It’s no secret, athletics are good for you, mentally, physically, and socially. Participating in sports is something a lot of families encourage their kids to do from a young age. By the time some kids are teenagers it’s understandable for them to want a break and priorities other activities. The slightly concerning aspect of all this is that; In more recent years, researchers have found the participation in high school sports to drop noticeably. Although the number of kids who participate in high school sports has grown enormously since the late 20th century, a downturn has recently been seen. But the real question here, is why exactly should teens engage in sports?
Playing, and participating in sports not only increases discipline, but it improves work ethic. When playing a sport, coaches will give expectations and expect athletes to work hard, and accomplish goals. Athletes will learn that what they put in they get out, and their hard work will end up paying off. In the world today, having work ethic and drive can benefit someone tremendously. Later on, when looking for a job, knowing someone can work hard and get their work done is something that employers will be looking for. Being able to work hard is something that can benefit anyone for the rest of their lives.
Being involved in sports can also open doors, and create bigger opportunities for athletes later on. Whether it is presenting the connection to different coaches and schools so that in college athletes have the chance at getting scholarships, or it is simply giving teen athletes a shot at playing sports in college. Something that could also benefit teens who play sports is if they are interested in going into the field of sports after college and pursuing a career in athletics, having background knowledge will benefit them. As a whole high school sports can lead to future opportunities, that might not be presented otherwise.
Teens now, spend way too much time sitting around on electronics, texting, playing video games, and watching TV. Being active and playing a sport will give high school students something else to do, something with more purpose than playing video games. Being active in a high school sport also means student athletes must maintain good grades and attendance in school. That can be something that encourages a lazy student to succeed. High schools expect their athletes to represent their school, and what they stand for.
As a whole, teenagers should be active and involved in sports. It not only encourages self discipline and good decisions, but it gives teens a place to make friends and find something that could potentially change their life. It will at least, create lifelong memories. Choosing to be active is something every teen should choose.
“7 Good Reasons Teenagers Should Play Sports.” Marine Military Academy Blog, 2 Nov. 2015, www.mma-tx.org/blog/13308/7-good-reasons-teenagers-should-play-sports/.
Hay, Matt. “Sports Participation: Why Teens Play and Why They Don’t I Fuse.” Fuse Marketing, 18 Sept. 2019, www.fusemarketing.com/thought-leadership/surge-in-sports-participation/.
Bogage, Jacob. “Analysis | High School Sports Participation Drops for the First Time in 30 Years.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 28 Aug. 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/08/28/high-school-sports-participation-drops-first-time-years/.