The Pros And Cons Of Sports Activity And Children

Although there are benefits to participating in sports, there are also disadvantages such as, too much pressure or stress being put onto the athlete. For instance, it can be reasoned that adults are the ones who make sports all about winning and not about having fun (Gerdy 17). With this intention, parents are limiting their child’s ambition and athletic success, straining their independence and preventing them from achieving these important contributors to their child’s success (Gerdy 20). Because of this focus on winning, there is also too much focus on skill development, which does not make the sport as enjoyable as it should be (Gerdy 17). In addition to this massive amount of focus, the adults make the athletes think that only results

matter and that the process does not matter as much (Gerdy 19). With this in mind, student athletes are pressured to work hard so they can please their parents (Gerdy 18). Comparatively, according to sports columnist, Joan Ryan, who talks about the pressure parents put onto their children, “We cover it up under the guise of ‘wanting the best for our children,’” Ryan states (Gerdy 20). Furthermore, parents may also be using their children to live out their old athletic dreams through them (Gerdy 20). However, despite the pressure that is put onto each student involved in athletics, this kind of intensity is needed for not only preparation of a college or professional level, but also to assist and strengthen each child’s ability.
Not only are their negatives that have to do with the pressure that comes with participating in a sport, but there are also critical ramifications that involve the cost of being involved in a sport. To demonstrate, according to a survey in September 2014, 70.3% of parents who had children engaging in a sport said that they were worried about the expenses (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). In fact, parents of children on travel teams (teams that rarely play on their home field) spend about $2,266 annually, and elite level families spend about $20,000 every year (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). Moreover, in a 2015 survey, a third of the parents who made less than $50,000 per year said that the cost for sports was too much, which made it harder for their children to be in sports. Another sixth of the parents who made more than $50,000 annually said the same thing (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). In addition, these expenses have lead to a shortage of adults participating in sports where 15% of lower-income adults and 37% of the higher-income adults engage in athletics (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). With these facts in mind, it can inferred that families who have a higher income, pay more (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). Nevertheless,
Adding to the disadvantages of participating in sports, there is also a high risk of injury that each student athlete is faced with.

For example, as stated by a September 2014 survey, parental concern was at 87.9% for their children’s injuries (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). Additionally, about two million concussions and other injuries occur in high schools everywhere (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). Furthermore, there are about 500,000 annual doctor visits for high school students (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). Likewise, 30,000 hospitalizations happen every year to high school students all over (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). In comparison, 3.5 million children under the age of 14 received medical treatment annually (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). What is more, a quarter of parents keep their children out of sports, so their children are not at risk of being injured (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). In addition, a sport that many parents have a great level of concern for is tackle football (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). Based on another survey, 49% of parents saw community youth football as a less favorable sport their children should be engaging in, 57% saw this with baseball, and 49% observed this with basketball (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). In view of these concerns, 94% of parents want more safety for their children (“Facts: Sports Activity and Children”). Regardless, most of the injuries that happen every year can be refrained, and a large amount of these afflictions are repeated among high school and middle school students; in fact, the CDC states that over half of the damages that student athletes endure can be preventable (“Facts: Sports Activity and

Children”).