Sports are a very important part of our society, especially for youth. Many life lessons are taught in sports, and lifelong friendships are made. However, youth sports participation has declined in the past decade. In 2208, about 45% of kids were involved in team sports, but in 2016, that number was down to 40%. This statistic begs the question, how would youth be different without sports?
Participation in sports encourages many beneficial activities and brings awareness to physical health. All sports involve some kind of exercise, which can help keep kids healthy. Also, sports encourage participants to watch what they put into their body. Kids will be more aware of the amount and type of foods they eat, which is a good habit to build.
Regular physical activity helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints, as well as reduce fat and prevent high blood pressure, according to the Aspen Institute.
Sports also make an impact off the field. BY joining teams, kids can meet new friends from a wide variety of backgrounds. Also, their decision making and mental health can improve. According to Livestrong, youth athletes are less likely to use illegal drugs or drink alcohol. Also, they are less likely to be depressed or have anxiety.
Photo by USAG-Humphreys 
Dear: Andrew
I am afraid of the children not playing sports as much as they use to. I agree in your post, “How would youth be different without sports?” because it’s important for children to exercise because it’s healthy for their body and also mentally fit.
One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is: “Kids will be more aware of the amount and type of foods they eat, which is a good habit to build.” I think this is important because it’s true and in the future, those children who watch what they eat can become great sports players and might become one of the best players in the world.
Another sentence that I amazed by was: “Regular physical activity helps build , and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints, as well as reduce fat and prevent high blood pressure” This stood out for me because it’s healthy your body and even better when you do physical activities when your younger because you become more healthy and build stronger muscles.
Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next because you seem that you care about future generations and that’s something that I also care about because they are the future of the world. Also, I’m glad you wrote about this because children need a positive influence and need to get engage in more physical activities.
Hello Andrew, I am interested in your post because you say that sports can help youth in many different ways and it is good exercise for youth and I think that sports is a good way to have fun and do something great with our lives. I honestly agree with you with the interesting facts about how it helps youth stay happy and healthy. One thing that stands out for me is “Many life lessons are taught in sports, and lifelong friendships are made.” I think this is interesting because I have played sports and I still do right now and I made some good friends by sports. Playing sports is a great way to make friends and also is a place to get better at which ever sport you play.
Hello Andrew, I really loved how you so enthusiastic about how sports can be so impactful on a child’s life, and I couldn’t agree anymore than how you feel. One thing that stands out to me is how you said “sports keep a child away from anxiety or being depressed ” which I didn’t know but now can understand why there so much better for a child’s life. I can relate To this article mostly because of the fact that it reminds me of my young self when I use to play a couple sports, it reminds me of how it kept me out of bad things and people and taught me how to be determined to one thing. Thank you for posting this Andrew I look forward to your future content!