should high schools have sports?

blu

Senior Member
Sep 21, 2009
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with the budget cuts facing schools and general lack of non-sports related extra curricular activities, I have been seeing stories about schools dropping sports programs or at least considering it.

Personally, I am torn on the issue as I couldn't care less about sports now, but I did play them from age 6 through high school year round and played football in high school. While knowing how to block, run, shoot, etc doesn't really help me now except in pick up games, I did learn a lot of life lessons from sports.

Handling diversity (losing, playing a shitty game, being criticized by coaches and other players, etc), learning how to be on a team and deal with a diverse set of other people, working hard to reach a goal, etc are were good lessons learned, but I think I could have also learned them being on any other sort of academic team as well. Those academic teams may have also taught me things I would be using now.
 
Football and basketball teams bring in $$ to the schools, and help support the other less "popular" sports.

Kids are fat and lazy enough as it is, taking away more physical activites won't help the matter!

I agree with Dude, WAY TOO MANY over paid administrators and other paper pushers.

Don't take away music, art or gym either, which a lot of schools with $$ issues are doing too.
 
Football and basketball teams bring in $$ to the schools, and help support the other less "popular" sports.

Kids are fat and lazy enough as it is, taking away more physical activites won't help the matter!

I agree with Dude, WAY TOO MANY over paid administrators and other paper pushers.

Don't take away music, art or gym either, which a lot of schools with $$ issues are doing too.

I agree with Dude and EZ. I'd say a good 1/4 or more of kids in HS carry a 'C' or better just to play on a sport or participate in other EC activities. Without those, many non-social kids wouldn't bother showing up.
 
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with the budget cuts facing schools and general lack of non-sports related extra curricular activities, I have been seeing stories about schools dropping sports programs or at least considering it.

Personally, I am torn on the issue as I couldn't care less about sports now, but I did play them from age 6 through high school year round and played football in high school. While knowing how to block, run, shoot, etc doesn't really help me now except in pick up games, I did learn a lot of life lessons from sports.

Handling diversity (losing, playing a shitty game, being criticized by coaches and other players, etc), learning how to be on a team and deal with a diverse set of other people, working hard to reach a goal, etc are were good lessons learned, but I think I could have also learned them being on any other sort of academic team as well. Those academic teams may have also taught me things I would be using now.

Absolutely. In addition to being good for physical health (and fun), sports teaches young men and women things in life they could never get out of books.

Among these sports, football is the greatest.

Signed,

A former high school football player who is a legend in his own mind.
 
We just dropped freshman and middle school sports. Not a big deal because we have a good rec program in town. Sports are important but over valued in some areas in my opinion. Can't stand preferential treatment of athletes and I'm certain it happens everywhere.
 
While I'm no great sports fan, I do think sports and PE classes serve a good purpose and should be kept for reasons stated above. I do think that some frivolous and/or misplaced classes should be done away with and replaced with the arts classes that used to give students a well-rounded experience. I think it's also true that some administrators and bureaucrats should be done away with ... as well as inept teachers.
 
We just dropped freshman and middle school sports. Not a big deal because we have a good rec program in town. Sports are important but over valued in some areas in my opinion. Can't stand preferential treatment of athletes and I'm certain it happens everywhere.

yea we got crazy treatment from all but one guy who detested football players. he hated us all with a very unhealthy passion
 
While I'm no great sports fan, I do think sports and PE classes serve a good purpose and should be kept for reasons stated above. I do think that some frivolous and/or misplaced classes should be done away with and replaced with the arts classes that used to give students a well-rounded experience. I think it's also true that some administrators and bureaucrats should be done away with ... as well as inept teachers.

PE = Class for those with absolutely no athletic ability or inclination.

I liked how our football coach ran business. If you wanted to play ball, you got to play even if you sucked. No one was cut from the football team. If you didn't quit during two a days and kept your nose clean, you got to suit out and at least stand on the sidelines on Friday night.
 
with the budget cuts facing schools and general lack of non-sports related extra curricular activities, I have been seeing stories about schools dropping sports programs or at least considering it.

Personally, I am torn on the issue as I couldn't care less about sports now, but I did play them from age 6 through high school year round and played football in high school. While knowing how to block, run, shoot, etc doesn't really help me now except in pick up games, I did learn a lot of life lessons from sports.

Handling diversity (losing, playing a shitty game, being criticized by coaches and other players, etc), learning how to be on a team and deal with a diverse set of other people, working hard to reach a goal, etc are were good lessons learned, but I think I could have also learned them being on any other sort of academic team as well. Those academic teams may have also taught me things I would be using now.

Yes High schools should have Sports. However if money is so tight that a cut MUST occur cut sports first. You will find in a lot of places suddenly the people will be willing to raise taxes if you threaten to cut sports teams.
 
We just dropped freshman and middle school sports. Not a big deal because we have a good rec program in town. Sports are important but over valued in some areas in my opinion. Can't stand preferential treatment of athletes and I'm certain it happens everywhere.

yea we got crazy treatment from all but one guy who detested football players. he hated us all with a very unhealthy passion

That guys former occupation: High School Locker Ornament.
 
We just dropped freshman and middle school sports. Not a big deal because we have a good rec program in town. Sports are important but over valued in some areas in my opinion. Can't stand preferential treatment of athletes and I'm certain it happens everywhere.

yea we got crazy treatment from all but one guy who detested football players. he hated us all with a very unhealthy passion

That guys former occupation: High School Locker Ornament.

yea I am just happy I got to be in the other teacher's math class instead of his. he drove the football players nuts.
 
with the budget cuts facing schools and general lack of non-sports related extra curricular activities, I have been seeing stories about schools dropping sports programs or at least considering it.

Personally, I am torn on the issue as I couldn't care less about sports now, but I did play them from age 6 through high school year round and played football in high school. While knowing how to block, run, shoot, etc doesn't really help me now except in pick up games, I did learn a lot of life lessons from sports.

Handling diversity (losing, playing a shitty game, being criticized by coaches and other players, etc), learning how to be on a team and deal with a diverse set of other people, working hard to reach a goal, etc are were good lessons learned, but I think I could have also learned them being on any other sort of academic team as well. Those academic teams may have also taught me things I would be using now.

Yes High schools should have Sports. However if money is so tight that a cut MUST occur cut sports first. You will find in a lot of places suddenly the people will be willing to raise taxes if you threaten to cut sports teams.

that is interesting about taxes. not sure it would work here though. we have numerous schools all in the same tax area and the best football teams are actually at private (catholic) schools
 
with the budget cuts facing schools and general lack of non-sports related extra curricular activities, I have been seeing stories about schools dropping sports programs or at least considering it.

Personally, I am torn on the issue as I couldn't care less about sports now, but I did play them from age 6 through high school year round and played football in high school. While knowing how to block, run, shoot, etc doesn't really help me now except in pick up games, I did learn a lot of life lessons from sports.

Handling diversity (losing, playing a shitty game, being criticized by coaches and other players, etc), learning how to be on a team and deal with a diverse set of other people, working hard to reach a goal, etc are were good lessons learned, but I think I could have also learned them being on any other sort of academic team as well. Those academic teams may have also taught me things I would be using now.

While it is true that any sort of competitive team will teach the character-building lessons of competition, working to be your best, losing and winning gracefully, being part of a team, etc., sports also can build a strong foundation of love for physical activity and fitness which can help kids to maintain good health into their adulthood. While I certainly think that schools should put academics ahead of everything else, I also think athletic competition (as well as other sorts of competitive team activities for those who aren't into sports) are an important part of childhood and adolescence.
 
should high schools have sports?
Unquestionably.

If school districts want to cut things that cost a lot of money and produce few results for the kids, they should start with the overpaid administrators and bureaucrats.

Absolutely. Our local school district, which is the biggest in the state and supporting a massively bloated, wasteful administration, is pushing a proposition to give them even more money. While I don't have a problem with this theoretically, I've worked for this school district before, and I feel that they should demonstrate to the community that they can manage their money appropriately before asking for any more. Reorganize your budget, cut out the deadwood, and THEN come talk to me about raising taxes.
 
Football and basketball teams bring in $$ to the schools, and help support the other less "popular" sports.

Kids are fat and lazy enough as it is, taking away more physical activites won't help the matter!

I agree with Dude, WAY TOO MANY over paid administrators and other paper pushers.

Don't take away music, art or gym either, which a lot of schools with $$ issues are doing too.

And many of these programs do bring their own independent financial support into the school, or can. Where I went to school, the Band and Football Booster clubs worked tirelessly at fundraising activities to support their groups, so that we not only had the programs, but we had new uniforms when we needed them, good equipment, a yearly trip to someplace nice, things like that.
 

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