Positive Effects of Athletics on Students

Positive Effects of Athletics on Students There is a massive group in schools which we call student athletes. This name is used when trying to describe the positive side of athletes in school. They were originally called “jocks” a name which probably came from the unfortunate garment called the jockstrap. Today we no longer use this term and most participants do not use the garment either. Student athletes push themselves unlike any other student. Athletics are not part of the curriculum like band or choir may be. They participate in athletics because they love it and they are willing to spend 3 hours after school on something that will not show up on their report cards or carry weight on their resume, at least not directly. Athletics are beneficial due to their positive effects on health, academics, and overall success. The health benefits of athletics are clearly visible, such as weight loss and improved fitness, and it also prevents drug use. There is also the negative that in time your body breaks down from the pounding of a physical sport like football, and the ever present danger of injury from a freak accident like landing on a teammate’s foot during basketball, or like the way Alexander Montgomery tore his ACL simply jumping for a chest bump in celebration. Athletics are dangerous, but so is life. Athletics have many affects both direct and indirect which help an athlete’s health and in some cases other people across the planet. Many great athletes are injured, from Bo Jackson’s dislocated hip to Adrian Peterson’s torn ACL. They were injured because of the nature of the game they loved, and they had to fight through the pain to become stronger athletes and to excel in their sport. Through injuries to athletes we are able to develop better ways to heal normal people. Athletes put a large stress and strain on their body and as a result the weak points break. This allows doctors and other medical experts to improve their surgery techniques or even redesign an entire replacement system. In “You Don’t Know Bo” Bo Jackson dislocates his own hip because of how powerful of an athlete he was. He was injured for the longest time because people did not believe he could dislocate his hip and pop it back into place by himself. When they finally realized that he had dislocated it the condition of his femur had degraded and he needed surgery, a hip replacement. During that time, 1991, a hip replacement meant limited mobility for the rest of your life, but Bo Jackson had other plans with a new style of replacement and incredible perseverance. After surgery they said he would never play professionally again, he was not able to play football but he did get another shot at baseball. He was the first athlete to ever have a hip replacement and return to the field. This completely changed the outlook for hip surgeries; people now were thinking, “Wow I could function again, look at Bo.” If not for public stories like this people start to get down on their situation and loose grasp on their own goals. Also new techniques would be spread more slowly if not for the communication that happens within professional sports to spread the best techniques for the athletes concerned. Since the introduction of title IX women’s athletics have been surging, and this has been wonderful for the girls who choose to take advantage of their opportunity to participate. As The Case for High School Activities states, “the dramatic increase in sports participation among girls in the aftermath of the passage of Title IX was associated with an increase in physical activity and an improvement in weight and body mass among adolescent girls” (“Case for High School” 6). Prior to title IX there were almost no women’s athletics and the support was very limited, meaning there was also limited participation. Now seeing a female student athlete is very common and this has been very beneficial to girls by improving their physical fitness and improving their body mass while the girls are able to have the figure that they want. Prior to Athletics many girls didn’t have appropriate activity levels and would simply change what they ate rather than what they were doing. This was very bad for girls because all they knew was the need to be skinny and have the perfect body according to the magazines and models. With athletics there girls are now able to focus on something other than just losing weight, and at the same time girls who participate were naturally in great shape because of the sport they were in. Were it not for Title IX girls would not be given the same opportunities as guys to exercise through something enjoyable, rather than simply working out by running and lifting. Girls now have every opportunity as guys do to participate in athletics in school and develop their own level of physical fitness in something that they enjoy. On the weekend the athletes party hard and live the good life, or at least that is the stereotype. The Case for High School Sports presented survey results which indicated, “athletes were significantly less likely to use cocaine and psychedelics, and less likely to smoke cigarettes” (“Case for High School” 8). Athletes have many reasons not to use these drugs due to their negative side effects. Athletes want to perform at their best level. These drugs inhibit the brain and disrupt bodily processes, causing a player’s abilities to decline. Also smoking specifically is bad for the lungs and repertory system causing reduced stamina, and shortness of breath, making much of the conditioning done in preparation for games a waste. Also athletes have drug testing which may not be full proof still but still a frightening thought. Athletes can be tested weekly for drugs they have chosen to use as far back as 1 month prior, this really dampens the want to use such drugs. Also there are many great role models for athletes, from coaches to professional players, many great men who are athletes have lived right and respected their own body. Athletics are very beneficial to student’s academics as much as their physicality. Students must have additional focus on and off the field in order to succeed. Athletes are held to a higher standard because of their leadership in the school. Other students look up to student athletes seeing them on the field competing in their sport creating excitement and energy throughout a large group of spectators. In a small town the local football team can shut down the town, the town pours out to see the game making the In the classroom student athletes must maintain at least a C average if they want to compete that week and in order to receive a scholarship for their sport they must achieve a GPA of 2.3 or better to qualify. Michael Hanks writes, “a number of studies have shown that athletes tend to make better grades than non-athletes” (483). Student athletes compete constantly, whether it is because it is in their nature or its just human nature they are constantly held to a higher standard and they constantly have to deliver. Their grades are better than the average student’s and are on the rise, this can be accredited to policies encouraging the academic development of student athletes, while we are developing a generation of athletes who are more educated and well rounded. This is a very big deal come time for college and applying for scholarships. With the minimum GPA requirement to get into college so low at a 2.3 it seems everybody who can play a sport can get a higher education, but this is on purpose. The Case for High School Activities states, “a Minnesota State High School League survey of 300 Minnesota high schools showed that the average GPA of a student-athlete was 2.84, compared with 2.68 for the non-participating student, and that student athletes missed an average of only 7.4 days of school each year, compared with 8.8 for the nonparticipating student” (“Case for High School” 4). This shows that students are scoring well above the minimum to receive scholarships and in Minnesota they have nearly a B average. The benchmark was set to push inner city kids to graduate while giving them a shot at a brighter future with a sport that can propel them into the spotlight and push them through school. Being part of the team makes sure they achieve the requirements to remain eligible on the field. Many students who play on Saturdays wouldn’t have made to college if not for the sport they played in high school at such a level to draw the eye of scouts around the country. Students who normally could not earn an education through college because of the seemingly insurmountable cost are able to because of athletic scholarships. Small scholarships make a difference and add up to students who are looking toward and education not just searching for an opportunity trying to make it “Big Time.” Even those athletes whose goal is to play on the professional level must make it through college and earn their education whether they like it or not. Yes, there are “special” players like LeBron James who, a few years ago, went straight from high school to the pros. All players now must complete at least one year of college but there still are some players are forced to learn and don’t want to. They give the majority of athletes who are at college not just to compete, but also to learn, a bad name causing the reputation of athletes to slip to “jocks.” When majority of athletes are graduating it is very difficult to deny the fact that student athletes are excelling on and off the field, which proves how beneficial athletics are in education. Through athletics students are more involved than they would through a club that may meet a few times a month. Student athletes give blood, sweat, and tears to win. They have the most demanding schedule of student in school. Practice drains the energy out of a student and yet they still have to come home every night and finish school work. Teachers do not accept I had practice or I was at my game last night as an excuse. Athletes are incredibly involved spending 6 hours at class then following it up with 3 hours on a field or court passing, catching, dribbling, shooting, tackling, scoring, and even fighting. Every day for a student athlete more than one third is spent at school or athletics, and usually the biggest achievement an athlete will receive is a pat on the back after a good game or an award after their senior season for being devoted to the team and not quitting. As Stinson and Howard add, “Exposure to and involvement with intercollegiate athletic programs might also be part of alumni’s university experience and contribute to the university-related identification” (241). Student athletes’ involvement can energize an entire community by giving adults an alma mater to cheer for, giving students something to be proud of and giving people something to identify as being a part of. Student athletes affect communities more than any other group you will find in any school through their continued tradition and through the way they bring hope to communities through their success and dedication. Athletes lead by example in the community and they learn values that are helpful throughout life pointing them down the path of continued success. Student athletes continually must work and develop to be better, with the constant reality in their face that if they are not getting better then someone else is. Athletes are continuously pushed by coaches and each other to do one more, one more sprint, one more play, one more lift, so that come game time they can go one more quarter, one more overtime, one more inning, and rise to the occasion. Were it not for athletics many people would not know what to do with problems in their life and they would not have an appropriate outlet for big problems. This sets them up for college success and achievement in a place where you must compete with the best. Athletes work for success and drive to be the best because it is in their nature to fight to be the best, and show others their best. Race, Sexual Status and Athletics In the Process of Educational Achievement concludes,
“participation in athletics may influence educational orientations and outcomes by enhancing a student 's visibility and popularity and thereby the likelihood of contact with achievement-oriented peers, school personnel, and family members as well as encouragement from significant-others to attend college” (Hanks 283).
This pushes students to go beyond what they believe their limits to be and lead head into college, with peers around them who can support them and also challenge them to do their best. In college students face many adversities, like meeting deadlines and working with people who they may not like, but they must be dealt with and handled with maturity. Athletics teach students to handle their problems by working harder, communicating with the coach or professor, and asking help from others. Athletes deal with controversy when the team loses and they enjoy praises for winning, athletes know the ups and downs and leaning on others who you can depend on in tough times. The aspect of a team is very important to athletics and life. People are always going to be around you and they will be depending on you as much as you are depending on them. Sports prepare you for dealing with collegiate problems that may arise during a group presentation and people will not pull their weight. Athletics are much like college minus the all nighters for papers and important projects. Work still must be done and there are no excuses for coming up short on assignments, which easily transfers to later in life. Athletes have a work ethic that drives them through even the toughest assignments, earning positions and awards that are difficult to achieve. Race, Sexual Status and Athletics In the Process of Educational Achievement states, “participation in athletics may be capable of providing the student with qualities (perhaps motivation) directly related to academic performance.” (Hanks 283) Without athletics many students do not see the importance of working hard and persevering through anguish. Athletics are said to not build character but reveal it, this is false. Players must learn to control themselves while playing at the cusp of an emotional explosion. Players must direct this emotion directly into the game, many players have trouble with this when they first start playing but they learn to deal with their emotions and their character improves. The best players are constantly in a fight inside and are able to control it in the game. This quality also applies to life, when things are not going right at work this quality allows athletes to persevere through and do what has to be done. This earns them respect and promotions because of their ability to perform under pressure. Athletes are taught to lead; in athletics the best teams have players which coach from the field and lead by example. Without leadership on the field and in the locker room players are not as dependable and have composure issues making it impossible to get the best out of the team. The best athletes have a leadership quality which has been tested to its limits. Leaders fight unwinnable games and stay composed against teams which try to bully their way to a win and toy with the rules, testing their limits to see what it will take to break the opponent’s concentration. Leadership must be the building blocks of a great team, whether it is at work, school, or on the field, leaders must lead. Leaders communicate and tell people where to go because of the respect others have for them. The best leaders understand how to earn respect and use their influence to get the best out of people around them. Were it not for athletics many students would not be on the path to a positive life. Athletics start teaching intangible qualities early, which will stick with a person for their entire lifetime. Athletics make a positive impact on a person’s life through their influences health, academics, and life lessons, all of which will affect a person throughout their entire life and help with struggles which may arise throughout their career.
Works Cited
Hanks, Michael. "Race, Sexual Status and Athletics in the Process of Educational Achievement." Social Science Quarterly (University of Texas Press) 24 (1980): 483-496. Print.
Honey, Michael J.. The impact of interscholastic athletics on academic performance. Oregon: Microform Publications, 1994. Print.
Parks, Brad, and Dan Eggen. "Supervisors Vow to Bring Light to High School Baseball Fields." The Washington Post [Washingtion ] 4 Feb. 1998, Final Edition ed., sec. Prince William Extra: V03. Print.
Putnam, Bob. "Soccer Poses Tough Choice." Tampa Bay Times [St. Petersburg] 18 Mar. 2011, 2 Tampa Edition ed., sec. Sports: 1C. Print.
Stinson, Jeffrey, and Dennis Howard. "Athletic Success and Private Giving to Athletic and Academic Programs at NCAA Institutions." Journal of Sport Management 21 (2007): 235-264. Print. "The Case For High School Activities." National High School Activities Weekly Vol.54.1 (2001): 1-8. Print.
Tom, Denise. "High School Athletes to Get Own Heisman." USA Today 10 Dec. 1993, Final Edition ed., sec. Sports: 9C. Print.
Troutman, K. P., and M. J. Dufur. "From High School Jocks To College Grads: Assessing The Long-Term Effects Of High School Sport Participation On Females ' Educational Attainment." Youth & Society 38.4 (2007): 443-462. Print.
You Don 't Know Bo. Dir. Michael Bonfiglio. Perf. James Andrews, Dickie Atchison, Hal Baird. ESPN Films, 2013. Film.
Zink, Janet. "Headed for Failure They Reversed Course." St. Petersburg Times 2 Apr. 2003, 2 Late Tampa Edition ed., sec. Tampa & State: 1B. Print.

Cited: Hanks, Michael. "Race, Sexual Status and Athletics in the Process of Educational Achievement." Social Science Quarterly (University of Texas Press) 24 (1980): 483-496. Print. Honey, Michael J.. The impact of interscholastic athletics on academic performance. Oregon: Microform Publications, 1994. Print. Parks, Brad, and Dan Eggen. "Supervisors Vow to Bring Light to High School Baseball Fields." The Washington Post [Washingtion ] 4 Feb. 1998, Final Edition ed., sec. Prince William Extra: V03. Print. Putnam, Bob. "Soccer Poses Tough Choice." Tampa Bay Times [St. Petersburg] 18 Mar. 2011, 2 Tampa Edition ed., sec. Sports: 1C. Print. Stinson, Jeffrey, and Dennis Howard. "Athletic Success and Private Giving to Athletic and Academic Programs at NCAA Institutions." Journal of Sport Management 21 (2007): 235-264. Print. "The Case For High School Activities." National High School Activities Weekly Vol.54.1 (2001): 1-8. Print. Tom, Denise. "High School Athletes to Get Own Heisman." USA Today 10 Dec. 1993, Final Edition ed., sec. Sports: 9C. Print. Troutman, K. P., and M. J. Dufur. "From High School Jocks To College Grads: Assessing The Long-Term Effects Of High School Sport Participation On Females ' Educational Attainment." Youth & Society 38.4 (2007): 443-462. Print. You Don 't Know Bo. Dir. Michael Bonfiglio. Perf. James Andrews, Dickie Atchison, Hal Baird. ESPN Films, 2013. Film. Zink, Janet. "Headed for Failure They Reversed Course." St. Petersburg Times 2 Apr. 2003, 2 Late Tampa Edition ed., sec. Tampa & State: 1B. Print.