Jessica Statsky, in her essay, “Children need to Play, Not Compete” attempts to refute the common belief that organized sports are good for children. She sees organized sports not as healthy pass-times for children, but as onerous tasks that children do not truly enjoy. She also notes that not only are organized sports not enjoyable for children, they may cause irreparable harm to the children, both emotionally and physically. In her thesis statement, Statsky states, “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” (627). While this statement is strong, her defense of it is weak.
One of the assumptions Statsky makes is that, “One readily understandable danger of overly competitive sports is that they entice children into physical actions that are bad for growing bodies” (627). This statement rests on the assumption that children would not perform any “physical actions that are bad for growing bodies” (Statsky 627) without organized competitive sports. This is simply untrue. Children jump from swings, climb trees, skateboard, “pop wheelies” and otherwise put themselves in physical peril with alarming regularity. Children’s free and unorganized play often results in broken bones and stitches, even for the most timid children.
Statsky also makes another faulty assumption, which is that competition is an adult imposition on the world of children’s play. She says in her article, “The primary goal of a professional athlete – winning – is not appropriate for children” (629). Children compete to win in the same way that adults do, and they do so on their own without any adult pressure. Common playground gam...
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...petitive sports can cause lasting harm and have no benefits for these children (Statsky 627), then examples of how childhood competition negatively affected individuals years after the fact would go a long way to proving her accusation. As Statsky's thesis rests on the assumption that adult imposition of competition and organization in children's sports makes the games neither satisfactory nor beneficial to the children, then lack of benefit must be shown along with lack of satisfaction. The existence of unsatisfied child athletes in organized sports is no indication that children are somehow unsuited to competition and team sports.
Works Cited
Statsky, Jessica. “Children Need to Play, Not Compete.” Reading Critically Writing Well: A Reader and Guide. Ed. Rise B. Axelrod, Charles R. Cooper, and Allison M. Warriner. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford, 2005. 627-631.
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.
Gatz, Margaret, Michael A. Messner, and Sandra Rokeach. Paradoxes of youth and sport. Albany: State University of New York, 2002.. 12-13.
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In the article, “Children Need to Play, Not Compete,” the author, Jessica Statsky demands that very composed, focused games that are played in grown-up standard, for example, Little League Baseball and Peewee Football are not appropriate for children particularly those who are between the age of six and twelve. These games have the opposite impact of growing either future players or fans. Moreover, they can damage children mentally and physically. She mentioned a few reasons to support her ideas. Statsky explains that competitive sports persuade children into doing physical actions that are bad by taking twelve-year boy as an example of a child being hurt to attempt to throw a curveball. Even though children are not injured, there is a fear
In the essay “Children Needs to play not compete” Jessica Statsky talked on some of health, physical and psychological reasons children should not be allowed to indulge in competitive games or sports. She appealed to the parents and coaches or game masters on the implications and dangers of organised sports and She argued that competitive sports may harm teenagers both physically and mentally. Statsky in the book stated that sports generally are organised activity irrespective of how it’s being organised either locally or nationally or internationally. She also persuaded that both contact and non contact sports played by kindergarten have side effects on the children either as a competitor or as spectator; hence they should not be...
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Taking part in sports shows children and young adults how to contend in this present reality. As they develop more they will confront ...
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