The Impact of COVID-19 on High School Student-Athlete Experiences with Physical Activity, Mental Health, and Social Connection

Abstract

COVID-19 restrictions led to reduced levels of physical activity, increased screen usage, and declines in mental health in youth; however, in-depth understandings of the experiences of high school student-athletes have yet to be explored. To describe the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic on student-athletes’ physical activity, social connection, and mental health, 20 high school student-athletes living in Calgary, Alberta participated in semi-structured interviews, designed using phenomenography. Participants reported variations in physical activity, social connections, and mental health which were influenced by stay-at-home restrictions and weather. Access to resources, changes to routines, online classes, and social support all influenced engagement in physical activity. School and sports provided opportunities for in-person social connections, impacted by the onset of the pandemic. Participants reported their mental health was influenced by social connections, online classes, and physical activity. Findings from this study will inform the development of resources for high school student-athletes amidst COVID-19.

Psychosocial Health of K-12 Students Engaged in Emergency Remote Education and In-Person Schooling: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…These results are also consistent with emerging literature on the role of physical activity in mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. A study found that implementing fitness programs among adolescents during COVID-19 lockdowns in Italy increased Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy scores after 8 weeks [45], and a qualitative study highlighted the role of physical activities and social connections in student-athletes' mental health [46]. However, schools around the world continue to face many challenges to promote physical activities and physical education in the context of COVID-19 [47,48].…”

“…However, schools around the world continue to face many challenges to promote physical activities and physical education in the context of COVID-19 [47,48]. Furthermore, inequalities in resources and built environment can act as barriers to students from lower socio-economic levels, which is something that has to be taken into consideration by educators while planning interventions aiming to increase physical activities [46]. Participation in sports also addressed concerns of limited socializing and communication presented by parents and teachers in the qualitative study in Indonesia [35].…”

Changes in Workers’ Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Since the initial lockdown restrictions were implemented, the number of studies related to PA and SB during the COVID-19 pandemic has been growing. Previous literature on PA or SB and the present pandemic has mainly focused on the general population [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32], the older population [33][34][35], people with different chronic illnesses [36][37][38], health care professionals [39] or athletes [40,41]. Employees, and especially office workers, are underrepresented.…”

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Life Space Extent and Apathy: A Comparison of Competitive Japanese Swimmers with and without Disabilities

“…Alternatively, exercise and sports activities play a preventive role against mental health exacerbations, so it is extremely important to exercise and participate in sports even during a state of emergency [ 11 ]. As part of the declaration of the state of emergency due to the effects of COVID-19, “stay at home” may also affect those who habitually exercise and play sports [ 12 ]. Due to the declaration of a state of emergency, it was impossible to play sports using the facilities, and except for jogging, most people were forced to limit themselves to exercising at home [ 13 ].…”