Ok, I agree, but is a kid who spent several years on intentional chess practice better academically then a kid who spent several years on intentional math practice?
Perhaps a kid who spends several years in chess clubs and really enjoys it is better off academically+socially than a kid forced by their parents to compete in math tournaments against their will, simply because the latter will have better emotional maturity and a support system to help them succeed later in life.
Speaking to my own experiences, I can say my parents encouraged me to hyper-optimize for grades and academics, but that I missed out on a lot of other, irreplaceable experiences growing up. My parents taught me to look down on people who choose sports, theater, etc. over academics, but as an adult I see just how formative those activities can be when it comes to soft skills like teamwork and leadership.