Analysis Of Dodgeball: The Weak Shall Inherit The Gym

Based on the article, The Weak Shall Inherit the Gym, dodgeball should stay in schools. Dodgeball is a sport in which people would throw a ball at another person. If the ball hits the other person then they are considered out. This sport allows people to unleash their anger out at someone without actually physically hurting them. Dodgeball allows the kids to experience the experiences the kids may have in the outside world as well as giving them confidence to face their challenges.
Dodgeball gives kids an early experience on how hard life could be. For example, if someone get hit really hard they will be able to take that feeling in the future. If dodgeball was taken out, kids might experience pains and wouldn’t know what to do. Getting

used to the environment of dodgeball, “Of course there is, and dodgeball is one of the first opportunities in life to figure out which one you are and how you’re going to deal with it”(Reilly 1) This quote explains how dodgeball will allow one to recognize if they are weak or strong. This would then allow people to change themselves to adapt to the environment. This is essential because the outside world is much different than what children experience in school. The different activities that people do throughout their school career allows them to get ready for life in the future. As people progress through school they start to become independent. When someone enters the stage in their life where they encounter the outside world, the only person they can truly depend on is themselves. Others would help along the way, but being independent would lead someone to become successful in life. Dodgeball gives an early heads up to kids on what life could be like in their future.
Children can gain confidence to face challenges in the outside world by doing an activity as simple as dodgeball. Getting someone out in dodgeball will make children feel like they are able to do something in the early stages of their lives. The loss of competitive nature people will see their kids, “filling up chalupas. Very non competitive”(Reilly 2). The quote says that just staying away from dodgeball can lead someone to live a life working a low pay job. In today’s world, companies are looking for people who are competitive. The industries want to always beat their competitors and show that they have better products for a cheaper price. In order to come up with different innovations, a company needs someone who has a competitive personality and creates a life altering object. At an early age, dodgeball allows children to build their confidence and competitiveness which helps them in the future. Confidence is gained when someone is able to get another person out. This is because the children feel like they have accomplished a goal in their life. As the confidence builds up through the process, it prepares the kids as they grow into mature adults. As people progress through life, confidence is needed to accomplish many tasks. Enhancing an individual’s competitiveness and their self-confidence will provide children an upper hand as they grow up.
Although dodgeball can hurt someone physically or emotionally, the benefits outweigh the risk. Developing the characteristics used in dodgeball will give young children a heads up on what is coming later on in their lives. “Someday, we’ll forget the hurt, the reason we cried and who cause us pain. We will finally realize that the secret of being free is not revenge, but letting things unfold in their own way and own time. After all, what matters is not the first, but the last chapter of our life which shows how well we ran the race. So smile, laugh, forgive, believe and love all over again.” Life is a cycle and dodgeball is part of that cycle. Our past actions shape our present life. Following this, the competitiveness and confidence we build in the past will affect our present life.