Sport and Education

Tucker Schmidt

            In class on February 19, 2015, we discussed sport and education. One of the arguments that we discussed was sports having an impact on education. Some of the arguments against school sports include the creation of pressure and distraction of attention from academics. Another reason why people do not allow their children to participate in school sports is because of the price. In the United States, 43 of the 50 states require students to pay to be involved in school sports. The reasons for include enhancing fitness and lifetime participation and the development of value skills. Other positives about letting students get involved in school sports is that it is an opportunity for the students to be noticed and to be taken seriously as human beings. While there are many positives to students participating in school sports, there are also many reasons why students should not participate.

            There is an argument over how athletics impact education. One problem that is discussed is time management. Student athletes have reported that they have insufficient amount of time to complete various assignments and to study for examinations. Also, the teams may have to travel, so this causes the students some stress due to the fact that they will be missing classes. On the other hand, some students feel that the limited amount of time they have to complete their assignments gives them the urge to complete their work. A study also showed that students who are involved in athletics are able to do better academically due to their better concentration and higher self-esteem. Another study shows that students who have both academic and athletic success tend to come from wealthy areas. Gender also plays a big impact as well. According to the California Department of Education, girls athletic teams tended to have higher grade point averages compared to boys' teams. This article makes sense for this class, as athletics have a major effect on education.

Link: http://www.livestrong.com/article/540517-does-participation-in-sports-negatively-affect-academics/