Photo Credit: Sideline Sports Doc
Individuals Who Participated In Sports While in School Earn More and Are More Likely to Have Gone to College
Participation in athletic programs has influence on current level of personal fulfillment
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.
To see other recent Harris Polls, please visit the
Harris Poll News Room.
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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, 2015By
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.
Press Contact:Corporate Communications
The Harris Poll
585-272-8400
Press.TheHarrisPoll@Nielsen.com
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