Competitive High School Sports

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that scientific data indicates that high school competitive athletes were more likely to be popular but lack in maturity, to be trouble-makers, to use drugs and alcohol and to engage in promiscuous sex. The author believes that sports promote violence and plays a significant role in preserving and creating sexual and racial inequality. The author points out that, on the other hand, there are advantages to the students, such as pride in their successes, social acceptance, healthy activity in terms of physical exertion and muscle training and a bonding ritual that brings schools and communities together. The paper concludes that it would be far better for students to participate in physical activity and sports in a fun and less-competitive atmosphere in which all students who wanted to participate could join the teams and having fun remained the central goal of the event.

From the Paper:

"Before this point can be proven, it is worth taking a moment to define the terms of this argument: competitive should not be taken to refer to the rules of the game, but rather to the focus of the game. A game which is competitive, in that the players compete with one another and the game rules requires winners and losers is not necessarily unhealthy for children. Children naturally compete to some degree in their games. However, in modern schools, games are not merely competitive by nature of their rules -- they are competitive by nature of their social ramifications and structure. Students not only compete while playing, but they also compete intensely for the mere privilege of playing, and continue to compete intensely not merely against their immediate opposition on the playing field but against all other teams in all other schools and even against their own teammates for recognition and possible promotion to the "Pros" or for college scholarships."

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