To Play or Not to Play?

Gaston Day School seeks to educate the whole child through a wide variety of course offerings and co-curricular activities. The athletic program provides students an opportunity to grow physically, mentally, psychologically and socially. Please consider the following.

Sports in the Lives of Children and Adolescents: Success on the Field and in Life
By Robert S Griffin, Professor in the College of Education and Social Services at the University of Vermont

(Summation)
Sports plays an important role in shaping habits of success for students that, when done right, pay off in increased academic performance and have a significant role to play in the healthy maturation of people from childhood through adolescence. 

• Time management
• Communication skills
• People skills
• Confidence
• Independence
• Character development
• Developing work ethic
• Making & following through on commitments
• Team player / cooperative mentality
• Developing goals, aspirations and dreams to chase
• Discovering one’s talents
• Learning one’s limits

“Athletics play a significant role in the lives of many students. There are 41 Division I intercollegiate varsity sports teams for women and men here, making ours the largest varsity program among all Division I institutions. The Department of Athletics also offers more than 30 programs in a range of recreational and individual sports. It is estimated that over 75% of our undergraduates engage in some level of athletic activity, varying from club sports to varsity teams. We believe this involvement speaks to the total educational endeavor.”          Harvard University