High School Sports in America

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For years, sports have been a part of American high schools. They have been a source of school pride and give people a connection to their school. They break up the otherwise mundane routine of going to class and doing schoolwork. In recent years there has been a huge push by researchers, educators, politicians, and parents to figures out why America’s schools are constantly falling behind other countries in crucial test subjects. One of the latest reasons to blame for the shortcomings of American students is the incorporation of sports in the American school system. Some are beginning to think that the focus of schools is no longer education and that sports are taking on a greater role within schools. It’s starting to become a topic of conversation to remove sports from schools altogether, but is this really the fix for American schools? Some people believe that students should just play club sports if they would still like to be involved in sports. Removing sports programs from schools is not the answer to fixing the problems in America's schools. Interscholastic sports programs allow students to become more well-rounded athletes, help them to perform better academically, and provide a sense of community to the students, parents, and others in the community.
When students play for their high school teams, it provides them with a greater chance to become a well- rounded athlete. In the last couple of years club sports have begun to gain mass popularity across the United States, especially in soccer. Vikki Ortiz Healy, Chicago Tribune reporter explains some of the reasons students and parents are starting to move away from high school sports and to club sport. “Students and parents, often motivated by c...

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...stand that school has to come first. Lastly, school sports create a community environment with the athletes, students, parents, faculty and others living in the community. Sports are more than winning and losing. They give students a sense of pride in their school and make them want to go there. Sports have been a part of schools for very many years and do more good than harm. School can’t just be all work and no play!

Works Cited
Anderson, Joel. "Varsity Blues: Alternatives to High School Game Abound." Tampa Bay Times 14 July 2013`: n. pag. Print.
Bowen, Daniel. "High-School Sports Aren't Killing Academics." The Atlantic 2 Oct. 2013: n. pag. Print.
Ortiz Healy, Vikki. "Be True to Your School? Athletes Have Options." Chicago Tribune 14 Aug. 2013: n. pag. Print.
Ripley, Amanda. "The Case Against High-School Sports." The Atlantic 18 Sept. 2013: n. pag. Print.