Besides back to school, fall also means sports. (Ask any football fan!) Some of our  schools have teams for tackle football, volleyball, and basketball, while other campuses have soccer, cheer, flag football and even a chess team – mental athletics count, too.

Our schools have sports partly because so many kids love them. But aside from keeping students fit and channeling their energy, competitive sports teach skills we all need: The discipline to practice even when you don’t feel like it, working as a team, winning graciously and losing gracefully. As we know from every sports movie, our six pillars of character can be found every day on any sports field in America.

But school is still about studying for the future – and student athletics also help grades. A new California study has found that high school sports are one of the best ways to aid academic achievement. For some students, physical activity develops habits that they take back to the classroom; for others who may be struggling in class, sports can motivate them to keep attending.

Not all schools can sustain their teams, and we at Heritage Elementary couldn’t do it without you! Resources matter, but simple support counts, too. Just being there at the games means so much to your child and to the team.