The many benefits of playing sports
Every child should have to opportunity to play sports, even if the child quits after one season, at least they got the chance to play. I have been playing organized sports my whole life, playing soccer, basketball, and baseball. Sports has taught me the importance of hard work and commitment, also taught be the importance of friendship and how strong a teams bond can be.
— Codi kirby, Bryant High School
I’ve grown up playing sports, and so have my brothers. It’s shaped me into the person I am today. I think if parents do not allow their children to play sports, it will prevent them from learning important life lessons on things such as: dependability, respect, and teamwork. Competition is an experience that is necessary in character growth. Sports can help children grasp the concept of how to deal with success and failure. I do think society today thinks of failure as something unacceptable, which shouldn’t be the case. I think children should be able to participate in extracurricular activities they enjoy, and parents should stay on the children about training. It prevents children from being lazy and antisocial at a young age. I think it’s very crucial for parents and coaches to teach kids the negative effects of quitting. Furthermore, I think all parents should encourage sports. It can help children live a healthy lifestyle and teach them positive characteristics that can greatly benefit them in the future.
— Olivia Britt, Hoggard High School, Wilmington, NC
Physical activity or organized sports, in my opinion, is one of the most effective ways for young adults to gain friends and have a passion for something. In fact, I believe that the reason kids are able to be cheerful is that they have opportunities to move their bodies around. For instance, when I was 9 and was still in Korea, I was inside an elementary soccer team. Back then, I felt very frustrated and lazy to play soccer. However, now I know that playing soccer was one of my few ways of getting friends and enjoying something. Before this, all I did was sit around and work on math continuously.
— June Lee, Glenbrook North High School
Sport is a great way for kids to have a good time while keeping fit. Sport also teaches important vital lessons, such as: working as a team, learning to be a good sportsman, overcoming challenges, controlling emotions, being proud of achievements.
Competition is important.
I disagree with the point that, “Competition is promoted but not at the expense of development,” because I feel that competition itself prompts development. If you lose a competition, it often teaches you to work harder so that you can do better next time. It prompts you to push yourself further and can help you become the best you can be. Competing with others has often been how we’ve improved and evolved in order to achieve the best possible. In my sports and activities, competing is often the best part, because winning shows your hard work and losing makes you work harder.
— Anna Patsalos, Hoggard, Wilmington, NC
I do not think that youth sports should be less competitive because sports and being aggressive give kids/teens the ability to use their strength and toughness for good. Sports teach kids many many things and one of the most important things are playing tough but to a certain degree.
— Bailey Barefoot, Hoggard Highschool, NC
Life is competitive, whether it’s getting that new job, winning any sort of contest, or getting into that prestige college you’ve always wanted to go to. There’s nothing wrong with kids being put into competitive situations, in fact, it’s beneficial. Preparing kids for the real world is something parents are responsible for, and sheltering them from any competition makes them expect to win; to expect that they get whatever they want despite not doing anything to earn it.
