Sports Participation and Academic Motivation Among Secondary School Students in Niger State: An Empirical Investigation

The relationship between organised sports participation and academic motivation in Nigerian secondary schools has theoretical and practical significance for educational policy, yet empirical evidence from the North Central zone remains limited. This study empirically investigates the relationship between sports participation and academic motivation among senior secondary school students in Niger State, North Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional correlational design was employed, with 350 students from 12 secondary schools completing measures of sports participation frequency, duration, and sport type, alongside validated instruments assessing intrinsic academic motivation, academic self-efficacy, and school engagement. Academic performance data from end-of-year examinations supplemented self-report measures. Multiple regression and mediation analysis examined direct and indirect pathways between sports participation and academic motivation. Findings reveal a significant positive association between regular organised sports participation and intrinsic academic motivation, academic self-efficacy, and school engagement scores. The relationship between sports participation and academic performance is partially mediated by academic self-efficacy, suggesting that sports participation builds the confidence-related mechanisms through which motivation translates to achievement. Duration of sports participation is a stronger predictor of academic motivation than participation frequency alone. Students involved in team sports demonstrate higher school engagement compared to those in individual sports. Recommendations include formal integration of organised sports into the school programme and professional development for sports coaches in academic motivation support strategies. Keywords: sports participation, academic motivation, secondary students, Niger State, academic self-efficacy