The Spectaculars of Sports

In high school, there are many opportunities to become involved in activities throughout the school year. Whether it’s a club such as FBLA or a sport in which athletes can compete, students have numerous opportunities to get involved. These opportunities help prepare students for life by teaching them important lessons. Although clubs can teach students some major life skills, they do not teach the students as much as a student actively involved in high school sports. High school athletics teach students valuable life lessons, teach students how to manage what is important in their life, and teach students to remain physically active throughout life. High school sports are an important key to teens becoming successful in life and should not be taken for granted.

In sports, to become not only an excellent athlete yourself, but a great team as well, athletes need to work hard. Whether it is by practicing or training to become better in the weight room, athletes know it takes hard work to acquire their goals. For anything to become its best, it takes hard work and dedication. This is also true in life. Whether it is for work or just tending to a garden, it takes hard work to get where you want to go or be where you want to be. This is a very important life lesson that can and should be used throughout a person’s life.

Another important lesson learned through high school athletics is to never give up. Throughout life, everyone goes through a tough time. Today, for instance, it can be hard to find a job. Instead of just giving up after applying for a few jobs, try harder. Whatever happens, don’t give up! Sure, you might get turned down again, but it’s worth a shot. The same can be said and is demonstrated through high school athletics. In a basketball game, if a team is down towards the end of a game, do you think the athletes are taught to just give up when the shots aren’t falling for them and they are down? No! Instead these student athletes try harder. They fight to the finish and never give up. Because these teens have a chance to participate in high school athletics, they learn valuable life lessons which will stick with them for the rest of their lives.

Although competing in athletic events can be fun, students learn to manage their schedules the hard way. If a student athlete is busy competing and practicing, they may fall behind in school, and he or she will be punished as a result. In Hanover High School, if a student becomes ineligible, he or she cannot compete in an athletic event until they bring their grade(s) up. A student becomes ineligible by receiving either three D’s during a quarter of school or by containing just one F. This teaches high school students to pay attention to what is important, academics and not athletics. In most instances, a student will get a job based on their academic record and not by athletics. However, by being active in high school athletics, students will learn to manage their schedules more efficiently and learn to always stay focused on what is important in their life.

Finally, athletics are important for the obvious, remaining in shape. It seems as though more and more people are becoming overweight. The best method to lose weight is by exercising and becoming active. The best way to do this is by participating in athletics. If a teen actively participates in high school athletics, then exercising will become second-hand. Although many teens do not look as though they need to worry about their weight, as they get older, their metabolism will most likely slow down. In a nutshell, their weight will catch up to them. If teens participate in sports during high school though, it will be easier for them to get out and exercise when they need to later on in life.

Some people believe high school athletics have a negative effect on the lives of students. They feel sports are becoming the top priority in a teen’s life and students would be better off without the opportunity of participating in high school sports. Although high school sports are extremely important for teenagers, it should not overcome the importance of academics. In Hanover, academics come first. Although most kids thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to play sports, they realize that unless they focus on their academics, they won’t get the chance to participate in sports.

Yet, there are still a fraction of the high school students that do not participate in any sports during high school. That fraction only increases with the size of the school. A goal should be set to where the number of students that do not participate in high school athletics decreases every year. This will not only be valuable for the teams that they join, but even more beneficial to the students themselves. If a student becomes involved in high school athletics it will help him or her tremendously. It will teach them valuable life lessons, teach them how to manage what is important in their life, and teach students to remain physically active throughout life. The opportunities given through high school sports are very important and should be used to any high-school student’s advantage.