Should Students Participate in High School Sports?

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Brandan sanders, staff writer

High school sports are a big deal to most students. Nearly 8 million high school students participate in a sport every year throughout the U.S., and the number of student athletes is only growing.

However, many high schoolers are hesitant because of the fear of possible injuries or suffering from parental pressure. “Being injured while participating a sport affects you mentally and physically because you can’t do the things you want while being injured,” said freshman Taine Jones. ” It is hard to do lots of things.” Other reasons include bad experiences in the past or simply because they’ve lost interest in playing.

“My parents want me to play two sports at once to be the best I can be, as well as the most fit,”said Jack Fearnside. Fearnside, a freshman at Vista del Lago High School, participates in tennis and soccer.

Sports is a way that kids can stay out of trouble in life, and it can be a way to escape peer pressure from doing harmful things, such as the use of drugs, smoking and alcohol. Doing these things can ruin their chance at becoming a successful athlete since using these substances can get athletes banned or kicked off of a team.

High school sports provides access to improving fitness, teamwork, and leadership skills. Being a high school athlete can also open up new doors to a new career. “Playing sports provides participants with opportunities to develop skills in communication and team building,” said Keith Zullig, a public health researcher. Student athletes have an opportunity to get a scholarship leading to better possibility of getting into a college.

High school sports can also improve academics because students need to have at least a 2.0 GPA to participate. “A study done by the Minnesota State High School League in 2007 found that the average GPA of a high school athlete had a GPA of 2.84; while, a student not involved in athletics had an average GPA of 2.68.”

At Vista, there’s a total of 26 sports teams with 864 student athletes in all, giving a significant portion of the school’s population opportunities to expand their capabilities and burn-off the stress of school.