Summary and Response - Admission/Application Essay Example

First is the influence of adults. The author claims that the parents and coaches are too much focused on winning a game instead of the physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral development children could achieve. This gives rise to injuries and trauma on the part of the children as they strive to please their parents and coaches and strain to win. This pressure to win can be physically harmful for the children. The author quotes from sports experts about how a curve ball in baseball “may put abnormal strain on developing arm and shoulder muscles, sometimes resulting to lifelong injuries” (Statsky) for a 12-year old.

Trying to win also affects the child’s psychological development. With their young minds set on the goal or the basket, children are not able to enjoy the “play” aspect of organized sports. Instead, they become intent on overcoming the other team and being the victor. Failure to do so would result disappointment and discouragement. Another reason Statsky presents is how picky organized sports are and some children who do have potential may not be tapped to play. Because teams want to win, coaches tend to screen the players and get only those children they think can help make theirs a winning team.

When this happens, children who may have been too intimidated or overwhelmed at the beginning and do not perform at the coaches’ standards are not able to play. They either end up as substitutes the whole time, waiting in the sidelines for a chance to play or they do not even make the team at tryouts. Statsky’s last reason for not advocating competition in organized sports is because the parents and the coaches tend to live their unfulfilled dreams through their kids, sometimes venting out their frustrations when things do not happen as they want to.

The author tells of coaches going through a psychology workshop to lessen the shouting that happens. She also mentions how a parent confronted