The Abundant Life Academy is a Christian boarding school located in St. George, Utah. The school's intent is to help gifted but unmotivated or otherwise troubled teenagers find their potential through academic, musical and athletic programs. Abundant Life exercise is just one component of the boarding school's overall program, but it contains a broad range of activities in and of itself.
Abundant Life Overview
According to the Abundant Life Academy official website, the school intends to provide "deep and substantial emotional, spiritual, and physical growth" for its students. The academy offers year-round schooling based on the teachings of the Bible and is a college preparatory program intended "for the struggling and troubled teen." In addition to education, the academy provides career and academic advising.
Mental Benefits of Exercise
Although the primary focus of Abundant Life is classroom instruction, the exercise programs provide numerous academic benefits. Playing sports helps build confidence and camaraderie and promotes the value of team work. In addition, psychiatrist John Ratey explains that exercise can help enhance learning, reduce symptoms of depression and stress and improve self-esteem.
Baseball
Baseball is one of the three major sports offered at Christian Life Academy. Baseball can be a good sport for troubled teens because it doesn't involve any physical contact with opponents and it is easy to learn. Baseball is a team sport that depends on nine fielders working together to win, so it can help students learn to help one another and communicate well.
Basketball
Another non-contact team sport offered by Abundant Life is basketball. This fast-paced game provides an effective source of cardiovascular exercise. Basketball can be played year-round because it is played indoors, which makes it a good match for Abundant Life's year-round academic program. As with baseball, basketball is relatively easy to learn.
Football
The final major sport offered as part of Abundant Life's exercise program is football. The Abundant Life football team practices six days per week and plays 8- and 11-man games from August to October. Abundant Life's football team plays other preparatory schools from across the nation.
