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The Risks and Benefits Associated with Sports

Many people, at one time or another, have played an organized sport. Whether they

realized it or not, all those people derived many different benefits from it. Obviously, there was

some type of physical benefit that person received from exercising, but what else are they doing

to their bodies, and more specifically, their minds? The benefits of playing sports go far beyond

the physical aspect. While getting exercise and being a part of a team are excellent things for a

growing person to do, there must be something said about the potential risk of injury and other

negative effects of athletics. Sometimes these injuries can be fatal and caution must be taken to

predict and prevent injury. Overall, sports are extremely beneficial because they allow people to

get regular exercise, work on social skills, and improve mood and self-esteem.

The most obvious benefit of regularly participating in athletics is the exercise. Kids are

always being told to step away from the computer or television to go outside and get some fresh

air. Playing a sport skips this argument between parents and kids and gives kids something to

look forward to other than playing video games. Every person remembers how fun it was to run

around on the playground with their friends as a child. Playing organized sports is hardly any

different. In recent years, childhood obesity has become a big problem in the United States.

Many cases of obesity stem from eating too many calories and not burning them off as described,

The vast majority of obesity represents an imbalance in calories ingested versus calories

expended. Other causes of obesity (metabolic, medicines, and other diseases) are very rare

(Mersch). The easiest way to fix this problem is performing rigorous exercise daily. When

someone finds a sport that they find enjoyable, the exercise does not seem like an unenjoyable

task. It just seems like having fun. Other health benefits include increased heart health, lower risk

of type 2 diabetes, lower blood pressure, balanced cholesterol levels, stronger bones and a
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stronger immune system (16 Surprising Benefits). While these are all extremely beneficial for

a young adult, sports can be dangerous.

Like everything in life, people must be able to take the good with the bad and sports is no

different. For an athletic career lasting from elementary school to high school, athletes are bound

to suffer from injury more than once, some injuries being much worse than others. Athletes who

participate in contact sports like football are much more susceptible to injury due to the violent

nature of the sport. In a study conducted by Yale University researchers concluded that there

would be 651,500 less injuries in college and high school football if the sport was made non-

contact (Kolata). Economically speaking, high schools and colleges lost an estimated $20.7

billion in medical costs and time lost. In worst-case scenarios, these injuries can be life altering

and can even lead to death. During a 2010 football game against Army, Rutgers football player

Eric LeGrand suffered a severe spinal injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down (Darcy).

One play of any football game can completely change the day-to-day life of an athlete forever,

but the consequences go much further than just physical. Financially speaking, families face

enormous medical expenses for treatment, equipment, and other necessities. The Christopher and

Dana Reeve Foundation estimates that the first year of paraplegia will cost families $518,904

and each year after that $68,739 (Costs of Living). The risk of injury in sports is something to be

considered, but there is more to be said about the positive effects of playing sports.

Not only do sports positively affect athletes bodies, but it also effects their minds. By

participating in a team sport, kids learn how to be a part of a team and learn how to work with

other people who may not think the same way they do. Children also learn to make sacrifices for

the benefit of everyone, not just themselves (Koolbreeze). Sports is an easy way to meet new

people and the relationships that a person makes through athletics are often the strongest. These
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relationships are maintained each year during the season of that sport. Another important lesson

learned is work ethic. Through sports, young people learn the value of working hard to realize

the goals they have set out for themselves and the team. One of the hardest things to do as a

parent is showing a child the importance of working hard for what they want and sports is a great

way to do it. Athletics also show the importance of long-term commitment and the importance of

being accountable (Koolbreeze). If there is one weak link, the team will not succeed. Each

athlete learns how to do their fair share to reach the team goals.

Life and sports are very similar in the sense that they are both full of many frustrating

times where it is easy to become discouraged. By playing a sport, athletes learn how to handle

times of hardship and heart break. Teams often face the realization that the season is over after a

tough loss in the playoffs. At the time the team may be devastated, but the athletes learn that life

is not fair and to get to where you want to go, they must work extremely hard. This is a much

easier and way for kids to learn about the tough times in life with no real-life consequences.

Sports also help kids build leadership skills (Watson). Team sports give kids the opportunity to

build leadership qualities through the study of their peers and the motivating factors behind what

they do and why they do it. Organized sports are a great way to practice the hard times in life,

but there is more to what sports can do for a developing mind.

Playing a sport does not only help social skills, but it also helps mood and self-image.

Participating in any physical activity is great for mental health as described, Whether you are

playing sports, working out at a gym, or taking a brisk walk, physical activity triggers brain

chemicals that make you feel happier and more relaxed. Team sports in particular provide a

chance to unwind and engage in a satisfying challenge that improves your fitness (Watson).

Playing a sport is not only a great way to relax, but it can also can improve concentration and
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critical thinking skills as a person ages. Regularly exercising improves the quality of sleep as

well by helping that particular person fall into a deeper sleep faster (Watson). In conclusion,

getting regular exercise through sports not only helps that person while they are participating in

that activity, but it also helps them while they sleep.

Sports are beneficial in many different ways. Although the most visible benefit of

participating in sports is the regular exercise, once a closer look is taken it is revealed that the

benefits go much farther than just having a toned body. Perhaps these non-visible benefits are

even more important than the visible. Even though sports are great for many reasons, injuries are

very much a part of sports. The risk associated with injuries in sports must be discussed and

considered before participating. In summation, sports are not only good for kids, but their also

good for people of all ages. Sports help keep kids in shape, build their socials skills, and improve

overall happiness.
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Works Cited

16 Surprising Benefits of Playing Sports. Organic Facts, 23 Aug. 2017,

www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/other/health-benefits-of-playing-sports.html.

Costs of Living with Spinal Cord Injury. Reeve Foundation, www.christopherreeve.org/living-

with-paralysis/costs-and-insurance/costs-of-living-with-spinal-cord-injury.

Darcy, Kieran. Rutgers' Eric LeGrand Paralyzed. ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 18 Oct.

2010,www.espn.com/ncf/news/story?id=5696563.

Kolata, Gina. Cost of Contact in Sports Is Estimated at Over 600,000 Injuries a Year. The New

York Times, The New York Times, 29 Sept. 2017,

www.nytimes.com/2017/09/29/health/sports-injuries-football-yale.html.

Koolbreeze, Angus. Social Effects of Sports on Young Children. LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf

Group, 13 June 2017, www.livestrong.com/article/38085-social-effects-sports-young-

children/.

FAAP, John Mersch MD. Childhood Obesity: Get Facts on Prevention and Causes.

MedicineNet, www.medicinenet.com/childhood_obesity/article.htm.

Watson, Kathryn. The Top 7 Mental Benefits of Sports. Healthline, Healthline Media, 28 Nov.

2016, www.healthline.com/health/mental-benefits-sports#overview1.

Notes:

Picture on homepage of website: http://girshpark.org/sports-facilities/girsh-hochman-soccer-field

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Quotes 1-4: http://quotes-motivational.com/Motivational/Famous-Sports-Quotes.html

Quotes 5-9: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1156558-the-50-most-inspirational-sports-quotes-

in-history