Argumentative Essay On Competitive Sports

About 45 million kids, ages ranging from 6 to 16, are enrolled in organized sports (huffingtonpost.com, 2013). Though many people think that sports are beneficial by reducing obesity and helping kids with life lessons, the truth is that competitive sports are harmful to kids. They hurt kids’ physical and mental health, they can be too competitive, and they can be a waste of money, leading to parents’ inability to pay for college.

The first reason why competitive sports are harmful is because it is hurting kids’ physical and mental health. Other people say that competitive sports are helping kids stay fit, and it is understandable and truthful. The New York Times even said that, “if all adolescents played on at least two sports teams per year

Progress gets put on hold because of injuries and nothing gets done. Over 3.5 million kids 14 and under get injured every year, and over 775,000 go to the ER (hopkinsmedicine.org, n.d.). This shows that sports are dangerous and will harm kids. Some injuries have led to lifelong differences in many athletes’ everyday life. NFL players have exhibited Alzheimer's-like symptoms from past concussions, such as former football star Troy Aikman. He was unable to remember a Super Bowl victory. Steve Young, another football star, had to retire because of concussions (Cohen, 2009). This is important because it shows how injuries can last a lifetime and can end something great in an instant. In

Most Americans go to college right after high school, about 69.2% of students (nces.ed.gov, n.d.). However, paying for sports is pretty expensive. According to the Huffington Post, “In the United States, parents spend $671 on average per year to cover the costs of uniforms and the hefty fees charged for registration, lessons and coaching, and at least 1 in 5 ends up spending over $1,000 per child, every year.” Consequently, the National Alliance for Sports found that 70% of kids quit sports by age 13 (Wallace, 2016), which results in thousands of dollars wasted. The Huffington Post also said that, “The result, according to TurboTax’s most recent infographic, is that youth sports are no longer an excellent opportunity for social involvement determined by passion and skill, but by the family’s financial resources, sustaining a $5 billion-a-year industry.” This obviously shows that the biggest part about sports is no longer the social interactions and the fun of playing the sport, but it's more focused on the financial opportunities that the sports industry can have. Sports may help get scholarships for kids that will save a lot of money, but it all goes down the drain when they quit. Sports are getting too expensive, and the money can go to better use by using it to pay for college