Sports in Schools: More Than Just a Game
When the purpose of high school is broken down, it is easy to determine that it is developed to prepare us for the next stage in life. For some it’s college, others it’s working in retail, some start their own companies and others it’s playing professional sports. While that list barely scratches the surface of possible routes one may travel after high school it illustrates the vast options that are available. So it is the duty of the school to prepare each student to the best of its ability no matter what path they may lead after graduation. The Author, Amanda Ripley, is someone who strongly disagrees. In an article written in the Room for Debate section of the New York Times, she stated, “By mixing …show more content…
That can mean many things. For a select few this can mean playing sports professionally in the US or abroad. For these standout athletes, the benefit of a college education is a bonus that will hopefully help them with real life issues such as personal finance, business decisions, and hopefully charity foundations that give back to the community. At the very least it will provide a solid foundation in a worst-case scenario that they suffer from injury. Ripley mentions that, “The problem with mixing sports with academics is that the message it sends is dishonest and shapes kids priorities”. In this statement she implies that there is little to no opportunity for students that want to be involved in the sports that they love. For the majority of graduating student athletes, a career in the sports industry is still a viable path. Just like any other billion dollar industry there are support roles that revolve around professional sports that span from studio broadcaster to sports agent. While these job opportunities aren’t always going to be as available as say a teaching position (which is fairly challenging to obtain in it’s own right), that doesn’t make them any less of a viable option for those who follow their passion and still provide for themselves and a
When the purpose of high school is broken down, it is easy to determine that it is developed to prepare us for the next stage in life. For some it’s college, others it’s working in retail, some start their own companies and others it’s playing professional sports. While that list barely scratches the surface of possible routes one may travel after high school it illustrates the vast options that are available. So it is the duty of the school to prepare each student to the best of its ability no matter what path they may lead after graduation. The Author, Amanda Ripley, is someone who strongly disagrees. In an article written in the Room for Debate section of the New York Times, she stated, “By mixing …show more content…
That can mean many things. For a select few this can mean playing sports professionally in the US or abroad. For these standout athletes, the benefit of a college education is a bonus that will hopefully help them with real life issues such as personal finance, business decisions, and hopefully charity foundations that give back to the community. At the very least it will provide a solid foundation in a worst-case scenario that they suffer from injury. Ripley mentions that, “The problem with mixing sports with academics is that the message it sends is dishonest and shapes kids priorities”. In this statement she implies that there is little to no opportunity for students that want to be involved in the sports that they love. For the majority of graduating student athletes, a career in the sports industry is still a viable path. Just like any other billion dollar industry there are support roles that revolve around professional sports that span from studio broadcaster to sports agent. While these job opportunities aren’t always going to be as available as say a teaching position (which is fairly challenging to obtain in it’s own right), that doesn’t make them any less of a viable option for those who follow their passion and still provide for themselves and a