The Positive Effects of Athletics and Education

Samantha Buehler English 112 Mrs. Schaefer 2/25/13 The Positive Effects of Athletics and Education Academic learning and Sport Education are actually the complementariness of each other. They are the two sides of the same coin, which go hand and hand with each other. If education and athletics make a full development of the over-all personality of a person possible, he or she gets the qualities of leadership, tolerance, sharing and team-spirit from sports.

In the article “The Positive Effects of Athletics On Educations” by Matt Blackburn(71) states that athletics has shown the improve the work ethic, increase the self- esteem, and increase the academic performance and achievement of the student-athletes involved. But according to the article “Contrary to Popular Belief: Athletics, A Negative Effect on Education” by Jake Cartwright states, In this country, athletics are seen as a great stepping stones for students to develop character, learn valuable skills, and they further aid in the everyday education of students.

However, too many people are naive as to the truth about what effects athletics truly have on a student’s education. But with that said, I agree with Matt Blackburn and see that there are many positive effects of athletics in education and believe he proves his opinion very well. As I go on how athletics and education are complimentary of each other, I will discuss how education and athletics go hand and hand, and the positive benefits of Athletics. The mental development, including the power of reasoningof course comes from the academics.

It, therefore, becomes necessary that education should result in the mental, moral and physical development of a student, which comes from athletics because while he or she participates in a sport, he or she develops how to have good work ethic and self-esteem according to Blackburn(71). But no one can deny that unfortunately, the present day system of education has too much stress on mental development for a student. In the article “In College Classroom, the Problem is High school Athletics,” by Steven Conn states, American higher education bears some measure of the esponsibility. There are number of reasons that high school sports follow the lead of college sports becoming more professionalized. Athletes are becoming more and more competitive because they want that scholarship to a college and because of that the athletes drive off of education and athletics. But f or an all-round development of a child to get to that point, the curriculum should include sports and games and health education at a young age. A balance amount of school time should be devoted to Sports and Education.

Sports and Education need to be introduced with all eagerness, because mental and moral development is just not possible without physical development. We must remember that a strong and healthy student will be more eager to stay focus with school and educations, who will set goals and will also gain life skills and knowledge for their future according to J. D. Robinson (101), the student/athlete, will develop more scholarly in education with experience of athletics. Not only will the athlete be scholar in education but will also build great self-esteem that will carry with them into the class room because they will see that hard work pay off.

According to Matt Blackburn, athletics does build the self-esteem of student-athletes by providing them with opportunities to set and achieve goals. As athletes accomplish these goals their self-esteem and self-confidence skyrocket, and many times this boost of self-confidence is carried over into endeavors, including academics. A healthy and strong body is not possible without sports. The development of body is very essential in life. All our physical enjoyments, and even mental enjoyments, depend upon our body. All our degrees and achievements will be of no use without a good healthy personality.

Life is a struggle and the person with a healthy and strong body alone can face it successfully. Besides promoting health and strength, sports develop many good qualities to the athlete and with a healthy athlete he or she will have a healthy life style. They strengthen the power of endurance and promote discipline. Young men and women are trained to face defeat with a smile and maintain composure even in victory. Games are the greatest and the healthiest means of refreshment and recreation. They fill one with joy, drive, endurance and energy, which help a person a lot in facing the actual odds of life without yielding to gloom.

So sports are not only essential but also necessary for an all-round development of the personality. The famous saying, “The battle of Waterloo was won on the play-grounds of Eton,” correctly and relevantly sums up the importance of sports in education even though people will still have questions of how athletics and education go hand and hand. Those people who still have those questions just do not see the joy in an athlete. Having athletics and academics can certainly strengthen a person all around and will give them an advantage to life. References Blackburn, M. (2012). The Positive Effects of Athletics on Education. ” In The Popken writer, (pp. 71-74). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Co. , Cartwright, J. (2012). “Contrary to Popular Belief: Athletics, A Negative Effect on Education ( A Response to Matt Blackburn). ” In The Popken writer, (pp. 103-105). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Co. , CONN, S. (2012). In College Classrooms, the Problem Is High School Athletics. Education Digest, 78(4), 21-24. Robinson J. D. (2012). “A Point of View of Athletics and Education: A Response to Matt Blackburn. ” In The Popken writer, (pp. 101-102). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Co.