sophia kirk                              argument essay-should kids play contact sports?

A lot of people love to play contact sports, but what most of those people don’t know are the dangers involved. Did you know that more than 1 million kids died from playing contact sports in 2013? That’s one child every twenty five seconds. That’s a huge problem. More and more evidence supports the fact that there are serious risks associated with contact sports such as football, soccer, ice hockey and boxing. Knowing how to prevent or take necessary precautions is crucial to avoid serious injuries which can sometimes even be fatal. The main preventative measures are associated with the pressure placed on children in team sports. Sports should be fun and not always about winning, stress should not be placed on the players to avoid unnecessary injuries. Parents of players can help reduce the number of injuries.  Participation at the games is also crucial. They can keep an eye on their child to make sure they are keeping safe. Correct equipment is also a very important factor to reduce injury risks.

Some parents and coaches force their children to play harder than their ability which can cause more accidents, sometimes even the child forces the game on themselves too hard.  Stress is one of the main keys to getting injured in a contact sport. If a child has too much stress and pressure on them it can cause them to try too hard for something and they can get hurt. Sometimes a kid doesn’t show if they are hurt and they don’t care because they think they have to keep playing for their team to support it. This is really dangerous, in fact, it can make their injury way worse.  If you’re a child and hurt yourself you should say something, even though you may feel pressure to keep playing. “You don’t have to be great at something to be competitive at it” says Bill Clinton. “When Bill Clinton was younger most of his memories were on the basketball court” says an article. “There’s a lot of kids out there who don’t believe in having healthy competition, I think we have to make it enjoyable and for kids to understand that there’s a certain spirit of competition that’s fun. Its not nasty, it’s not aggressive, its just fun competition, and I think when you have that kids will go out and enjoy themselves. ” says Kobe Bryant. Kids need to listen to such famous sports heros. They should know that all the famous players were once on the same level as them and that it takes practice to be good. They should also know that even the best players today mess up. “teen stress 101: teens training too hard for sports” they say on ABC.  A good way to take away stress is to teak a break for a little bit, playing for a long time is just going to cause more and more stress. 53% of coaches feel bad about putting kids back in the game since all of the injuries they have heard about. A lot of children like to win things and impress people and that’s what most kids do but they don’t realize what their doing to themselves. Sometimes children don’t even do sports for fun, instead they do it to impress people which isn’t good because if you are playing a sport that you don’t enjoy , you are not going to get any fun out of it. Also, you are at a risk of hurting yourself.  If you try too hard but don’t care for the sport, things could get serious. A way to help prevent stress is to be positive because stress comes from taking part in something that’s enjoyable yet challenging but being positive can take your mind off stress and lead to a whole different path. Sometimes kids don’t want to play a sport but don’t know how to tell their parents. A tip for a parent is to ask your child if they enjoy playing their sport and also to have an open mind about what your child does sport wise. Although there might be some downsides of sports and after hearing all the injuries it doesn’t mean you have to quit.

Parents also play a huge factor in the safety of children playing contact sports. There are so many ways that people can get hurt from playing contact sports. Some parents don’t even let their own children play because its too dangerous and think there are too many risks. Parents should let their child experiment with different activities. Sports are so great for children to learn skills like teamwork, dedication, commitment, and discipline. Yes, with sports does come the risk of injury, but injuries can happen to anyone, at any time. Parents should allow their child to participate but make sure that they are involved, as well. They should be at the games when possible, ask them questions, and be their support system so that they are aware of an injury that might happen—at practice or during a game—and can have your child treated appropriately. The parent should also make sure their child is well prepared for a practice or game. An early night before the big day is important. A parent should make sure they eat a healthy breakfast and are well hydrated before going on the field, court, etc.

Wearing the correct equipment can also prevent most injuries caused by contact sports. Wearing the correct protection while playing a game can help a lot and is highly suggested. “Using the wrong — or improperly fitted — equipment is a major cause of injuries.” according to Kidshealth.org. They say that helmets are key and eye protection is also a must in many sports. Players should use properly fitting, sport-specific safety gear – every time.  According to Safe Kids Worldwide, most sports-related injuries (62 percent) occur during practices, so remember that safety gear is just as important during practice as it is for the big game.  Make it a rule: No gear, no game, and no exceptions, including practice.

Parents and kids should be more aware of what happens on the field and make sure they are staying safe while playing contact sports. They should prepare themselves well for both practices and big games by making sure they are awake and well fed and wearing the correct protective gear. The possibility of injuries should not stop kids from playing. There are too many positives associated with playing sports. With the correct precautions many contact sports tragedies can be avoided. 

Fairness in China- the Gaotao test

A college education is valuable resource for many rural Chinese students living in poverty. They see a university education as a way out of poverty and an opportunity to grow along with China’s bustling economy. However these hopeful students have a particularly difficult road ahead when it comes to higher education.  That is not fair.

To begin with, most universities in China have fewer open spots available to rural students making the competition that much more intense. Additionally, the entrance exam, known as the Gaotao test, is a must and requires rigorous preparation beyond what could reasonably be expected of even the top students. There is no other way for a student from rural China to prove his or her abilities to a university. The days long exam is the only way. To make matters worse, the sacrifices made to prepare for the exam often break families apart and place an enormous amount of pressure on students. There is no guarantee of success. Students who do not test well enough to enter a university are left with no other option but to settle for whatever hard work they can find. Wealthier students, by contrast, have more options. They can hire tutors or study abroad. They have also been known to bribe universities. It is not fair to poor students to have so much ride on a single exam. The process limits the ability of many worthy students to continue their education.  

Students from rural areas are allocated less college admission spots than kids from the bigger cities. That is extremely unfair. Parents of these poorer students are also under a lot of stress. Yang Wei’s mother gave up her garment factory job and moved with him close to his school because of his 6.20am to 10.50pm classes. This is only one of many sacrifices his parents made for him to have a chance to attend college and be the first in his family to do so (his father is a peach farmer 45 minutes away).

Another unfair aspect is the entrance exam itself. A test score does not always show how good a student is. At Maotanchang , a school where most of the students are from rural areas, “everything taught in 10^th and 11^th grade is focused on what the Gaotao test”. “In 12^th grade, students just typically review and memorize what they have already learned.” None of what is studied includes the arts, creative, or cultural learning. Universities should consider students talents beyond one test score.

The teachers are also under huge stress to make sure they get good results on their student’s tests, their jobs are always at risk if their students don’t perform well. This has also resulted in strict conditions at Maotanchang, there are harsh rules and long hours. The school even prided itself on getting rid of the “distractions of modern life. Cell phones and laptops are forbidden. The dorms, where about half the students live, have no electrical outlets. Dating is banned.” Even outside of campus in the nearest town where the rest of the students live “mostly with their mothers in tiny partitioned rooms, the local government has shut down all forms of entertainment”.

“Rural students are at a severe disadvantage.” People with limited means cannot prepare the same way the wealthier city students can. Wealthy people can “hire tutors, pay for test prep courses and even bribe their way into better city schools.” The rural are even allocated less college admission spots than kids from the cities. That is extremely unfair. Parents of these poorer students simply don’t have the means to provide their children with any other options. The Gaotao exam is the one and only option for poorer students.

The Gaotao exam does not provide equal or fair opportunities to students from poor, rural areas in China. The extremely difficult exam which relies heavily on memorization offers only a make or break opportunity to these students. Students either do well enough to enter university or they must settle for whatever work they can find. As difficult as it is the exam does not measure the full potential of a student.  It does not help that universities have less spots available to students from rural areas. It would seem the cards are stacked against poor students who’s only hope is to do well enough on a single exam that takes years to prepare for. Perhaps in the future there will be a better way of measuring student’s abilities other than the Gaotao.