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.