Competition Can Hurt More Than Help

As one evaluates the article, “Children Need to Play, Not Compete,” Jessica Statsky explains the dangers of children being involved in competitive sports at a young age. She worries that sports “entice children into physical actions that are bad for growing bodies” (para. 3). She also states that coaches and parents may push their child athletes farther than they want to be pushed. Statsky explains how life lessons may be learned and friendships may be gained through sports, and that winning should not be the most important part of playing. With possible risks of life long injuries, one should support Statsky in her claim that children should learn to play the game, not so much compete.

Adults and coaches can easily discourage young athletes to continue their career by pushing them too hard too soon. Statsky explains, “The spirit of play suddenly disappears, and sport becomes joblike” (para. 5). Children want to go out and have fun, especially young children. They are not out playing the game to be the best one on the field or court, but to learn the fundamentals of the game and to see their friends. Adults or coaches who are too overbearing may discourage the child and make the child less interested in playing.

“When overzealous parents and coaches impose adult standards on children’s sports the result can be activities that are neither satisfying nor beneficial to children,” says Statsky (para. 1). This explains how some parents and coaches try to live their sporting dreams vicariously through their child athletes. Also, Jessica Statsky talks about how keeping score during sporting events allows children to focus more on winning than anything else. Children are pushed to a limit where the game is no longer about th...

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...s, and games. Team work is learned by practicing with their team everyday to reach a common goal.

Jessica Statsky makes great points throughout her article, “Children Need to Play, Not Compete.” She shows the physical and psychological harms that organized sports can cause to growing children under the age of thirteen. She backs up her ideas with a lot of support and many reliable sources. One may find it easy to agree with Jessica because she took an adamant stand on her subject and because of the amount of support that she shows. One may also like how Statsky backed off of her subject in paragraph 9 to relate to the other side of the argument.

Works Cited

Statsky, Jessica. “Children Need to Play, Not Compete.” The St. Martin’s Guide to

Writing, 8th ed. Ed Rise B. Axelrod and Charles R Cooper. Boston:

Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. 276-79.