Sports as an intervention: Evidence for supporting at-risk youth

I was never a “sports person.” In fact, I always hesitated to take part in sports because I thought I wouldn’t be able to contribute. I didn’t want to be part of the competition, or worse, feel left out. But over time, I realized something important: sports are not just about winning or being the best player on the field. They are about channeling energy, reducing frustration, and finding a sense of belonging.

I remember being hyperactive as a child. I could walk fast, move endlessly, and carry energy that no one seemed to recognize as a strength. No teacher ever told me that this energy could be channeled into sports.

Sadly, I also remember a boy from my school. He was placed in the “lower” section—the one for students with poor academic performance—unlike the “A” and “B” sections for academically strong kids. He was good at sports, but academics were the school’s only priority. Teachers and the system failed to recognize his talent. Eventually, he became involved in risky behaviors like alcohol and smoking. After school, his struggles deepened, and tragically, he ended his own life.

That incident stayed with me. We had a school counselor, but not full-time. And even today, though schools claim to have counselors, I wonder how effectively they function.

During my internship with children from a slum, I saw the same pattern. Programs focused mostly on academics or vocational training for girls, like sewing. Sports were never a priority. But when I began working as an evidence synthesis specialist with Campbell and led a review on sports interventions, the findings were striking.

Later, when I watched films like Iqbal (2005) and Jhund (2022), the message became even clearer. Both highlight how sports can transform lives, especially for children who are marginalized, at risk, or overlooked by society.

A mixed-methods systematic review and meta-analysis for at-risk and offending children showed very large effects of sports and physical activity on reducing offending behavior. The evidence also pointed to improvements in aggression, self-esteem, and both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Beyond numbers, the qualitative findings revealed that sports provided meaningful relationships with adults and structured use of time—two factors that are critical for vulnerable youth. Importantly, the review also reinforced diversion theory: sports can redirect at-risk children away from gangs and delinquency, offering them positive spaces to engage their energy and identity.

In the UK and other parts of the world, such evidence is being actively used to shape programs for at-risk children. Yet in India, I don’t see the same level of uptake.

Our funder, the Youth Endowment Fund (UK), also supported feasibility and pilot evaluations of two innovative sports programs for 10–14-year-olds. The first, Empire Fighting Chance, combined physical activity with one-to-one or group mentoring focused on personal development. Over 12–20 weeks, it aimed to reduce anti-social and criminal behavior among at-risk youth. The second, the Rugby Football League – Educate Mentoring Programme, was delivered in schools over 12 weeks for young people with poor behavior and attendance, with the goal of improving well-being, resilience, social relationships, and confidence, while also reducing long-term offending. Both programs demonstrated how sports can be integrated with mentoring and personal development—not just as play, but as structured interventions with measurable outcomes.

I am writing this blog to disseminate the findings of our review and emphasize the importance of recognizing sports as a powerful tool to transform the lives of children at risk.

Sports can engage children who feel excluded from the traditional education system. They can redirect the energies of hyperactive children like me. They can give at-risk youth a sense of purpose, identity, and community.

We should not consider sports just an extracurricular activity. Instead, let’s view it as an essential program—one that schools, communities, and policymakers could adopt to support children at risk.

Here is the link for full report: https://youthendowmentfund.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Malhotra-et-al-2022-A-mixed-methods-systematic-review-of-sports-on-behaviour-and-offending.-1.pdf