The findings seem to show that children born in the early months of the school year enjoy a double “autumn advantage” – they are already known to have an academic advantage and, now, they also appear to be better equipped for sports, too. The authors believe that autumn-born children’s greater exposure over the summer months, towards the end of pregnancy, to vitamin D is the most likely explanation. John Steele, chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said the quality of a young person’s introduction to sports at school can be “a major factor” in their sporting development. “Children that get a high-quality first experience are those that will have greater agility, balance and coordination, and are more likely to develop an enjoyment of physical activity and excel in sports as they grow up”, he said.
What is one effect of a high-quality first sports experience, according to Steele?
Enjoyment of physical activity High expectations from the social environment to be good at sports Increased exposure to vitamin D due to spending more time outside Better performance on standardized tests