Today in our modern world, the issue of whether or not children should play competitive sports has been heavily battled on and has sparked two greatly divided sides. One side supporting the continuation of competitive youth sports, the other proposing the end of the rigorous activities. This paper will be supporting the proposition of removing children from contact sports, in hopes of securing their safety. One of the issues of playing sports at a young age, is the chance that profanity, and inappropriate behavior may be influenced upon children. Things that wouldn’t have seeped into a child’s mind unless it had been mentioned. There will always be a student player in a team who swears and likes to goof off around those, “inferior” to him/her, …show more content…
Many say athletes who excel will have doors opened for them, and opportunities in abundance. However, not many will actually achieve that status. According to a sports psychologist, stationed in Maryland, stated that about seventy-five percent of kids quit sports at ages thirteen to fourteen, due to the high expectations and standards. And even those who rise from the minor twenty-five percent, only two percent of that group of high school athletes will receive athletic scholarships according to studies from the National Collegiate Athletic Association. (“5 Things I Learned to Love About Competitive Sports for Kids” By Leah Ariniello) “Kids may hone certain skills in a particular sport with early, intense specialization, but they can also burn out emotionally and physically.” - Jacqueline …show more content…
The physical benefits of sports are undeniable and true, helping to fight childhood obesity through competitive activity. Sports, also help to create good work ethics in youth, and help promote organizational skills for their tight schedules. Sports continue to prove positive as they also help students create goals for themselves, in and outside of sports, they also help to consistently challenge the young players. However when weighing the pros and cons from playing competitive sports at a young age, the cons are ominously heavy, and easily outweigh the
Athletes in times of difficulty can be important role models.” This shows that sports are in fact helpful because they can grow children into being important role models for the rest of society. Studies have shown time and time again that playing sports can be beneficial to children and we also believe this to be true. Many people still think that sports cause “too many injuries”, or coaches “are not fair enough”, but adolescents will experience these things all throughout their lives because injury can happen anywhere and they will not always be the best at what they are doing. Sports are beneficial to the youth because they can teach children and teens important life skills, help them maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle, all while improving their mental health.
After first reading the essay “Sports Should be Child’s Play,” I believe David Epstein made a valid point when discussing the issue of children participating in competitive sports at a too young of an age. He effectively delivered his argument by giving an appropriate amount of evidence without crowding the piece and losing the reader. There were certain sections of the essay that would have been difficult to understand without context, however Epstein was able to guide the reader and explain the evidence and situation when necessary. The title of the essay drew me in because “child's play” coincides with something that can be easily accomplished and is enjoyable. However sports, at the higher level, are challenging and are required to be taken seriously. If children are playing at competitive level too early in their life, it can cause a loss of enjoyment and be detrimental to their physical and mental health.
When I go to a gymnastics meet and do really good, so I get that 1st place medal or trophy. It feels amazing, I mean the sport gymnastics is competitive and I sure do love competitive sports. The competitiveness gets you that rush of excitement. You feel nervous, but excited to get in there and try your hardest. Kids make better choices and have committed when they have the drawbacks of participating in competitive youth sports.
One quote that was used was, “Children who specialize in a single sport and train intensively for it are at higher risk of experiencing overuse injuries, as well as burnout, anxiety and depression, according to a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP),” (Perry). She said this because it shows how when children play sports that there is a major health risk involved and they could be depressed and exhausted. Another quote is, “More kids are participating in adult-led organized sports today, and sometimes the goals of the parents and coaches may be different than the young athletes,” (Brenner). Doctor Joel Brenner said this because it shows how the coaches and parents are sometimes more involved in the sport than some of the young athletes.
Sports specialization among young people is when a child or teenager trains for and competes in only one sport. They work extremely hard year-round in order to become well-rounded in every aspect of the game. They make sacrifices and put their health in jeopardy in order to become the ultimate participant in their sport. One of the many young athletes who is only participating in and focusing on one sport is fifteen-year-old OJ Mayo from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the young talented athlete who is predicted to be the next LeBron James in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This young athlete provides evidence of striving for perfection in this single sport when reviewing his daily schedule versus that of his siblings. He says, “The other kids go home and sleep. I come back to the gym” (Thompson, 2004). He is obviously putting forth a lot of effort in his sport to become successful at an early age.
Sports play an important role in American culture, with the top four most popular being football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey. These professional athletes make millions of dollars through their annual salaries and endorsements. Many wonder how they got to where they are today and was it worth it. There are mixed messages about participating in sports as a child and how it affects their development. Some believe that sports will help their child develop better communication skills, self-confidence and build character, while others believe that young athletes will develop aggression traits such as bullying, competitiveness, and aggressiveness. Although some believe that sports participation as a child will lead to aggressive children, there is ample evidence through research that sports benefits a child’s cognitive, social, and, physical development.
Youth sports are a staple in nearly every American’s childhood as highlighted in “Children Need to Play, Not Compete” by Jessica Statsky. Statsky makes two contentions in favor of this argument: first, that the participants of youth sports are not physically and psychologically ready, and second, that the mentality of win or lose is more harmful than helpful during the formative years of a child’s development. I agree with Statsky that children’s sports are too often over competitive, but some competition is beneficial to their development.
Our society, in terms of world sports, has grown increasingly impressive. Most professional athletes have been playing their specialized sport since grade school, and although impressive, the people we are rooting for are wearing out quickly. Although youth sports programs are a health benefit to society, they also pose disadvantages to a young person’s growth and development.
Youth sports are a very important part of a child’s development. Youth sports allows kids to grow as a people and to learn important life lessons. Youth sports also allow kids to interact with people as well as work together with others as a unit to achieve a goal. However, kids are being forced, and pushed in sports at too young of an age by their parents. The number of kids who play youth sports is at an all time low in the country, and parents are a major cause of the problem. In the U.S. by age 15, 80 percent of children who play a sport quit the sport (Atkinson). Kids are being pushed too hard at a young age; children are also being forced by their parents to “specialize” in a single sport in a hope for the child to become a professional
Sports can help many at- risk youths. In order to participate in sports you need to be committed and willing to work hard. You also have to learn to respect others and accept that winning isn’t the only measure of success. Losing can build character as well. When youth participate in a sports they enjoy, they are less likely to engage in behaviors that are harmful or dangerous to themselves and others. It is for these reasons schools should strive to maintain athletic programs for their students.
Studies say that most young athletes drop out of a sport for one reason pertaining to the amount of time it takes, and for four other reasons (coaches, interest, pressure & fun) that pertain to the sports program themselves. This ties in with the significant problems of sports programs and the troubles that come as a result of putting children through them. If a child wants to drop out of a sport for any reason, they should be able to—without resistance from parents or coaches. However, there are certain schools-of-thought that shouldn’t make a child believe that they aren’t right for the sport, such as: believing they aren’t good enough; fear of disappointing another person; and hopelessness in the sport. These thoughts should be handled carefully and be talked about (perhaps with a professional) with the child preemptively before dropping out of a
According to statistics gathered by youth sports organizations, “Up to 50 million kids play youth sports in America, and 73 percent who begin playing a sport quit before they turn 13” (Binns). The children could have quit because they did not like the disappointment of losing, or because they are exhausted from their parents pushing them too hard. But parents have their reasons for pushing their children into sports. “Studies show that kids who play sports are less likely to become obese, abuse drugs or alcohol or to perform poorly in school” (McCormick). If children are not active, then they will most likely become overweight, and if they have nothing to do in their pastime, they may turn to drugs and alcohol, which usually leads to a decrease of grades in school. A parent putting his/her child in sports gives the child something to do and keeps them fit. Parents also put their child in a sport hoping that he/she will get success out of it “Eager to nurture the next A-Rod or Michelle Kwan, parents enroll their 5- or 6-year-olds in a competitive sports league or program” (Stenson). While not all parents are pushing for future Olympians, the fight for a sports college scholarship is competitive and parents may feel that their child will have a better chance of gaining one if he/she starts competitive sports early. Parents push their children to succeed, and children--not wanting to disappoint their parents--push themselves, sometimes harder than they should. If done right, pushing a child into sports can have a positive effect on the child’s interaction with other children while teaching them commitment and healthy competition. However, focusing on winning and earning a scholarship versus having fun may backfire, because the cons...
Ideally, the fitness, skills, and sportsmanship qualities gained from participation in youth sports will carry on into adulthood. Those youth athletes labeled “elite” must be “mentored” by properly educated parents and coaches who are aware of signs of psychological burnout and overuse injuries. These “mentors” must also remain realistic in keeping future goals focused on what the athlete desires, not what dreams they are trying to fulfill for themselves (p.
Over 70% of kids in the United States quit competitive sports by age 13 annually because of the pressure competitive sports bring. Many people debate over the topic that competitive sports are beneficial to kids. Organized team sports, although played by many, can cause harm to children at a young age. By playing competitive sports many kids are exposed to the pressure, whether it be from coaches, parents, or even other players. Many adolescents feel large amounts of pressure from competitive sports which can affect them physically and psychologically.
He sprints up and down the court, as sweat pours down his face and on to the hardwood. The player’s legs are in severe pain, and he is out of breath, yet he continues to run, utilizing every last portion of energy that he maintains. He desires to better himself, not necessarily for his own benefit, but for the benefit of his team. He knows that every single member of the team, including himself, must work as hard as they possibly can on the court to reach their potential and achieve success. Organized sports teach athletes some of the most powerful moral values and life lessons that any individual can attain. Despite the opposing opinion that students who take part in organized sports suffer academically due to time deprivation and focus misdirected away from the classroom, involvement in sports teaches young men and women to maintain imperative values, such as hard work, selflessness, and commitment, which ultimately improves student-athletes’ academic performance.