When you think of high school sports what comes to mind? You might imagine a massive crowd roaring with the animated cheerleaders as your team hits the final home run that wins the big game. Or maybe you conjure up more behind the scenes; with long tiring practices, and repetitive work that only builds up stress till the whole wide world is sitting on your shoulders. At first glance it seems there are only those two types of reactions. But in reality, both are part of the entirety of high school sports. Everything has positives and negatives, even school athletics. Without further ado let’s get the ball rolling.
High school sports keep students active. Not all students get exercise outside of the sports they take part in. Athletics keep athletes healthy year round. Some coaches even put their players on a diet so they aren’t just getting exercise, they’re being trained to watch what they eat. Sports make kids strong, there’s no doubt about it. …show more content…
It’s too much for parents as well as the schools. Every little thing needs to be paid for. Athletes have several specific uniforms that have many pieces. For example, football players need helmets, mouth guards, different types of pads, jerseys, football pants, shin guards, gloves, socks, and cleats. Now, multiply all that by 2 - that is the uniform necessity for one football player. Then, add all of that up for 156 players - 52 for each team freshman, JV, and Varsity. And we can’t forget the extreme equipment, extra gear, field space, field maintenance, professional coaches, constant transportation and competition fees and playing fees. “The Case Against High School Sports” by Amanda Ripley shares a story about a superintendent who suspended sports when he realized that he could save over $150,000 a year. This was big for that school. Not only did the school save money, but they realized that 30% more students passed their classes when sports were gone. That school really hit a home