Persuasive Essay
ENG 121.201
14 July 2014 Persuasive Essay: "It's not just a game," to many athletes this statement rings true. Sports fuel the drive and determination within people, and provide them an essential learning tool from which they can grow. Competitive is defined as, "of or relating to a situation in which people or groups are trying to win a contest or be more successful than other : relating to or involving competition ."(merriam-webster.com) This concept of competitiveness is the foundation of all sports. The competitive spirit and thirst to want to better oneself in order to be at the top is a fueling force that will propel our children far beyond their years on the court. Providing children with equal playing time in youth sports discourages the necessary need for healthy competition and takes away valuable life lessons that will prepare them for the future. With over six years of experience coaching girls basketball at the grade school level, the debate over playing time is one thing that I have encountered a lot. For the most part people are strongly on one side or the other. Although there are other people like me that disagree with this rule, in most grade school sports this rule has become a mandatory enforced aspect of the game - slowly and forcefully crushing the heart of the competitiveness that so many athletes join sports for. There are many counterclaim to this debate ranging from psychological harm all the way to it creating the obesity epidemic we are currently facing in our country. One debate that I have heard numerous times is that children learn through playing an actual game verses only in practice. This is ridiculous! To start off, any good player treats practice as though it is a game and puts forth just as much effort. Coaches demand this intensity level in practice, so they can adequately prepare their team for the actual games. Practice is where you learn; games are where you put your skills to the
14 July 2014 Persuasive Essay: "It's not just a game," to many athletes this statement rings true. Sports fuel the drive and determination within people, and provide them an essential learning tool from which they can grow. Competitive is defined as, "of or relating to a situation in which people or groups are trying to win a contest or be more successful than other : relating to or involving competition ."(merriam-webster.com) This concept of competitiveness is the foundation of all sports. The competitive spirit and thirst to want to better oneself in order to be at the top is a fueling force that will propel our children far beyond their years on the court. Providing children with equal playing time in youth sports discourages the necessary need for healthy competition and takes away valuable life lessons that will prepare them for the future. With over six years of experience coaching girls basketball at the grade school level, the debate over playing time is one thing that I have encountered a lot. For the most part people are strongly on one side or the other. Although there are other people like me that disagree with this rule, in most grade school sports this rule has become a mandatory enforced aspect of the game - slowly and forcefully crushing the heart of the competitiveness that so many athletes join sports for. There are many counterclaim to this debate ranging from psychological harm all the way to it creating the obesity epidemic we are currently facing in our country. One debate that I have heard numerous times is that children learn through playing an actual game verses only in practice. This is ridiculous! To start off, any good player treats practice as though it is a game and puts forth just as much effort. Coaches demand this intensity level in practice, so they can adequately prepare their team for the actual games. Practice is where you learn; games are where you put your skills to the