Should students be required to play a sport? Some may think so, due to the various improvements they bring to physical, mental, and social health. However, there are more factors lying beneath the tip of the iceberg. Just like any other hobby, sports aren’t for everyone.
It is true that school sports have advantages. What might come to mind first is the promotion of physical activity. Participating in a school sport provides exercise, which has myriad benefits for physical health. Not only that, but with an overall healthier body comes increased cognitive benefits such as better judgement, intuition, information retention, and memory. Of course, with all these health benefits come improved mental factors such as self-esteem and image, which is crucial during a student’s teenage years.
Physical and mental health aren’t the only variables that sports impact; social health is bound to see a degree of increase. Teamwork and collaboration are essential parts of being on a sports team. Whether it’s a more collaborative sport such as basketball, or an individual one like cross country, the community of a team is a great way to gain more social confidence and have an easier time communicating with peers.
Despite these advantages, there are issues with an enforced student athletic policy, and these issues are impossible to ignore. The most recognized one is the time commitment. The approximate times at which Ward Melville sports take place is from 3:00-5:00 p.m. This means those that have no other means of transportation will have to take the 5:45 dismissal bus, which can account for an even greater use of time depending on how long it takes for the bus route to reach your stop. By this time, you’ve already sacrificed your entire afternoon on something you may have never wanted to do in the first place. Of course, this experience varies based on the individual, as some students enjoy sports or have a lighter schedule on their plate.
Moreover, the competitive nature of school sports can put a lot of unnecessary pressure on a student. With school sports comes a team, bringing competition and reputation to the table. Pride and representation are common variables that can become particularly harmful to one’s well-being if they don’t have the emotional capacity to carry that responsibility.
One last problem with an enforced student athletic policy—and a major one at that—is the exclusivity. Students with disabilities that leave them unable to participate in sports will be completely excluded from the major social opportunities that sports can provide them with, making it more challenging for them to make friends with their peers.
Clearly, there are positive and negative aspects of a compulsory student-athlete policy, but the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. Although the idea of required sports sounds good for the overall health of a student on paper, it also somewhat implies that those who don’t participate in sports are unhealthy individuals. Just because someone doesn’t participate in school sports doesn’t mean they aren’t devoting any time to taking care of their body. There are other ways to get exercise besides sports, such as going on walks or going to the gym. Students that have these preferences should have options like these, rather than being forced into an activity or social setting they dislike.
