Should High School Students Be Required To Play Sports?

I think sports, not just gym, should be required for graduation. Sports would get kids in good shape and would make fat students lose weight. They would also teach students to manage their other commitments better. Playing sports toughens you up and teaches respect as well.I know a lot of out-of-shape and lazy people would whine about this, but they are exactly the ones who need to be more active.

2008-04-24 15:52:59 Jamey-Straub says: You can't force a teen to be competitive. There will be the kids who want to play sports who scream at the ones who don't put enough effort into the team online sports book betting. Plus team captains will leave those out of their team who don't play up to their standards online sports book betting. I put up with the same crap once.

2008-04-24 15:50:54 Louella-Elizabeth says: I dont think so. I hate sports, and I dont think you should have to do something that you hate, even if it is unhealthy for you.

2008-04-24 16:04:06 Taisha-Lafortune says: No. I was very skinny in high school, but I do understand trying to get some of these children who are overweight to exercise. I played, soccer, softball, and volleyball and quit them all my junior year because they were a waste of my time and didnt teach my anything except that you only play to win not have fun, at least that is what our coaches taught us. But it is not the responsibility of the school to make these children loose weight. It is the parent's responsiblity to teach these children good eating habits and exercise habits by setting a good example. Same with the coaches and gym teachers as well, because when I went to school, only one I had the entire time from elementary until I graduated was actually skinny, the rest were all overweight.But do not forget that some kids can eat right and exercise and still be overweight. So dont count everyone that is overweight as just being lazy or eating unhealthy.

2008-04-24 15:54:36 Ervin-Eliza says: anyway, i dont really see it as a positive thing to force kids into sports. im not going to go into the benefits of a plant based diet, the facts are there to speak for themselves. a more logical step toward increasing the students health would be to offer healthy meals, instead of garbage. and i mean vegetables and fruit. every child is different. if health is your concern, lack of physical activity does contribute to unhealthy kids, but DIET is infinitley more important. athletic programs can benefit kids greatly, but so can art and academic progams. thats why the system sucks, because if you cant remember a whole lot of information, just long enough to spit it back out on some test, youre not smart. the public school system is failing and we're letting it happen.

2008-04-24 15:51:15 Madlyn-Osteen says: Yeah i would go crazy if there were no sports in my school.

2008-04-24 15:51:18 Fidel-Sommer says: So, if a kid has a physical disability and can't play sports, they shouldn't graduate?

• I am neither out-of-shape nor lazy and I think this is a horrible idea.
• You can be very in shape and very hard-working and not be athletic at all.
• That doesn't toughen you up to make someone not good at sports to do it, it tears them down.
• Plus sports isn't the only thing that teaches respect and helps manage commitments better.
• The arts do that as well.
• I am so much better at performance art (i.e.
• acting, singing, dancing) than I could ever possibly be at sports.
• I would more likely want an extracurricular activity be required rather than sports specifically.
• Not everyone can do sports that doesn't make them out-of-shape or lazy or inactive.
• That makes them not good at sports.
• Making anyone, especially teenagers, do what they least want to do will most likely have the opposite effect.

2008-04-24 15:57:06 Daryl-Smith says:

• i say nosports take up alot of time and require commitment, something not all kids have online sports book betting.
• plus the requirements are already horrible, and high school students dont need more stress online sports book betting.
• plus, either teh school or students have to have ALOT of money to do that

2008-04-24 15:51:08 Domenic-Langston says:

• No.
• some people just dont like sports and some do.
• you cant force people to do things they dont like.

2008-04-24 16:12:48 Siobhan-Leech says: you're right. now that we're in the "technology" age, students are slacking off. sports are really fun and it teaches a lot of lessons like determination and patience and all that stuff. it's also healthy, so yeah!

2008-04-24 16:01:20 Reagan-Shea says: NO.First of all, it requires more than movement to to loose weight. Getting healthy requires more then a quick fix.Second of all, forcing students to participate in EXTRACURRICULAR activities is wrong. Gym class in and of itself is enough, if not too much. It would be wonderful for people to be healthier, but you can't FORCE them to. Not everyone wants to be athletic (those that do play sports usually). There are other ways to learn respect and team work. Most students have over crowded schedules as is. School is for education, Gym supports that by educating on the ways one can move to be healthy, and provides kids with the background knowledge needed to become interested in playing sports. It also provides an outlet for extra energy sometimes.Everyone has their strengths and weeknesses, and their fellow peers already know how to pick on and make miserable each other already, FORCING them to play a sport that made them uncormfortable would be cruel.Not to mention opening up our children for potential injuries, most team sports require grace, strength, skill and an aptitude for the sport. Lacking any one or more of theses could be dangerous for everyone on the team.I had a bad back in school and even gym activities made it worse, one of my gym teachers forced me into and activity and hurt me bad enough to be sent home... I can't imagine what it would be like to dread being forced to play a sport on top of dreading gym.I do however think there should be more effort to provide children with healthier food choices and more encouragement for finding physical activites they enjoy, like playing tether ball or dancing, even roller skating or frisbie...and last of all. Being fat does not mean you are lazy, or unhealthy. I'm considered over weight, but I move harder and longer then any of my skinny friends. I have muscle tone that makes my athletic friends jealous.

2008-04-24 15:49:54 Hannelore-Wise says: i love sports, but that would be rediculous to make someone unatheletic to do that. the world is fine without that online sports book betting.

2008-04-24 15:55:03 Kelley-Ray says:

• Plus, if kids were required to play sports it could have a bad effect on their academic grades.
• One Example of this is a kid who is very smart, does well in school, and one day has to go home to his mom and tell her "I have a 4.0 but didnt graduate because i didnt play a sport."
• I think that students should not have to participate in sports to graduate.
• While I can easily see why you belive we should have sports be required, i want you to also consider that people are all good at different things and i do not believe it would be fair to require sports to graduate.

2008-04-24 15:56:43 Ken-Sutton says: I think its not a good idea. Gym is sufficient enough. Making unathletic students participate in after school sports is ridiculous. They will just warm the bench and be embarrassed. It will do nothing but lower their self esteem. THe schooling system shouldnt force students to be active past phys ed, although it is beneficial. What a student chooses to do with their physical health is their matter.

• No way!
• I hate sports and would hate being forced to play them.
• But, I still go to the gym and do other forms of excercise.
• Sports aren't the only way to stay in shape.

2008-04-24 15:58:58 Carmine-West says: I am in good shape, I played sports in high school, and I was the top defensive player in my league.I hated almost every minute of it. I liked practice... I HATED playing in games with a passion. This is a REALLY bad idea. You think it is a good idea because you are athletic... this is the way uber athletic people talk and think. I have an idea for you: Let's require that all kids who play sports also are required to compete in debate. Debate toughens you up. I was the national champion in debate my senior year of highschool (in addition to top defensive player) and I made a girl and a guy CRY on the cross ex stand. It also teaches you to manage time.Why is that a bad idea? For the same reason your sports proposal is a bad idea. Some kids are apt at some things and some are apt at other things.Who are you to force them to be involved in one over the other and take time away from them figuring it out? Who are you to force them to be fit? Orwell anyone?

2008-04-24 15:50:19 Shanel-Rosenstiehl says: I think so because the best exercise is exercising to increase brain power.

2008-04-24 15:53:02 Charlesetta-Schuck says:

• if someone cant play a sport than it just embarasses them it might lower self confidence someone may be injured or something like that.
• No.
• Not everybody is able to play sports .

2008-04-24 15:53:53 Haley-Ashbaugh says: That's like forcing all kids to be in band and play music. There are many things that helps kids manage commitments better. And honestly...you shouldn't have to be tough and a hard ass- that's not what life is about not everyone is coordinated enough for sports so no I don't think it should be required.

2008-04-24 15:56:28 Tuan-Mccallum says: sports is compulsory in primary, and once they go to hs, kids tend to drop sport and concentrate on academics due to the pressure (more at private schools) to produce high scores for school leavers (its a business). sad. society requires our kids to be in school all day, and then go home and do hours of homework. either drop the homework (revision only), to allow hs kids to be involved in sport (credit those who are) or structure school to include compulsory pe. we need to educate our kids across the board, and if they don't have time at night/weekends due to too much homework, then the school system is affecting the balance. kids need to be well educated, both mentally and physically online sports book betting. this will follow them through life, and we need to give them the skills to do this while they are young. their health is being affected in adult life due to the lack of pe and too much homework online sports book betting online sports book betting.

2008-04-24 16:02:01 Belkis-Thompson says: Sounds wierd to me.

2008-04-24 17:04:31 Vernell-Beck says:

• It's a matter of personal preference.
• I'm a theatre nerd and would much rather be at a rehearsal than running laps, and I frankly don't want anyone telling me that I HAVE to play a sport to "toughen me up" or "manage other commitments" because I really don't need a sport to teach me to do that.
• Well around these parts we're required one PE/Dance/Marching Band credit, but I don't think people should be FORCED to play sports after that.

2008-04-24 15:50:26 Angie-Bauerle says: ya, it's the funnest thing in the world online sports book betting.

2008-04-24 15:57:21 Laurinda-Overstreet says: If sports are required then music and arts should be required as well. That is if you are going to be a well rounded person you need all stimulus.

2008-04-24 15:51:59 Shawn-Keister says: umm..i dont agree...cuz not everyone is into sports....like me..im not into sports..i could watch sports not play them...so i dont think they shld be required for grad...cuz some ppl r in sciences n or math..n stuff n they dont like sports...

2008-04-24 15:50:43 Catharine-Read says: yes but required would have to mean that they dont have to buy uniforms or equipment. some of those "lazy" people you speak of may not be able to afford sports. i believe in sports tho.

2008-04-24 15:49:49 Tran-Sandford says: Yesthose things can seriously take up time so should unathletic kids have to drop everything and do something they don't want to do just to graduate high school? also, for serious medical exemptions, it would take way too much time and money to deal with sure also, it's called band, orchestra, drill team, acdec, ect. if i injure my knee, get cancer, develop a physical diability, should i not be allowed to graduate? it's a ridiculous ideamake physical education harder?

2008-04-24 15:52:00 Kelley-Finck says: Nah. I wasn't overweight in high school, but I was uncoordinated, didn't like group activities, and non-competitive. Sports would have been torture. And I don't see any reason that sports would teach respect.Should we make everyone join the chess team as well? I can think of a lot of good reasons that would be useful.

2008-04-24 15:59:45 Shirlee-Zeal says: I do think it is important for students to be encouraged to exercise for the sake of their health. I am sorry to see that PE has been removed from schools. Students do learn so much from playing sports. They learn to work as a team, which will benefit them later on the job. They also learn discipline and self control. I am an advocate of sports if a student is interested - my son played baseball, football, and ran track. It has been very beneficial to him as an adult. As for everyone being required to play a sport, I would not agree with that. Some students are not interested in sports but are gifted in music, art, dancing, etc. There time might be better spent developing their own individual talents. I do however agree that that every student should be required to take PE in high school.