Sports influence on students’ academic performance at Ndejje University

Abstract

This study was carried out at Ndejje University to establish whether students’ involvement in sports affect students’ academic performance. The objectives of the study were to establish whether both indoor and outdoor sports affect students’ academic performance. The study was biased on a quantitative approach involving cross-section survey. Purposive sampling was used to select sports students, lecturers, administrators. Content validity of the instruments was ensured by setting clear and short question items that conformed to the study’s conceptual framework and reliability of the instrument was tested using the Cronbach Alpha Coefficient. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to correlate students’ involvement in indoor and outdoor sports with their academic performance; this was done using Spearman’s Rank Correlation Co-efficient method.

The findings showed that there was a significant positive relationship between students’ involvement in sports and their academic performance. However, the findings also revealed that involvement in indoor sports negatively influence students’ performance at Ndejje University because there is no comprehensive programme that balances both sports and academic work. Students take a lot of time on sports activities and end up performing poorly in academics. The study recommended that if students’ involvement in sports is to enhance their academic performance, there should be a clear programme that balances both sports activities and academic work and it should be adhered to.