Benefits of Playing Sports - Essay Example

According to the Longman Writer: rhetoric, reader and handbook (Judith Nadell, John Langan, Eliza Comodromos, 2005), the supporting evidence is at the heart of effective writing. Without it, essays lack energy and fail to protect the writer’s voice of perspective. In other words, supporting evidence is like a red bull, it gives the essay wings. Sports have become an integral part of high school. It is important as it adds to the physical development of the students. Participating in activities actually prepares them to be athletes in the near future if they so desire.

However, as expected competitive Sports like any other widely discussed topic have positive and negative aspects. Sports boost school spirit among students and the thrill of having the support of the entire student body builds confidence for the athletes especially if they support their team through thick and thin. Also for students with low self-esteem, the best thing to do is to encourage them to take part in a sport. Therefore sports build self-esteem, not to mention it’s good physical activities.

In addition, students who are involved in sports learn life-long skills that may be transferred into their chosen career path - skills such as teamwork, communication and time management skills. With benefits like that, it is hard to only pinpoint the negatives. It is understandable that negativities will be associated with it. However, with the correct guidance of families and coaches, athletes will stay on the right track and not fall into the negativities associated with the sport. With reference to Bissinger’s article ‘Innocents Afield’, which spoke about high school sports, Bissinger addressed only the negative aspects associated with the topic.

He criticized the millions of dollars spent on building lavish football stadiums and jet trips for several away games. He also made mention of ways the millions could have been spent-such as a Physical Educations program to decrease obesity among teenage children. I do admit, he has put forward strong arguments, but he was biased in the sense of only putting out the negative aspects. Let’s turn it this way, let’s consider the millions spent on sports buildings across the nation as an investment to improve the quality in high school sports and as a recreational opportunity.

Sports provide scholarship grants to colleges for needy students who possess the right attributes and attitudes. This is exceptional since most athletes play sports for this opportunity.2 (Benefits of Sports, 7/23/2010). Secondly, competition builds teamwork. Most competitions mean we need to work effectively with other people. This improves our communication and socializing skills and all-round ability to understand other people. Sports help students develop discipline. They learn to set goals and then work to achieve those goals.

They learn that by working hard they can accomplish the things that they want to in their lives.3 (Teresa McEntire, n.d.)