Ciara, a student at Nord Anglia’s British International School of Shanghai (BISS), clearly remembers her time in Year 6. “I couldn’t run or throw,” she says, laughing. She used to avoid sports, dreaded warm-ups, and struggled physically. But everything changed when her coach, Olympian Marlon Devonish, encouraged her to give it a try.

With his constant support, she improved gradually. Her confidence grew along with her ability. The once-shy girl who stayed away from the playground ended up becoming a team captain, winning tournaments, and even getting scouted by a local football academy. More importantly, she learned to lead, to stay disciplined, and to believe in herself. “Every year he told me how much I’d improved. That reassurance meant the world,” Ciara shared.

Sport builds more than fitness

For many Indian parents, academics take priority—and rightly so. But sport is not just a break from studies. It builds essential life skills: confidence, focus, teamwork, leadership, resilience, and emotional strength.

Marlon Devonish explains it well. “I wasn’t the most academic student, but sport gave me identity and self-worth. It helped me grow into who I am.” Today, he motivates all children—not just the most athletic—to discover their strengths through sport. “A child who couldn’t catch a ball six months ago might be leading warm-ups today. That sense of growth builds confidence that carries into academics too,” he says.

Research supports this. Studies show that physical activity is strongly linked to better self-esteem, emotional balance, and even academic performance. And importantly, it’s not about how skilled the child is—it’s about simply participating.

Mike Ostrowski, who heads the sports and wellbeing programme at Nord Anglia, highlights what sport can teach:

• Time management
• Discipline and hard work
• Coping with failure
• Teamwork
• Leadership
• Sense of belonging
• Managing stress

Mental health and real-life preparation

In today’s stressful and competitive world, sport can also support mental health. A study in The Lancet Psychiatry found that individuals who exercised regularly had 43% fewer days with poor mental health. For Ciara, sport was the break she needed from academic pressure. “During exams, I looked forward to football on Sundays. It gave me energy and focus.”