Sports

Each sport that we analyzed has different health-related characteristics. See how they compare below, based on our research. Click on the respective tile to learn more about each sport, complementary or alternate activities that may be worth considering, and best practices for providers.

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1st

out of 10

Cross Country

Boys
Physical Activity
1st
Safety
3rd
Psychosocial
8th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Baseball (Boys)
  • Soccer (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
By Skills
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Soccer (Boys)
  • Lacrosse (Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
1st

out of 10

Swimming

Girls
Physical Activity
3rd
Safety
3rd
Psychosocial
6th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
By Skills
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Cheerleading (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Cross Country (Girls)
2nd

out of 10

Swimming

Boys
Physical Activity
3rd
Safety
2nd
Psychosocial
4th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Baseball (Boys)
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Soccer (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
By Skills
  • Track and Field (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Wrestling (Boys)
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Lacrosse (Boys)
2nd

out of 10

Cross Country

Girls
Physical Activity
1st
Safety
2nd
Psychosocial
8th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Soccer (Girls)
  • Swimming (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
By Skills
  • Swimming (Girls)
  • Soccer (Girls)
  • Lacrosse (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
3rd

out of 10

Track and Field

Boys
Physical Activity
2nd
Safety
4th
Psychosocial
9th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Baseball (Boys)
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Soccer (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
By Skills
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Baseball (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
3rd

out of 10

Tennis

Girls
Physical Activity
7th
Safety
1st
Psychosocial
4th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Swimming (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
By Skills
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Soccer (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
  • Cross Country (Girls)
4th

out of 10

Soccer

Boys
Physical Activity
5th
Safety
7th
Psychosocial
1st
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
  • Wrestling (Boys)
By Skills
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Lacrosse (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
4th

out of 10

Volleyball

Girls
Physical Activity
4th
Safety
6th
Psychosocial
5th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Swimming (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
By Skills
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Cheerleading (Girls)
  • Lacrosse (Girls)
5th

out of 10

Tennis

Boys
Physical Activity
9th
Safety
1st
Psychosocial
7th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Baseball (Boys)
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Soccer (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
By Skills
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Soccer (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Lacrosse (Boys)
5th

out of 10

Soccer

Girls
Physical Activity
2nd
Safety
10th
Psychosocial
3rd
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Swimming (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Softball (Girls)
By Skills
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Lacrosse (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
6th

out of 10

Basketball

Boys
Physical Activity
7th
Safety
6th
Psychosocial
3rd
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
  • Wrestling (Boys)
By Skills
  • Soccer (Boys)
  • Baseball (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
6th

out of 10

Basketball

Girls
Physical Activity
6th
Safety
9th
Psychosocial
1st
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Swimming (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
By Skills
  • Soccer (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
7th

out of 10

Wrestling

Boys
Physical Activity
4th
Safety
8th
Psychosocial
6th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Baseball (Boys)
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Soccer (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
By Skills
  • Football (Boys)
  • Lacrosse (Boys)
  • Soccer (Boys)
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
7th

out of 10

Track and Field

Girls
Physical Activity
8th
Safety
4th
Psychosocial
9th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Swimming (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
By Skills
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Soccer (Girls)
8th

out of 10

Baseball

Boys
Physical Activity
10th
Safety
5th
Psychosocial
5th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
  • Wrestling (Boys)
By Skills
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Lacrosse (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
8th

out of 10

Softball

Girls
Physical Activity
9th
Safety
5th
Psychosocial
2nd
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Swimming (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
By Skills
  • Lacrosse (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Soccer (Girls)
9th

out of 10

Lacrosse

Boys
Physical Activity
6th
Safety
9th
Psychosocial
10th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
  • Wrestling (Boys)
By Skills
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Soccer (Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Cross Country (Boys)
9th

out of 10

Lacrosse

Girls
Physical Activity
5th
Safety
8th
Psychosocial
7th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Swimming (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Softball (Girls)
By Skills
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Soccer (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
10th

out of 10

Football

Boys
Physical Activity
8th
Safety
10th
Psychosocial
2nd
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
  • Wrestling (Boys)
By Skills
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Wrestling (Boys)
  • Soccer (Boys)
  • Lacrosse (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)
10th

out of 10

Cheerleading

Girls
Physical Activity
10th
Safety
7th
Psychosocial
10th
Complementary Sport
By Health
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Swimming (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
By Skills
  • Swimming (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Cross Country (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)