Actually, I did a research project a couple of years ago analyzing the cost vs. benefits of Title IX, which has made a major difference in providing opportunities for girls and young women to play sports at the high school and college level. Turns out there is a significant amount of research that shows a correlation between playing organized sports and success in the world of employment, especially for women. Two particular items of note that I dug up:
A University of Virginia survey found that 80% of female leaders in Fortune 500 companies played school sports.
A 2004 Oppenheimer Funds survey of 401 "highly successful" women showed that 82% of those surveyed played sports in junior high, high school, and/or college. They cited team activities as part of what helped prepare them to succeed in a highly competitive work environment.
Now, does any of this say that playing sports is what made these people successful? Not really. It does tend to show, though, that there are common traits shared between successful athletes and successful leaders in business and other employment areas, and that's a correlation that employers often recognize when doing the hiring.
