Volleyball is a popular sport among students. For girls who aren’t huge volleyball fans, they can still realize the benefits by joining a team. It can improve their social life, mental health, physical health and more. Anyone thinking about spending some of their free time on an all-girl volleyball team should read through the following benefits to see what playing this sport in a team environment can do for their overall health.
1. Improve Cardiovascular Endurance
One of the most obvious ways that volleyball can benefit the health of a teen girl is through improved cardiovascular endurance. Volleyball is a sport that involves lots of movement, so participants will need to train for endurance and sprinting, both of which can improve the lungs and heart. Whether teenagers play on indoor courts or out on the sand, running and jumping is a great way to gain cardiovascular strength. Many girls who enjoy volleyball have tried other sports, such as track and field or lacrosse, because you get the cardiovascular benefits without as much running.
2. Build Muscular Strength
In addition to working the heart and lungs, playing volleyball can drastically build muscular strength in teen girls. This is beneficial for many reasons, including the fact the increased muscle mass reduces the risk of osteoporosis, burns more calories when at rest and reduces the chance of injuries both on and off the court. Muscular strength is built through body-weight exercises, running, plyometric drills and other aspects of volleyball training and games.
3. Increase Self Esteem
One of the great benefits of playing in an all-girl volleyball team is that teens enjoy an increase in self-esteem. Belonging to a team and playing a sport can help girls at this stage of life feel accepted and confident about themselves. The feeling of belonging to a team and working with a coach and teammates can help her feel better about herself, and her contributions to the overall team; even if she is not a star player.
4. Reduce the Risk of Obesity
Obesity is a major problem for teens around the world, but playing a team sport like volleyball is a great way to combat the issue. A typical one hour volleyball practice burns upwards of 600 calories for a teenage girl, allowing them to easily maintain a healthy weight.
5. Better Mental Health
The mental health of teen girls can be improved both by the endorphins produced by regular exercise and the social aspect of a welcoming community. Being a part of an all-girl volleyball team manages to do both while still being a fun activity for any teen.
Volleyball sign ups usually start at the beginning of the school year. If you are a student and you missed signing up, talk to your gym teacher or the coach about starting a recreational league that can practice after school and build skills for next season. You can also check with your local YMCA for a league. If all else fails, all you need is a net and some friends! Once the spring thaw comes in March or April, grab a ball, and head out to your local park for some practice to see if you would enjoy being part of a team in the future.
This article was written by Cisco Athletic, a manufacturer of athletic uniforms for all sports.
