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.