A Comparison of the Effect of Sports Extracurricular Activities on Student Learning Concentration Levels

Abstract

This study examines the comparison of the effect of sports extracurricular activities on student learning concentration levels at SMP Negeri 1 Lembang during the 2021/2022 academic year. An ex post facto method was applied using saturated sampling, involving 110 students from grades VII, VIII, and IX who participated in various individual and team sports extracurricular programs. Concentration was measured using the Concentration Grid Exercise instrument, consisting of a 10×10 grid containing randomly arranged numbers that participants must identify sequentially within a one-minute time limit. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric tests. The results revealed four key findings: first, no significant difference in concentration based on gender; second, a significant difference based on grade level, with grade IX students demonstrating the highest concentration scores; third, no significant difference between individual and team sport participants; and fourth, no overall significant difference based on weekly training frequency, although post hoc analysis indicated that students training three times per week scored significantly higher than those training once or twice per week. These findings confirm that grade level is the primary determinant of learning concentration among students actively engaged in sports extracurricular activities, while regular physical activity through structured extracurricular programs positively supports cognitive function and academic readiness.