Children in the United States education system are struggling, with schools often failing
to meet federally set standards and many students unable to perform at grade level. Obesity and
other health problems among youth are also increasingly prevalent. Athletic activity is often
cited as a way to improve health, while also possibly providing cognitive benefits. Some
literature has explored the relationship between athletic activity and student achievement, but
these studies tend to focus only on high school students or physical education classes. This paper
contributes to the literature by examining the relationship between sports team participation and
student reading and math test scores, using individual-level panel data for students in their
elementary school years. My results suggest that there is generally no relationship between sports
team participation and student test scores.