Participating in high school sports has grown exponentially for both boys and girls in the recent years. Sports offezr numerous opportunities for companionship, networking and exercise with team mates and friends. Additionally, allowing high school youths to compete in a fun and safe environment is a great way to help kids develop skills of perseverance, work ethics, training and self-discipline. Here is a list of the most popular high school games that you or someone you know may want to try out.
1. Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport where two teams of 6 players each are separated by a net. A team scores a point if it grounds a ball on the other team’s court as guided by game rules. It’s a popular high school game for both girls and boys in US and across the world. Almost all high schools in Canada and United States have volleyball teams, however most states tend to offer more support and attention to girls’ volleyball. There are currently fewer opportunities for young male athletes to advance in volleyball in most states compared to their female counterparts. As at now, over 511,000 girls participated in volleyball according to National Federation of State High School Associations. But very little data is available on boys.
High school teams play in pre-season and season competition, which is generally followed by a post-season championship. Most states and countries manage their own high school volleyball competitions through either state or national athletic associations. High schools use the same volleyball rules and guidelines set by governing Olympic and National leagues. Volleyball doesn’t need advanced skills and training demanded by other games such as baseball, which makes it easy for youths to join at a younger age.
2. Baseball
Baseball, for starters, is a bat and ball sports played between two teams composed of 9 players each, and they take turns in batting and fielding. So basically, the batting team attempts to score runs by hitting a ball thrown by the pitcher using a bat and then running anti-clockwise through four bases.
Baseball and its variants (Tee ball and softball) are now termed as America’s favorite pastime among high school youths. When getting introduced to baseball, kids begin by playing tee ball at a younger age. As they grow older, they may join a league where balls are pitched from a machine. Beyond this stage, there is a little advancement where boys and girls will split into softball for girls and baseball for boys. According to NFSSA, an estimated 478,000 students had participated in the high school baseball games as at the end of 2015.
To succeed in the game if baseball, one needs to get it right from the very beginning. This includes fully understanding the rules of the game, choosing the best gear and learning to bat like a pro. To help you get started on choosing the right gear, here is a great source to learn about best batting gloves and best youth catcher gear. When all is said and done, high school and youthful baseball players are taught two primary principles; first, choose the best possible bat – click here to read best baseball bats reviews; and secondly, train consistently.
3. Track &Field
Track and field is a sport that involves a series of athletic competitions based on the skills of running, throwing and jumping. The term track and Field are derived from the typical venue at which the sports take place, i.e. a stadium with a running track that encloses a grass field.
There are many high school track and field sport events that youths can participate individually and as a team including long-distance, middle-distance and sprints events, as well as hurdling. Other common track and field events that allow high school youths to interact and compete include long jump, high jump, triple jump, pole vault, shot put, discus, hammer and javelin.
Some countries such as the United States offer sponsorship for track and field sports for middle and high school students to compete in the Olympic Games. However, due to the huge amount of participants who meet the Olympic standards, all participants must go through national trials to get the top most talent.
4. Football
A high school football game is a team sport between two teams composed of 11 players in a rectangular field. It’s widely popular in the United States, Canada and Europe, and it currently ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in those countries. High school football has a long history that goes back to the 19th century. ESPN currently ranks football as the most popular high school sport with over 1,086,627 high school students having participated so far.
In many states, high school football is generally considered the first stepping stone to college or professional football. Most youthful players use this opportunity to built their profiles and accumulate impressive statistics that determine their chances of joining college, and eventually professional football leagues. Generally, football allows students from various schools to interact and built on their talents. Parents sometimes tend to be concerned about the safety o their kids due to the aggressive contact involved. However, if kids are well-trained, football can be a safe sport because of the helmets and padding.
5. Basketball
According to ESPN, basketball is the second most popular spot for high school youths with 450,000 girls and 5 550,000 boys participating in school-sponsored teams. Basketball can be quite competitive as far as selection as kids grow older. There is however plenty of opportunities for development and training at a younger age without the pressure of competition.
Internationally, National Basketball Association (NBA) is currently the world’s premier professional basketball league that is the envy of most youthful players. It is made up of 30 teams that play in over 82 seasonal games. Most youths are inspired by some of the most accomplished players such as LeBron James and Stephen Curry.
There are many other High School sports including soccer, Tennis, Swimming and Diving, Lacrosse, Golf and so on. So if you are interested in high school sport, don’t hesitate to pick your favorite. It will offer you a great opportunity to make friends, stay active and get involved in your school.
Author Bio:
My name is David, I am an editor/co-founder of www.theplanetofbaseball.com. Being a software engineer by day and a baseball blogger by night, I also participated in the training activities of a youth baseball team at my hometown. I have passion with baseball, it pertains to my life from childhood until now and I love to share what is related to that passion with others. I believe in the support of other baseball bloggers like me to spread the passion.
