Sports are Beneficial
Jackie Robinson is viewed as an icon in African American history as well as Major League Baseball for being the first African American to play a Major League game. What Jackie Robinson didn’t realize at the time was that he brought millions of people together through a sport despite the people’s backgrounds. The previous example is just one of the valuable experiences sports can entail. With that being said, sports are beneficial to today’s society because they bring people together, introduce life skills, and implement competitive attitudes; however, naysayers complain that sports in today’s society place an unbearable amount of pressure on individuals, which, in turn, causes them to turn to habits that are detrimental to their health.
In many cases, sports fans come from different backgrounds; however, sports bring them together by acting as a common interest. For example, freelance writer Felisa Rogers explains how the sport of football can bring individuals together regardless of their expertise: “Football fandom is a source of comfort, common ground where one can meet with friends and rivals alike, an equalizing arena where your opinion is just as valid as the next guy’s, economics and expertise be damned” (Rogers 533). If two fans of the same team just so happen to meet at a given area, chances are the two people lead very different lifestyles. In addition to that thought, the two individuals will most likely engage in friendly conversation or interact with one another in a sociable way due to the fact that both are interested in the same subject.
On the same note, sports also bring people of the same ethnicity together despite their possible resentment towards one another. An example of sports bringing people of the same ethnicity together is a story told by author Maya Angelou. Angelou explains the event of a boxing match in a store by stating, “As I pushed my way into the Store I wondered if the announcer gave any thought to the fact that he was addressing as ‘ladies and gentlemen’ all the negroes around the world who sat sweating and praying, glued to their ‘Master’s voice’” (Angelou 484). Angelou was one of the many African Americans brought together by cheering on an African American boxer in the store. In the store full of African Americans, there were for certain several individuals that held a grudge toward one another; however, the people who had resentment were brought together through a common interest: a boxing match. Learning to deal with resentment towards others is a life skill that is crucial in today’s society.
Sports give kids a chance to develop lifestyle skills through an activity they are interested in. In today’s society, learning to have resilience is a key factor in being successful. National Public Radio reporter Cory Turner himself writes, “...Managing failure and learning from our mistakes are vital skills in adulthood that we have to be taught as kids” (“When Kids Start Playing to Win” par. 28). In my opinion, the importance of learning how to deal with failure is the key to dealing with adversity in everyday life. Sports are a great activity for kids to be involved in because not matter what the activity is, the individual must to learn to deal with adversity at one time or another, which, in turn, will carry over to the individual's life when he or she faces failure.
In addition, sports teach people to be unselfish by being part of a team. Author Wilfred Sheed describes sports as often being linked to a school or a community activity (498). With that being said, Sheed complicates matters when he claims that people who participate find themselves playing for their school or their community instead of themselves (498). Learning to be unselfish is one of the hundreds of skills developed in sports that individuals must learn in order to succeed in today’s society. As a result, learning to compete with others is the most important skill to be developed while playing sports.
Learning to compete is a key lifestyle skill that people must acquire in order to be successful in today’s society. In other words, Child psychologist Jeff Derevensky suggests, “...Healthy competition can help a youngster learn about her talents and limitations” (qtd. in Harris-Adler par. 2). Competition within the American culture is what drives individuals to be their best. Without competition, no individual would know exactly how good he or she could be at any given activity. On the same note, if competition wasn’t imbedded in the American culture, then people would not enjoy the process of success. According to publisher Daniel Kinnaman, competition is what creates fun, excitement, preparation, and excellence in today’s society (Kinnaman par. 1). In today’s society within the United States, competing with others is inevitable; therefore, sports creating a competitive attitude is beneficial. All in all, sports create a competitive outlook that can then be carried over into situations throughout one’s life.
The substantial argument against sports being beneficial in today’s society is that sports place an unbearable amount of pressure on individuals, which, in turn, causes participants to turn to unhealthy habits. For example, financial analyst William Moller explains that most baseball players that play Major League Baseball have used steroids or another type of performance enhancing drug during their career. The main reason for players consuming performance enhancing drugs is to try and “get an edge” on the competition (Moller 545). Human nature naturally strives to always “one up” the competition and be the best at whatever the individual does. In addition, trying to be the best often times places the individual under unmanageable pressure that causes him or her to turn to unhealthy habits in order to cope with the pressure. On the same note, when a participant chooses to use a drug or performance enhancing substance in order to gain an edge on his or her opponent, the participant is more concerned with failing at the competition instead of breaking the law or rules by using a performance enhancing drug. According to senior Sports Illustrated writer Joe Posnanski, “... There are records and performances-consecutive games played and huge stolen bases totals just as a for instance-that you could logically connect to amphetamine (performance enhancing drugs) use” (Posnanski 557). The previous quote is an example of participants who are more concerned with excelling in their sport than breaking the rules and the law. As a result, sports bring pressure on to participants and often times cause the participant to turn to unhealthy habits to cope with the pressure of being the best at what he or she does. On the contrary, I urge that sports are beneficial to society because there are also ways to cope with pressure in healthy ways.
Sports are beneficial to today’s society because they bring people from different backgrounds together, emphasize imports skills for life, and establish competition in individuals; however, some argue that sports put unmanageable amounts of pressure on participants in the sport, which, in turn, causes the people to turn to unhealthy habits. Sports are a great avenue for minors and adults to take in order to learn how to deal with real life situations. Jackie Robinson brought millions of people together through a sport despite their grudges towards one another. The previous example is just one of countless beneficial situations that can come sports as long as the United States keeps them within its culture.
Works Cited
Angelou, Maya. “Champion of the World” They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 484-488. Print
Harris-Adler, Rosa. “Win Some, Lose Some.” Chatelaine, vol. 68, no. 11, Nov. 1995, p. 48. MAS Ultra - School Edition, Feb. 2017.
Kinnaman, Daniel E. “Boogity, Boogity, Boogity: Don't Suppress Competition--Promote Sportsmanship.” District Administration, 2008, p. 76. Student Resources in Context, Accessed 2017.
Moller, William. “We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes of Pedestals” They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy
Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 545-551. Print
Rogers, Felisa. “How I learned to Love Football” They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel
Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 529-535. Print
Sheed, Wilfrid. “Why Sports Matter” They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 489-510. Print
“When Kids Start Playing To Win.” Morning Edition, May 2014. Student Resources in Context, cf. Accessed 2017.
In many cases, sports fans come from different backgrounds; however, sports bring them together by acting as a common interest. For example, freelance writer Felisa Rogers explains how the sport of football can bring individuals together regardless of their expertise: “Football fandom is a source of comfort, common ground where one can meet with friends and rivals alike, an equalizing arena where your opinion is just as valid as the next guy’s, economics and expertise be damned” (Rogers 533). If two fans of the same team just so happen to meet at a given area, chances are the two people lead very different lifestyles. In addition to that thought, the two individuals will most likely engage in friendly conversation or interact with one another in a sociable way due to the fact that both are interested in the same subject.
On the same note, sports also bring people of the same ethnicity together despite their possible resentment towards one another. An example of sports bringing people of the same ethnicity together is a story told by author Maya Angelou. Angelou explains the event of a boxing match in a store by stating, “As I pushed my way into the Store I wondered if the announcer gave any thought to the fact that he was addressing as ‘ladies and gentlemen’ all the negroes around the world who sat sweating and praying, glued to their ‘Master’s voice’” (Angelou 484). Angelou was one of the many African Americans brought together by cheering on an African American boxer in the store. In the store full of African Americans, there were for certain several individuals that held a grudge toward one another; however, the people who had resentment were brought together through a common interest: a boxing match. Learning to deal with resentment towards others is a life skill that is crucial in today’s society.
Sports give kids a chance to develop lifestyle skills through an activity they are interested in. In today’s society, learning to have resilience is a key factor in being successful. National Public Radio reporter Cory Turner himself writes, “...Managing failure and learning from our mistakes are vital skills in adulthood that we have to be taught as kids” (“When Kids Start Playing to Win” par. 28). In my opinion, the importance of learning how to deal with failure is the key to dealing with adversity in everyday life. Sports are a great activity for kids to be involved in because not matter what the activity is, the individual must to learn to deal with adversity at one time or another, which, in turn, will carry over to the individual's life when he or she faces failure.
In addition, sports teach people to be unselfish by being part of a team. Author Wilfred Sheed describes sports as often being linked to a school or a community activity (498). With that being said, Sheed complicates matters when he claims that people who participate find themselves playing for their school or their community instead of themselves (498). Learning to be unselfish is one of the hundreds of skills developed in sports that individuals must learn in order to succeed in today’s society. As a result, learning to compete with others is the most important skill to be developed while playing sports.
Learning to compete is a key lifestyle skill that people must acquire in order to be successful in today’s society. In other words, Child psychologist Jeff Derevensky suggests, “...Healthy competition can help a youngster learn about her talents and limitations” (qtd. in Harris-Adler par. 2). Competition within the American culture is what drives individuals to be their best. Without competition, no individual would know exactly how good he or she could be at any given activity. On the same note, if competition wasn’t imbedded in the American culture, then people would not enjoy the process of success. According to publisher Daniel Kinnaman, competition is what creates fun, excitement, preparation, and excellence in today’s society (Kinnaman par. 1). In today’s society within the United States, competing with others is inevitable; therefore, sports creating a competitive attitude is beneficial. All in all, sports create a competitive outlook that can then be carried over into situations throughout one’s life.
The substantial argument against sports being beneficial in today’s society is that sports place an unbearable amount of pressure on individuals, which, in turn, causes participants to turn to unhealthy habits. For example, financial analyst William Moller explains that most baseball players that play Major League Baseball have used steroids or another type of performance enhancing drug during their career. The main reason for players consuming performance enhancing drugs is to try and “get an edge” on the competition (Moller 545). Human nature naturally strives to always “one up” the competition and be the best at whatever the individual does. In addition, trying to be the best often times places the individual under unmanageable pressure that causes him or her to turn to unhealthy habits in order to cope with the pressure. On the same note, when a participant chooses to use a drug or performance enhancing substance in order to gain an edge on his or her opponent, the participant is more concerned with failing at the competition instead of breaking the law or rules by using a performance enhancing drug. According to senior Sports Illustrated writer Joe Posnanski, “... There are records and performances-consecutive games played and huge stolen bases totals just as a for instance-that you could logically connect to amphetamine (performance enhancing drugs) use” (Posnanski 557). The previous quote is an example of participants who are more concerned with excelling in their sport than breaking the rules and the law. As a result, sports bring pressure on to participants and often times cause the participant to turn to unhealthy habits to cope with the pressure of being the best at what he or she does. On the contrary, I urge that sports are beneficial to society because there are also ways to cope with pressure in healthy ways.
Sports are beneficial to today’s society because they bring people from different backgrounds together, emphasize imports skills for life, and establish competition in individuals; however, some argue that sports put unmanageable amounts of pressure on participants in the sport, which, in turn, causes the people to turn to unhealthy habits. Sports are a great avenue for minors and adults to take in order to learn how to deal with real life situations. Jackie Robinson brought millions of people together through a sport despite their grudges towards one another. The previous example is just one of countless beneficial situations that can come sports as long as the United States keeps them within its culture.
Works Cited
Angelou, Maya. “Champion of the World” They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 484-488. Print
Harris-Adler, Rosa. “Win Some, Lose Some.” Chatelaine, vol. 68, no. 11, Nov. 1995, p. 48. MAS Ultra - School Edition, Feb. 2017.
Kinnaman, Daniel E. “Boogity, Boogity, Boogity: Don't Suppress Competition--Promote Sportsmanship.” District Administration, 2008, p. 76. Student Resources in Context, Accessed 2017.
Moller, William. “We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes of Pedestals” They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy
Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 545-551. Print
Rogers, Felisa. “How I learned to Love Football” They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel
Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 529-535. Print
Sheed, Wilfrid. “Why Sports Matter” They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 489-510. Print
“When Kids Start Playing To Win.” Morning Edition, May 2014. Student Resources in Context, cf. Accessed 2017.