Are Sports Hurting Kids?

Are Sports Hurting Kids? Organized sports have a lot of effects on children, whether they be positive or negative. Children are still finding out who they are and what the world is like. I chose this topic because I wanted to know childrens’ motives to do organized sports, and what effects the sports have on the them. I wanted to know the reasons kids start playing sports and, while it may be different for every child, they all had to have had some say in it. Every sport has skills that benefit children such as learning leadership, creating realistic goals they can achieve and learning to get along with others. Children also learn about personal discipline. “What's even more interesting is that kids derive those benefits whether or not they excel at their chosen sport” (Mary Forgione). When I first saw this quote I was really surprised over the fact that children learn these important life lessons even if they aren’t good at their sport. Ever since I had the chance, I played baseball. Why? I don’t really remember, but I do remember I enjoyed playing the entire time. Now, with my part-time job at Encore Gymnastics, I get to see kids clearly enjoying themselves while learning gymnastics So now I question my own reason for starting sports. So I want to know: What effects sports have on children physically, mentally and socially? In a lot of situations, parents force their children to do sports. They do this for a variety of reasons, including, learning to cope with defeat and staying humble with victories, making new friends, and gaining self-confidence. Or, for a less appropriate reason, perhaps hoping the child will get a scholarship so they won’t have to pay for college. Parents figure “My child will be a better person because of sports,” which most of the time is true. But if a child doesn’t enjoy their sport, in a lot of situations the child will become miserable. In some cases the child will go to extremes to make their parents happy,