Argument Essay

            The “Time For Kids” debate article states that, “as many as 3.8 million concussions happened each year in sports and recreational activities.” Tons of kids play contact sports, and many of them experience injuries like concussions. Concussions can lead into other more serious injuries. When teens play contact sports they can push themselves over the limit and get severe injuries. Therefore teens shouldn’t play contact sports because they are dangerous.

Contact sports result in teens pushing themselves too hard. For instance the article “For Children in Sports, a Breaking Point” states that, “every year more than 3.5 million children under 15 require medical treatment for sports injuries, nearly half of which are results of simple overuse.” Teens are getting minor injuries while playing contact sports. But instead of resting whatever they injure, they keep playing the game: even when they should be resting and coming back later. By down playing an injury you can make it worse. Another example is in “How Children and Teens Can Avoid Sports Injuries” it says, “42 percent of kids have played sports injured.” That means that when kids get hurt they are so focused about winning or playing their sport that they don’t pay attention to their injuries. Putting more stress and strain on injuries can make them much worse. You don’t want a small injury to turn into something that will affect you long term.

            When teens play contact sports they can experience severe injuries. For example in “Football’s Risks Sink In, Even in the Heart of Texas” it says “Players as young as 7 sustain hits to the head comparable in magnitude to those absorbed by high school and adult players.” When little 7 year olds play football and they get tackled to the ground, they could potentially experience the same head injuries that professional and high school football players sustain. When kids play sports their parents should not have to worry about their children getting bad concussions that lead to long term brain and head injuries. Another example is in “Time for Kids” debate article it states “Kids brains… are more at risk for injury than adult brains.” Kids are more likely to get severe head injuries because their heads/brains are more vulnerable. If a small child gets a bad head injury it could affect their life and be something they have to live with forever. Kids shouldn’t play contact sports because they can get major injuries that will have a long-term affect on their life.

On the other hand, contact sports keep kids healthy and fit.  According to “Young Teens Who Play Sports Feel Healthier and Happier About Life” the text states that “Research shows that middle-school teenagers who are physically active and play on sports teams are more satisfied with their life and feel healthier.” When kids play on sports teams they have fun and don’t have to worry about school or anything else. They just get to focus on the game. The kids are having fun and they are staying healthy. Another example is in “For Children in Sports, a Breaking Point” it says “Indeed, I wish many more would move away from their computers, put down their iPods and cellphones and devote more time and energy to physical activities.”  Kids these days spend too much time playing video games. Contact or any kinds of sports let kids have fun. When kids don’t get enough exercise it can be bad for their health. So sports are a good way to keep healthy but have fun at the same time. But, contact sports are unsafe for children to play because of the injury risk at hand.

Overall, kids and teens should not play contact sports because they are dangerous. Teens can push themselves too hard and burn themselves out and get severe injuries. When teens play contact sports they are not safe. Even if they are not on the receiving end if the hits they can still hurt themselves from tackling other people. There need to be more safety measures in order for it to be safe to let teens play contact sports. Everybody should be aware about how dangerous contact sports are and what kind of things they can do to affect their lives.

Bibliography

Brody, Jane E. "For Children in Sports, a Breaking Point." Nytimes.com. N.p., 24 May 2010. Web.

Winchester, Elizabeth. "Debate! Should Kids under 14 Play Contact Sports?" N.p., 16 Nov. 2012. Web

Belson, Ken. "Football's Risks Sink In, Even in Heart of Texas." N.p., 11 May 2014. Web.

"Young Teens Who Play Sports Feel Healthier and Happier about Life." N.p., 14 Oct. 2010. Web.