The game of football saved my life. Not literally, of course, but it saved me from going down a path that I desperately needed to avoid. When I began playing football in the fourth grade, it was a tentative probe of the sport; one that was encouraged by my Cub Scout leader and father alike, but not forced on me. I showed promising signs of strength for my age, and my big, slightly chubby frame was deemed a perfect fit for a lineman. That summer, I received my equipment and was thrust into a pre-season routine to which I would become very accustomed over the years. It wasn’t until I reached middle school that I began acting out. It was likely puberty, trying out different personas, wanting to grow up fast, or a mix of all three. I was too young to see “down the road” and realize that my decision to ignore schoolwork would affect my entire life. I developed a bad attitude towards people and hard work. If it wasn’t for my involvement in football, I would’ve continued down the wrong path. The game of football instilled many values in me that proved vital in my transformation into a productive person. It taught me the value of hard work. I learned that you simply cannot succeed if the will isn’t there to back up your desire. Unlike other activities that engage a young kid, football shows actual, immediate results from …show more content…
It is a brotherhood. I met my best friends, my brothers, who learned the same values and live by them as well. No matter what challenges you face, you stick by the people around you. You commit to the pursuit of excellence, even though it’s never absolutely attainable. I developed relationships with my coaches, who continue to mentor and lead me in the right direction. Men who instilled in me a drive to succeed, both on and off the field. As a result of the game of football, I surrounded myself with a strong support network of like-minded individuals who have shaped me into the person I am
Daniel J. Flynn’s argument of why Football Does a Body Good is extremely convincing. The evidence that he presents throughout the essay debunks the counterargument of how dangerous football can be. The essays is full of statistics and examples of how football can positively benefit you. The facts that are presented are effectively used to refute all the negative claims against the dangers of football. He successfully argues toward the benefit of football by presenting appeals to reason, and showcasing his credibility throughout the essay, but he unfortunately does not keep an unbiased tone for the duration of the essay.
The reader should read this article to learn how football is “undermining our education system and hurting our competitiveness in technology, science, and engineering.” The author
The majority of children who play football will not avoid the inevitable and most likely sustain an injury to their body. However, there are some positive attributes for children to learn when participating in youth football. Some positive attributes children will learn are physical fitness, discipline and structure, and the importance of teamwork. The aforementioned attributes are favorable for children where they will learn to be young men, adapt to life, and adjust to different circumstances off the
American Football is a huge spectator sport where offensive and defensive players will use teamwork and perseverance to try and score more points than their opponent. Football is highly respected in America, where boys will try and pursue the dream of playing in the NFL (National Football Association) someday; but if you look at an average neighborhood, you will find that kids and adults of all ages love to go out and throw around the pigskin. (Lerner and Lerner 275). One thing Americans will take pride in is the college and NFL football teams they root for. People sit down with a beer and talk hours upon hours of football and two individuals can get in a heated discussion in the local sports store of whose sports team is better. Surprisingly enough, one will find the most passionate football players at the high school level. Most boys will start their football career as a young child in football programs such as Pop Warner to get a foothold and to get those involved in teamwork and friendships. These programs are usually the start to someone falling in love with the sport and making it a career choice eight years later. Football is one of America’s favorite sports. When fall season comes around, people across America are placing bets, finding out where that new sports bar is, and buying wide screen T.V’s to watch NFL on Sundays. After their team plays, they will go out and reminisce what happened that Sunday. While thousands of fans are still pumped from the NFL games they watched; small towns across America are getting ready to shut down their shops and restaurants to have the chance to make it to the local high schools football game. Ray Glier, a reporter for the New York Times, writes about football in the small town of Appala...
Ripley argues that football is a dangerous sport for students that young to begin to express their rage on and off the field. However, in the article Do Sports Build Character or Damage it? the author Mark Edmundson writes about his experience playing high school football. He said football made him a better person. He gained courage, strength, and heroic character. Edmundson said he applied everything in his life to football, which helped him get a job. Even though he was not the best player, he said he enjoyed going to practice every day to increase his skills. These attributes help Edmundson still to this
Christine Organ says, ”Not only did I not want to be a dream killer, but I was also hesitant to waver from a personal parenting philosophy to enthusiastically encourage controlled risk-taking.” This shows how a mom feelings about ruining her kid’s dreams. It is important to know that kids need a source of support to help them achieve their goals. For example, Christine Organ says, “In other words, while I wouldn’t have thought twice about being a dream killer if my son asked to skydive, I did think twice about being a dream killer when it came to football.” This shows that football is a sport that some kids really love, and it is their dream to play. Kids that want to play football should get the chance to have their parents support in their decision to play. Kids should be allowed to follow their dreams of playing football if that is what they decide to
Football, just another method to throw life away. Football is an extremely unsafe sport, yet it is glorified by several in the United States. A plethora of football players are impacted negatively by injuries that may occur just by playing an "innocent" little game of tackle football. It is necessary to consider all the dreadful outcomes that may happen before taking the chance to play. Young individuals shouldn't play tackle football due to the trauma it can cause to the brain, the injuries or occurrences that can lead to a harder life or even death, and it leaves the players to be less sharp in their old age. It is often thought that football is a harmless game for kids to enjoy. Nevertheless, the amount of health issues and injuries that can be caused by football is unbelievable and not worth the risk.
Not only do we know the effects of playing football at a young age, we also have real life stories that have occured to real people. For example, In 2006 a 13 year old named Zachary Lystatdt’s head hit the ground in a routine tackle. He was in pain, so the coach took him out of the game for two plays. He returned to the game and on the last play he collapsed. Zachary was rushed to the hospital and was required to have emergency neurosurgery. After this life changing surgery, 9 months later he was finally able to communicate. Now, he is still learning how to walk (Hamblin, James. “Football Alters the Brains of Kids as Young as 8.”)This story sets an example of why children should not be able to play contact sports until adulthood. Unfortunately, this is not the only sad story about a child who has had life changing effects from playing
After four years of a new team every season, I went into my first practice of my fifth soccer season expecting the same to be true. Play on this team for one year and then be randomly placed on a different one the following year. Little did I know this team, especially the coaches, would leave a lasting impact on my life. I gained an invaluable support system that has stuck by my side for an upwards of nine years.
I honestly believe without football I would not have an identity since it played a crucial role in shaping me into the caring, smart, and passionate person I am today. Before football you could not pinpoint the difference between the herds of people who did not have a care in the world and myself. Ever since the 6th grade I frequently arrived to school tardy, got into multiple fights for no apparent reason, and often received disappointing grades; these bad habits became a daily routine that derived from the fact that I did not know any better. After being raised by parents who did not finish high school and never stressed the importance of school, I had no one to instill a moral compass within me. Anyways, at the beginning of my 7th grade year I was messing around in my Physical Education class when suddenly a football coach
From the early ages in history to the present day, sports have always been an important part of society. It teaches discipline, how to be a team player, how to interact with others and is a good source of physical activity. In specific, football utilizes all of these aspects of sports and it’s a great source of teaching self-restraint and perseverance. Some may say that football is a violent sport or it’s not beneficial in any way, but in reality it gives a person the basic tools needed not only for playing the game, but also how you interact with people in society.
Being part of a team creates a bond between teammates that can last a lifetime. Also, enduring the criticism of the coaches distills proper direction and discipline that you would likely not learn off the field. In “The Real New York Giants”, the author, Rick Reilly, writes about how a football team of firefighters loses many teammates and friends due to the attacks on September 11th, 2001 on the twin towers, and how the bonds and closeness of that group helped them to keep playing football and honor their fallen friends whom they became so close with through the sport (**insert beginning pg #). While in this certain circumstance, the importance of sports did not affect
In stadiums, parks and fields all across America, many youth participate in a journey through defeat, heartbreak, hard work, and success. Practicing for hours, rain or shine, to be able to snag that game winning touchdown in the back of the endzone. Although football comes with many risks and dangers, I strongly believe that kids and teens should be allowed to play football because it promotes leadership, teamwork, and requires significant amounts of exercise and cardiovascular activity, and other contact sports are just as dangerous.
I earned All-District honors for 3 straight years in high school, and All-Region once. Football was very rewarding for me not only through awards and accolades, but through the experiences and lesson that I learned. It helped me to be disciplined in my lifestyle and appreciate hard work. From a young boy wanting to play with all of the big kids, to now being one of those bug kids that other young boys look up to, football has made a positive impact on my life.
Jeff Kemp, a retired professional NFL quarterback, once stated, “Sports teach positive lessons that enrich America even while revealing its flaws” (Kemp). Athletics offer so much more than the joy of game day and the thrill of a win. Being involved in sports holds the key to a world filled with passion, excitement, and once in a lifetime opportunities. There is nothing better than seeing the student section arrive in full force or hearing the school fight song chanted before kickoff. However, when life moves on and leaves sports behind, the lessons it has instilled in athletes never disappears. The play calls may be foggy and the jersey will be too tight, but what was innocently learned in the jersey shines out at an older age. Although life lessons can be learned through everyday activities, lessons such as teamwork, self-confidence, and dealing with failure are only truly learned through sports by young athletes.