Fernando Pena
Professor Frantz Craft
English 1102
4 December 2012
Just Let Them Play As a father of four children whom either play or want to play sports, I often find myself asking the question if being involved in sports beneficial to children. Some believe that the risk is not worth the reward. Sports are very physical and can potentially cause harm to children and their bodies. Many parents and coaches put a lot of emphasis on winning, which can lower a child’s self-esteem if they do not win. It would be safe to say that there are several negative aspects to children playing sports, but past experience and research shows that the positives of children playing sports far outweigh those negative aspects. Sports can have a positive impact on a child’s life and can help them grow as an athlete and a person, and a child that plays sports can benefit mentally, physically, academically, and socially. Playing team sports can provide mental and emotional benefits for a child in many ways. Playing sports as a child can build mental and emotional capacity through improving self-esteem, introducing teamwork, and teaching a child to be unselfish. Growing up as a person who played sports as both a child and adult, I have experienced these mental and emotional benefits and understand the value in playing sports. My mother once told me that it does not matter what you do in life as long as you are good at it, and it brings joy into your life. This quote has always stuck with me throughout my life, and I first used it when playing sports. The first team sport I started playing was baseball when I was seven years old. When I first tried out for a little league team, the coach was pleasantly surprised with my athletic abilities and knowledge of the sport although I had never played an organized team sport. I was given the option to play any position that I wanted, and I