Informed Argument Essay

For the past four weeks in RLA, we have been writing our informed argument essays (as you can tell by the title). For this essay, we worked on making it based on fact, not personal experience. We spent some time doing research and finding dependable sources. Another thing we spent a lot of time on was the organization and flow of the essay. To do this, we focused on adding in transitions and subordinating conjunctions (AAAWWUBBIS). In addition, we worked on having strong language and voice, to suit the tone we want to have. This also connects to emotional appeal to the essay.
I spent time on my voice, and adding humor to my essay; since I normally try to write a sophisticated essay. I also spent time keeping my essay focused, because my writing normally has things it doesn't need in it.
Here's the essay:

Competitive Sports in Schools

by Kavya N.

We have always thought of sports for children as play time, fresh air, or time for them to have fun. Recently though, youth sports have developed into something much larger. Competitive sports. Now, children have the opportunity to turn play time into so much more. Unquestionably, students obtain more than just athletic skills from playing on a team sport. Determination, collaboration skills, leadership, social skills, exposure. And there isn’t any better place they can get these skills from. They turn what was once their free time into learning so many important lessons. But lately, schools have been questioning the benefits of competitive sports, and have been going against them. As a result, there is a shortfall of these essential capabilities in kids. You see, competitive sports have effects on children that we never knew of. Competitive sports keep them healthy, but more importantly teach them life lessons and teach important skills; that they can apply to many other places. 

First off, competitive sports keep kids healthy- both in the mind, and body. Team sports give kids an overall healthy state of mind and body. Being a part of a school sports team is a great way for this to happen, because they regularly get to play something. Doing this teaches them about lifelong fitness, which sticks with them forever. Exercise and fitness gets more important as you get older, so kids starting young is a great idea. As a matter of fact, the Foundation for Global Sports Development say that “young people generally get less physical activity the older they get, but if they stay involved in sports programs, they’re more likely to reap the physical benefits they otherwise would not receive.” In other words, it’s really important that kids are exposed to sports at a young age. The thing is, when they participate in a sports team, they are easily able to get into the practice of a healthy lifestyle. Although it’s quite obvious that sports keep kids healthy, the difference between regular sports and competitive sports keeping you healthy is that competitive sports require more from the kid, and more than that give them a healthier state of mind. Charles Bush-Joseph, the team physician for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago bulls says, “sports help build a healthy mind, body, and spirit.” As kids learn about teamwork, determination, and other crucial lessons, they build a healthy mind, and spirit. Playing regularly on a team and required solid training easily builds a healthy body. Not only do sports keep children physically healthy, but they impact kids’ lifelong health and wellness, and teach them good health habits. The Datalys Center- Sports Injury Research and Prevention says that kids involved in youth sports are seen to “consume more fruits and vegetables; watch less television; and be more satisfied with their weight” than kids who do not participate in competitive or team sports. Thus, students obtain mental and physical health benefits from playing competitive sports.
These are competitive sports we’re talking about. They obviously teach kids lessons, and give them some hardcore soft skills. It teaches them to be determined, because they push to win. It teaches them about teamwork, which happens simply through playing on a team. As a matter of fact, the National Federation of State High School Activity Associations say that competitive sport promotes “participation and sportsmanship...” Also, it teaches kids to be independent. While many people say that kids get injured easily while playing sports, learning to deal with these injuries enforces independence in the kid. It also teaches them to learn from mistakes, so they don’t get that injury again. In addition to enforcing important skills in the kid, competitive sports teach kids life long lessons, that will stick with them. They teach kids about winning, and more importantly loosing. This is an important lesson to learn, because everyone faces failures throughout their lifetime. All of these happen through experience. Experience that children can’t get in classrooms.  "It offers a beginning to see the world outside his or her community and socio-economic class. With travel, children can see the world, and, in turn, grow and develop," says Bruce Kidd, Dean, Faculty of Physical Education and Health at the University of Toronto.  While students who just play sports for fun will only think about sports as fun, students who play competitive sports get this real experience. Playing with other schools, having your ex-bestie on your team, scoring a goal for your team, working on that one move your coach wants you to get down. These are the experiences that enforce persistence, sportsmanship, and collaboration, only in kids who play competitive sports. It also gives kids great goal-setting skills, when there is a sport-related skill they want to achieve. This also leads to determination– pushing to win, or to achieve a personal goal. On top of these breathtaking skills an athletic child has, team sports can help students with time management. While sports keep young athletes so busy and tired, they must work hard to stay organized with school work and sports. Kirk Mango, author of Becoming a True Champion: Achieving Athletic Excellence from the Inside Out, says, “thrust into circumstances where balancing one’s time becomes a necessity, competitive sports forces athletes into situations where they must acquire solid time-management skills or suffer the consequences.” Once again, playing sports for fun doesn’t have this effect on kids. But when they are part of a competitive sport team, the fixed practices, and the effort students must put in brings in the time management factor. Wow. Stupendous skills and thrilling teachings. All it takes are competitive sports to make you fabulous– and we still have another reason to go.
As a result of learning these lessons, kids can apply what they learn in school sports to so many other places. They learn all-round skills, that they can’t get anywhere else. Of course, they can apply the skills they learn to school. In fact, Lauren Bradley, 16, junior at Assumption High School, in a discussion with school sport officials about having competitive school sports said, “During lacrosse, I never watch TV. My grades are my best when I am playing a sport.” When students are put into environments where will power, collaboration, success, and strategy are in the air, there’s no doubt that they will academic successes as a result. Daniel Gould, from ISYS (Institute for Study of Youth Sports) wrote, “a multi-year study conducted in Michigan has shown that children who participate in sport have increased educational aspirations, closer ties to school and increased occupational aspirations in youth.” As well as helping students academically, competitive sports help students in their social lives. Team sports show kids how to work with others, and participate with them. TrueSport, a “community based movement that champions the positive values and life lessons learned through sport,” says that, “There is a growing body of research focused on the association between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and academic performance among school-aged youth” suggesting that such activity “may have an impact on academic performance through a variety of direct and indirect physiological, cognitive, emotional, and learning mechanisms” According to TrueSport, multiple studies of kids who participate in competitive sports, in comparison to kids who don’t, exhibit “higher grades, expectations, and attainment; stronger peer relationships; and greater family attachment and more frequent interactions with parents.” They can also use these skills in future jobs, as well as adulthood in general. As adults, having a degree isn’t the only thing that will land kids a job. It’s the soft skills they obtain as child athletes. Professors from the Ivy League institution Cornell University did a study about how youth sports affects students through adulthood. The study used students’ biodata to show how men who participated in varsity sports affected them an average of 60 years later. The results? Former student athletes exhibited “higher levels of leadership and enjoyed higher-status careers,” as well as showing more soft skills than non-athletes. It was found that the high school athletes volunteered more frequently, and donated to charity. This not only proves that students can use their skills in adulthood, but also shows that youth sports have a lasting effect. The teamwork and sportsmanship required in competitive sports help them work with other people. Independence and determination are both skills that help children in the real world itself. So really, competitive sports give kids they can use anywhere. What a package!
Now, although we’ve cleared that children benefit hugely through competitive sports, some argue that getting involved in competitive sports at a young age can give them fatal injuries. And for this reason, they oppose having these sports. But, if students are afraid and constrained from playing sports at a young age because of injuries, they may have that fear for the rest of their life. Consequently, they won’t be able to try something new; and more importantly, will live with a fear for their whole life. Imagine that. Never getting to try what you saw other kids do, and being afraid of it. On top of that, missing out on all of the great benefits.
In the past, we didn’t think about competitive sports this way. We didn’t see them as an opportunity for kids to gain lifelong skills. Today, we understand these great outcomes in kids, but schools have began to oppose them. In the near future, it is possible that team sports could get completely wiped out. In simpler terms, so do these skills in children. And just imagine the world of tomorrow– with none of these mind-boggling skills. Where would the children of tomorrow end up then?