Why Can't They Play

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Jessica Gilpatrick
ENG 101
18 October 13
Why Can’t They Play? Should students who do poorly academically be allowed to participate in athletic programs? It’s an age old question that can change a young persons life. Normally all students are allowed the privilege of participating in athletic programs. This privilege stays available provided they are able to keep their grades to certain grade point average. There are numerous benefits to playing sports while attending grade school. The benefits can be displayed in two methods. The ways the benefits are displayed include tangible as well as intangible. The tangible, of course, are that the student will be physically fit and able to perform physical tasks daily with ease. The physical appearance is also good because it helps the students cope with the pressures of their peers. How often do you see an athlete being bullied? The greater gain is in the intangible realm. The intangible has physical as well as mental advantages. The physical advantages are endless. The most important physical advantage is that the student will be healthy. Being active in sports allows the student to have a positive energy outlet. This will help decrease the number of juveniles in jail 2 due to having excessive amounts of time. By having the requirement that students maintain a steady grade point average, it helps the student have a balance between both school and life. The mind is the most powerful tool that you can sharpen. Why do you think the price of education continues to inflate? Students who are able to balance learning and sports should be encouraged to participate in athletic programs. One of the reasons this is important is because athletics teache discipline. Discipline is a necessity to survival in life. This skill provides the ability to be coached. Being coachable is vital in adapting to life’s demanding changes. If you never have the mental stamina to push thru life’s roadblocks in the journey of life then you will never accomplish anything. Anything worth having in life requires you to work for it and in order to work day in and day out you have to have the discipline to continue. Many students in troubled areas use athletic programs to stay out of trouble. By requiring them to maintain their grades to participate in these programs it forces them to focus on their schoolwork and their sport. When they are disqualified or suspended from their respective programs, it can begin a spiral effect into which they get into trouble.

3 Students that have the ability to balance both athletics and academics learn the use of time management. A student athlete must be able to juggle classes and practices to finals and games. The ability to do both requires a very good use of time management. Finally the most important mental advantage is tenacity. Tenacity is the ability to have the strength of purpose. This will teach the student how to persevere through the hardships of life by going through drills that make them push themselves to the limit. Although there are numerous positives to allowing a student the ability to participate in athletic programs, there can be some negatives associated. Some students may have an inability to maintain the demanding riggers of course work and extracurricular activities. There can be many associated distractions that hinder the student from maintaining a certain grade point average required to participate in athletics. Teammate peer pressure through things such as hazing can be a major distraction. The student athlete also faces the potential of facing an injury from certain hazing events, which could lead to the student missing class which in turn could lead to grades slipping below the standard grade point average. There is also the potential to miss class due to away games. Some students do not have the ability recover from 4 working on both missed assignments and ones that are currently due. This puts pressure on the student to complete their assignment. Depending on the school and how popular their athletic program and or athlete is, puts pressure on the teachers. In some states sports are very popular and athletic programs are responsible for bringing in a major portion of funding for the school and the loss of a star athlete due to academic issues to the administration would be unacceptable. Overall there are more positive to allowing a student the privilege of participating in athletic programs while attending an academic program. The advantages outweigh the potential disadvantages. A student who displays the ablility to maintain grades and sports is far ahead of the average student. The benefit is far greater when for a student to participate in athletics then for them to not. Students that participate in athletics have the opportunity to develop into well rounded individuals.