent one-on-one in tennis or had a killer free-throw on the basketball court. Whatever the preference, sports tend to be a prevalent extracurricular activity choice while in school. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of American adults participated in some form of athletic activity throughout their schooling years, with half (49%) participating in school team sports and 44% taking up other team sports outside of school. Four-in-ten Americans (41%) participated in school sports with both individual and team aspects, while 37% flew solo, participating in individual sports not through school. Over one-quarter (27%) took formal lessons for a sport.

Higher education levels are associated with participation in athletics. Sixty four percent of those who participated in sports went through some level of higher education, compared to just 45% of those who did not participate. They are more likely to have capped off their education with a four-year college degree (20% vs. 14%) compared to those who didn't participate and are also twice as likely to have some form of post graduate education (12% vs. 6%).

Participation in athletics is also associated with higher incomes. Fifteen percent of adults who participated in athletics have a personal income greater than $100,000, compared to just 9% of those who did not participate. The same is true for household income levels; 28% of those who participated in sports have a household income over $100,000 compared to just 15% of those who did not.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll® of 2,232 U.S. adults surveyed online between January 14 and 20, 2015. Full results of the study, including data tables, can be found here.

Certain groups are more likely than others to have participated in athletics in school. Men are more likely than women (82% versus 65%) to have participated. Generation wise, the younger one is, the more likely they participated in athletics as 81% of Millennials and 76% of Generation X participated compared to 67% of Baby Boomers and 63% of Matures.

Most people who participated in athletics did so for at least a few years while in school, and some are still active in a sport. Just 10% of participants completed less than one year in athletics and one-fifth (21%) completed between one and three years. One-quarter (25%) completing three to five years, three-in-ten (29%) completed more than five years, and 9% are still going strong today.

Athletic participation scores personal fulfillment points

Among those who participated in an athletic program during their school years, close to one-half (45%) say it was extremely or very influential to their current level of personal fulfillment, with another third (32%) saying it was somewhat influential. Those with some college education or a college degree are more likely to say their athletic participation was extremely or very influential than those with a high school or less education (48% and 56% vs. 37%, respectively).

The longer people stayed involved in an athletic program, the more likely they are to say that participating influenced their current level of personal fulfillment. Among those who participated for less than three years, less than one-quarter (23%) say it was extremely or very influential, while nearly half (47%) of those with 3-5 years of participation say the same. This jumps again when looking at those who participated for more than five years, with over six in ten (63%) sharing this sentiment and over three-quarters (77%) of those still involved say it was very or extremely influential. Overall, just 18% say it was not at all influential.

Gaining skills on and off the field

Much more than just learning how to dribble a ball or throw a strike, participation in athletics has the ability to provide various skills that may be needed for success in a job or career. Those who were involved in athletics during school years agree that the skills they learned spanned beyond just those used on the playing field. Nearly seven-in-ten (69%) feel their participation in athletic activities was extremely or very important in providing them with skills to work towards common goals. Similar percentages say it was important in helping them develop skills to strive for individual excellence in a group setting (66%) and to have a disciplined approach to problem solving (65%). Sixty percent each say athletics was important in helping them with flexibility in work situations and creative problem solving.

Interestingly, those involved in athletics for 3+ years are more likely than those who participated for less than three years to say it was very or extremely important in providing them with each of these skills.

• Working towards common goals: 54% of those involved less than 3 years vs. 78% or more for those involved at least 3 years
• Striving for individual excellence in a group setting: 52% vs. 75% or more
• Disciplined approach to solving problems: 51% vs. 72% or more 
• Flexibility in work situations: 47% vs. 65% or more
• Creative problem solving: 47% vs. 61% or more

Additionally, strong majorities of adults agree that the learnings and habits from participating in athletics help individuals later in life. Over eight-in-ten Americans (82%), and 87% of those who participated themselves, agree the learnings and habits from athletics equip people to be better team players in their career. Seventy-eight percent of the general population (and 83% of those who were involved with athletics) say it provides people with a disciplined approach to problem solving, while 77% of adults (and 83% of those who participated) agree it prepares someone to manage the tasks of their job more successfully.

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Methodology

This Harris Poll was conducted online, in English, within the United States between January 14 and 20, 2015 among 2,232 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, The Harris Poll avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Poll surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in our panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of The Harris Poll.

Product and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

The Harris Poll^® #16, March 10, 2015
By Allyssa Birth, Senior Research Analyst, The Harris Poll

About The Harris Poll®

Begun in 1963, The Harris Poll is one of the longest running surveys measuring public opinion in the U.S. and is highly regarded throughout the world. The nationally representative polls, conducted primarily online, measure the knowledge, opinions, behaviors and motivations of the general public. New and trended polls on a wide variety of subjects including politics, the economy, healthcare, foreign affairs, science and technology, sports and entertainment, and lifestyles are published weekly. For more information, or to see other recent polls, visit the Harris Poll News Room.

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