Dangerous Character of Extreme Sports - Essay Example

Even though they are protected against the associated risks of such sports with modern techniques and safety procedures, there remains a high chance of accidents and injuries. No doubt, extreme sports are a major attraction for sports lovers and can garner huge revenues, but there are numerous examples of sportspersons getting injured or maimed for life. One can never forget the snowboarder Kevin Pearce who suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was preparing for the Olympics in 2009. Therefore, my opinion is that extreme sports can be very dangerous for sportsmen.

For some people, extreme kinds of sports can be very tempting and they find it difficult to overcome the urge to participate in life-risking sports. According to a sports consultant, Justin Anderson, some people have this innate sense of thrill that makes them do dangerous activities like jumping out of airplanes or climbing Mt. Everest (Hatfield, 2011). The question then arises is what is the thing that motivates these people to take part in such activities despite knowing the associated risks. It has been found that for these sportsmen, reaching the desired target is the primary factor while competition is the secondary factor. For these people, pushing their boundaries is a strong motivator although the fact that they are risking their life is always at the back of their minds. One common psychology behind these daredevil sports is the feeling that they have dared to dream the impossible and are also among those few who have achieved that dream (Hatfield, 2011).

Extreme sports usually comprise high speed and risk. While both these elements can be thrilling for the youth because of their tendency toward heroism, the fact remains that such thrills are associated with extreme dangers that can be either fatal or lifelong disabilities. Since extreme sportsmen remain more excited to perform the perilous activities, most of the time they remain concerned about the event that will take place in that instant like how well they will be able to perform and whether they will be able to create a record, and at the cost of such feelings, they tend to overlook the risks they are about to take as they push their boundaries. Although these sportsmen remain aware of advanced safety procedures, such measures are often proved futile. Often extreme height and sense of falling can be physically hazardous like in the case of roller coaster rides. It is an extremely common scenario that young people are attracted by “the thrill of the height, the rush of sound, the feeling of being weightless, and the falling, down, down!" (Summer Fun under Scrutiny, n.d.). According to a neurologist, Douglas Smith such rides cause rotation of heads along with dizzy feeling due to height, and this can bring about brain damage. Hence, I can say that there are dangers associated with extreme sports.