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Tyler Quinn

Mr. Donald

Writing for College

26 February 2018

The Real MVP: Sports At It’s Best

“It’s a boy!” Parents are overwhelmed with joy when a new

life enters this world. Suddenly, they realize a new life has

entered this dangerous world filled with drugs, violent crime,

and terrorism. What is a parent to do? Parents’ first instinct

is to protect their children. However, they also want to raise

their children to stay away from drugs and violent crime. One of

the best options is participation in sports. "Sport can benefit

young people in so many ways -by getting them fit and healthy,

teaching them important lessons in life, like teamwork and

leadership, or keeping them out of trouble” (James). In addition

to learning the game, they learn life skills such as,

discipline, and also help them physically. Sports have been

proven to impressively help children physically and mentally.

Focus is arguably one of the most importants skills a

person can have in one’s life. Focus can be learned through

sports and has been proven to help children in their everyday

life. In a study done by “Active Education: Growing Evidence on

Physical Activity and Academic Performance”Active Learning

Research, January 2015, page four states “Children participating

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in physical activity are better able to stay focused and remain

on task in the classroom, thus enhancing the learning

experience”. Active Learning Research also found, “Active

Education: Growing Evidence on Physical Activity and Academic

Performance”Active Learning Research, January 2015, page three

“After walking on a treadmill for twenty minutes, children

responded to test questions with greater accuracy, and had a

more intense response within the brain, than children who had

been sitting”. When focused, one has the drive to complete

tasks at hand with speed and efficiency, which leads to

effectiveness. Being an effective person may lead to many job

opportunities, promotions and higher income. Also, "Sport can

benefit young people in so many ways by getting them fit and

healthy, teaching them important lessons in life, like teamwork

and leadership, or keeping them out of trouble” (James).

Another essential aspect needed in one’s life is learning

how to communicate with adults. Communication is important in

everyday life because it is a vital part of all relationships

with others. “Social success is built on our ability to

communicate correctly and appropriately. From simple tasks such

as remembering people's’ names to more complex activities such

as giving and receiving compliments, communicating is a skill we

need to master early and effectively.”

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"Sport has a special ability to inspire and motivate young

people from different backgrounds, create strong social networks

and increase community cohesion. It also helps us to tackle

isolation and boredom” (James) When children learn to converse

at a young age, they learn how to properly shake hands with the

adult. This simple, but sometimes avoided task gives a better

overall perception of the child. Instead of the adult thinking

poorly of the child, he will likely think that the child is

mature by this simple task. Technology is to blame for the

unsociability for children; “Children need to use technology at

a ratio of one to five,” said Larry Rosen, a psychology

professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills. “For

every minute of tech use there should be an equivalent five

minutes of time spent doing something else including talking to

people, interacting with toys that promote creativity and doing

activities that calm an overactive brain” (Hampton). Sports is

an easy way to give a child this opportunity of learning

communication. Sports at a young age will take up only six

percent of the time in a week. A typical sports schedule usually

includes practice three times a week, with two games on Saturday

and Sunday. These ten hours in the week or 520 hours a year

gives a child ample time to learn and practice to communicating

with other children and adults while enjoying a sport. Through

the different exercises and drills done during practice,

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children learn that they would rather ask questions to the

coach, so they can perform the skills properly instead of

looking foolish in front of their friends. This gives the child

the opportunity to improve their communication skills and also

build their confidence in talking to other adults (Hampton).

After focus and communication, the real fun of sports

begins: competition. “In 2008, 30.2% of youth ages 6 to 12 were

active to a healthy level through sports, organized or

unstructured; by 2015, that number had dropped to 26.6%,

according to SFIA. Among 13- to 17-year-olds, the rate fell from

42.7% to 39.3%” (Farrey). Children start to pick up the sport

and become competitive with one another. “It also provides a

forum for young people to learn how to deal with competition and

how to cope with both winning and losing. These learning aspects

highlight the impact of physical education and sport on a

child’s social and moral development in addition to physical

skills and abilities” (Farrey). Competition creates a drive to

win, but with winning comes losing. Therefore, children in

sports learn how to win and lose with respect. Being humble in

winning and losing, takes a lot of self control. Winning with

respect means to win the game fairly, while also not rubbing the

win in on the losing team. Losing with respect is also

difficult, especially for a struggling sports team. The players

are sad with the realization that they are not considered
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“winners” but are actually “losers”, after a while, many

children may take it to an extreme throwing tantrums because

they can’t win. However, when playing a sport, "You always have

respect for opponents, officials, teammates, and respect for the

game," Morgan said. "If you do those things on the athletic

field, those things will go beyond that ... outside the academic

realm.” (Harris)

Children take years to realize that losing a game is not

the end of the world. The most important part of playing sports

is to teach children life skills which will shape them into

productive and successful adults in life.

“Never give up” is really the most important part of

playing sports. Sports demonstrates there is always a chance to

come out on top even when it seems impossible.“Despite the best

efforts of their parents, children will make mistakes. Keep a

sense of humor and look for teachable moments. By focusing on

the positive and celebrating achievements, your maturing child

will learn to show respect to others, and may one day teach his

or her own children to do the same” (Hyken). In Superbowl 51,

the Atlanta Falcons played the New England Patriots, the Falcons

were up 28-3 at the end of halftime. Tom Brady, then helped his

team to victory by the end of the game, scoring twenty-five

points in the last half of the game for his fifth Superbowl

ring. “Participation in sports by children and adolescents is

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associated with a range of documented physical, emotional,

social, educational, and other benefits that can last into

adulthood” (Farrey). “It ain’t over till it’s over,” is one of

the most inspirational quotes known to athletes. This quote by

Yogi Berra shows everyone that, until the game is called by the

officials, there is still a chance of winning.

According to the NCAA, the rates of suicide are decreased

for athletes, when it is the opposite when it comes to people

who do not play sports. “When we turn to college student-

athletes, there are very few cases of completed suicide”

(Lester). “First, participation in sports involves physical

activity, and exercise may reduce depression. Second,

participation in sports has many positive side effects,

including the social bonding from being in a team and the

increase in self-esteem from achieving success in the sport”

(Lester). Sports also brings in the aspect of friendship which

can also lead one to one of their best friends. Being pushed by

friends will motivate one to become better than their friend.

This healthy relationship can lead to less time thinking about

the negatives in one’s life and focusing on becoming a better

person.

When beginning sports, children run into a serious problems

such as prioritization. When a child becomes addicted to the

sport, he/she will have trouble focusing on his/her’s school

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work while also becoming better at the sport they play. The

child will need to learn balance. When the children do their

homework and is receiving good grades, they won’t become better

at their sport because they are putting in so much effort into

school. The parents will then believe that there is no reason

for the child to be playing sports, especially if he/she won’t

work hard at it. “Organized sports activity helps children

develop and improve cognitive skills, according to a study of

that tracked kids from kindergarten through fourth grade (Piche,

2014). Physical activity in general is associated with improved

academic achievement, including grades and standardized test

scores. Further, such activity can affect attitudes and academic

behavior, including enhanced concentration, attention, and

improved classroom behavior” (Farrey). However, if the child

only focuses on their sport then the parents may threaten the

child with not allowing he/she to play the sport if their grades

slip. Parents also like their children to play sports because it

will teach their child that nothing is given to them because the

child will need to compete for positions. "What I learned on the

athletic field has set the groundwork for who I am” (Harris).

When playing a sport a child will learn how to have balance in

their life which will help them through the rest of their years.

Many children who have grown up playing sports, “are better off
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in the classroom, having better grades and standardized tests

than children who do not play sports” (Lewis).

Making good decisions when having little time to react is

key, especially when talking to adults. "You want them to be

disciplined and understand the difference between right and

wrong" (Harris). When playing sports children will also learn

right from wrong and how to become a better person. "I try not

to make others feel bad on the field and outside of school.

Sports has really taught me a life lesson which is pretty much

fundamental in dealing with people” (Harris). The child will

learn that there are topics one can talk about with friends and

topics one can talk about with adults. This happens because of

the interactions with adults while learning the sport. “To

transition a respectful attitude outside the family household,

parents need to provide opportunities for their children to

interact with older individuals. Create situations where adult

interactions naturally occur. Have a family friend to dinner or

arrange a fun activity with an aunt or uncle” (Hyken). They will

also learn how to speak with respect when talking to their

coaches politely and how to word their questions in order to get

the answer they desire. The child will eventually learn they are

held to a very high standard when it comes to behavior and also

grades. There is many consequences when being an athlete,

because schools know that they can be valuable for many

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different reasons such as marketing, so the schools will punish

athletes more harshly in order for the child to be able to get

their behavior in order. The work ethic is almost impeccable for

all successful athletes. Athletes must tackle getting their

homework done, studying for tests, going to practices, going to

games, and doing their chores. The extra time used for playing

their sport may not seem like much time. However, it is. Instead

of doing homework from four to seven, athletes are forced to do

their homework from seven to however long it takes to complete

their work which then means they will have less sleep than one

who does not play sports. This makes balance important in their

life in order to not be flustered day after day.

As an athlete, one must be consistent. Meaning, one must be

going to their practices and games. This consistency will teach

children to be consistent with their school work and also be

consistent when waking up to go to school. This consistency in

life is important because in employers look for consistent

workers in order to run a successful business. When one is

looking for a job no one wants an inconsistent worker because

they are not reliable.

When playing sports, children’s grades start to drop. When

playing sports they have trouble keeping their grades up because

they are tired and don’t want to do their homework. For many

high schools, there is a minimum GPA a student must have in

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order to be eligible to play. Usually, it takes at least a 2.0

GPA or no failing of any classes. This is to keep children from

slacking off in school, thinking that sports will get them

somewhere in life. This rule has been very important for many

children because it holds them to a standard and shows how badly

they want to play the sport of their choice. This also means

that the child will have to get extra help if need in order to

prevent a failing grade of anything below a 2.0 GPA. This is the

most effective way for one’s child to become successful,

especially if he/she loves the sport they play. There should

also be higher standards in a household because there are very

few colleges that will accept a 2.0 GPA

When children play sports, their parents will learn that

there are many more benefits than they thought such as their

child will need to become more of a student. At all schools they

need to be passing all of their classes in order to play their

desired sport.In a study done by Darko Jekauc, “The gross motor

coordination was assessed by three items: the jumping side-to-

side test, the single leg stance, and the backward balancing”

(Jekauc). When children have not been associated in sports, they

will have difficulty completing these simple exercises with an

athletic amount of reps completed. With the help of sports, this

could heavily increase these numbers. Children will have trouble

understanding and interpreting words. Playing sports will

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increase blood flow to the brain which will preserve the

child’s brain cells that will help them in school, and their

reaction times in order to save themselves from danger. The lack

of motor skills could have a serious impact on one’s mental

state also. As previously stated, when children don’t develop

their skills, they will have trouble fitting in with others

since most children play or used to play sports (Jekauc).

Sports is a great option for all children for the all

around effects on a child. “Physical activity, and sports in

particular, can positively affect aspects of personal

development among young people, such as self-esteem, goal-

setting, and leadership. However, evidence indicates that the

quality of coaching is a key factor in maximizing positive

effects” (Farrey). Coordination is one of the most needed skills

in life. Without coordination one will have a great amount of

trouble when trying to get themselves out of bad situations. Bad

situations are inevitable and being able to get out of them are

much easier when playing sports. This is because of the mental

effects of playing sports which will help with the coordination

that could potentially save one’s life. Even though coordination

is important, reaction time is the most important part of

helping a child physically. Reaction time can be most beneficial

for real time events and simple activities that require having a

decent reaction time. Over the course of a few years the child
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should show great progress. This shows that the child is

maturing well. However, if the child is not improving the child

may be having a hard time, but they could need special education

because their brain may not be functioning correctly. This could

be a dramatic change in the child's life; if the correction is

not made quickly. There may not be a full proof solution,

however there is a chance that the child could show drastic

changes if treated properly.

Another great reason for playing sports is to increase a

child's strength. By challenging one’s bones, gaining strength

can help with bone density. This will then reduce the risk of

osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is when one’s bones become brittle

and are very fragile. They will become sore very easily and make

it extremely hard to do any manual labor. Looking into the

child's future, the child’s muscles will help the child to have

an easier time when they become older because the muscles will

be strong for years to come. Also, when being strong one will

become better in the sport that he/she plays, which could help

the child go to college to help out their parents financially.

Strength is also important when just being healthy as a child

because when parents give their child healthy food and drinks

they are preparing their child for a long and healthy life.

Families should encourage their children to play sports.

While getting children interested in playing sports, over time

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the child will learn many life skills. The child will learn how

to become respectful, learn how to talk to authority figures,

and lastly to always do their best. Sports also teach

discipline, in the aspects of being discipline. Being discipline

means to stay within one’s self and to work hard for a long

period of time. Discipline also teaches the child to stay on top

of their grades,and prioritizing their time. Lastly, playing

sports will help the child physically in keeping a healthy

lifestyle, and to become stronger person then one was yesterday.

Works Cited

Farrey, Tom. “Facts: Sports Activity and Children.”Project Play.

The Aspen’s Institute., 21 Jan. 2017.url. Accessed 22

November 2017.

Harrar, Sari. "Not Just Fun and Games." Good Housekeeping, vol.

245, no. 3, Sept. 2007, pp. 111-115. EBSCOhost,

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search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=

27047783&site=ehost-live.

Harris, Krista. "Kids Can Learn Value of Sportsmanship."

Brunswick News, the (GA), 16 Dec. 2009. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=n5h&AN

=2W63343758020&site=ehost-live.

Hyken, Russell. “US News” Teaching Teens to Respectfully

Interact With Adults., 19 April. 2017. Url. Accessed 17

September 2017.

James, Coach. “3 Ways Team Sports Can Improve Social Skills.”

Discover Soccer., 12 Dec. 2013. Url Accessed 17 September

2017.

Jekauc, Darko, et al. "Does Physical Self-Concept Mediate the

Relationship between Motor Abilities and Physical Activity

in Adolescents and Young Adults?." Plos One, vol. 12, no.

1, 03 Jan. 2017, p. e0168539. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0168539.

Lewis, Smith. "Space to Have a Ball Is Key to Good Behaviour."

Times, the (United Kingdom), n.d. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=n5h&AN

=7EH2080274040&site=ehost-live.

Morgan Hampton. The Daily Universe, 22 Aug. 2014., Accessed

10 Sept. 2017.
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Mustari, Samuel G. "Boyle Talks at Concussion Symposium and

Coach/Community Kick-Off Presentation." Greeley

Tribune (CO), 30 July 2013. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/

login.aspx?direct=true&db=n5h&AN=2W62553126349&site=ehost-

live.