“Participation in Sports and Civic Engagement” is available from The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
Young adults who had participated in sports activities when they were in high school report higher levels of civic engagement than those who did not participate, according to a study from the University of Maryland College Park.
The study—conducted by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, or CIRCLE—surveyed a group of 875 18- to 25-year-olds. Of those who had participated in sports activities during high school, 32 percent reported having volunteered for some type of civic activity as an adult, compared with 21 percent for those who had not been involved in sports activities in high school. In addition, 58 percent of the sports participants said they had registered to vote, compared with 40 percent of nonparticipants.