Effects of participation in school sports on academic and social functioning

•Propensity score matching was employed to study the benefits of participating in school-organized sports.•Participation in school sports is associated with higher GPAs.•Participation in school sports is linked to increased perceptions of family support as well as teacher and community support.•Adolescents participating in school-organized sports feel that school is a safe environment.

For many students, school-organized sports play an important role in students' academic and social experiences. This study focuses on the effects of participation in school-organized sports on academic achievement and students' perceptions of family support, teacher and community support, and school safety. Data were obtained from the 2010 administration of the Minnesota Student Survey, resulting in a total sample of 29,535 12th grade students of which 12,849 participated regularly (at least 1–2 times per week) in school-organized sports. Propensity score matching was used to match similar students who voluntarily participated in school sports with those who were not involved in any school sports. Participation in school sports was associated with higher GPAs, favorable perceptions of school safety, and increased perceptions of family and teacher/community support. Guidance for parents, educators, and policymakers on how to further promote students' academic and social success are discussed.