After playing sports for 13 years of my life, I have learned a lot of things. The most important lesson I learned is how good sports are for your mental health. From age 5 to 18, I played every sport you can think of, but the one that stuck with me the most was football.  All of my closest friends to this day I met playing football. One of the best relationships I gained through sports was my relationship with my Grandpa, We would constantly talk sports, and he was my biggest supporter throughout my sports journey. He was even one of my football coaches for part of it. That all changed when I was 13 and he passed away suddenly during football season. I didn’t know if I wanted to continue to play without him being there, but with the help of my teammates and other coaches, I was able to walk onto the field again. Something I will remember the rest of my life is being at my Grandpa’s wake and seeing all my teammates and coaches walk into the line. After the wake, my teammates and coaches told me all their favorite memories and stories about my Grandpa, which meant so much to me.  My teammates and friends helped me grieve and were able to lift my mood while I was going through one of the worst times in my life. Nathaniel Artis According to a 2022 study, 11,235 children age 9 to 13 were evaluated for their mental health. The children who played sports showed a 10% lower anxious/depressed scores. Many people may say that football is bad for players because of potential head injuries. But football is getting safer because of new helmet and equipment technology like the Guardian Cap. The Guardian Cap is a padded helmet cover and is now even being seen in NFL games. The National Football League reported a 50% reduction in concussion incidence since 2022 following the mandate to wear the Guardian Cap for team practices. Without sports, I don’t know where I would be in my life. Playing sports and being part of a team has helped me overcome so many obstacles throughout my life. Now every time I watch a football game, I will always have the memories of being on the field with my Grandpa. Nathaniel Artis of Plainville, Connecticut is a 3-year student at Central Connecticut State University. https://ctmirror.org/index.php?gf-download=2024%2F12%2FWhy-Sports-Are-Good-for-Your-Mental-Health.pdf&form-id=1&field-id=11&hash=2fb98dc47210e72c6164dcbdfa4bb7e753389da173b8826ea8151988952602ce