Broadening the Spectrum

Jacob Sannar
Fender
English IV H
12/15/16

Everyone in America, and in fact everyone in the world is aware in some form or another
of the popularity of sports and athletics in the public eye. Indeed, one is unable to go anywhere,
watch anything on television, or browse the internet without coming across at least some
mentioning of what team is doing what, or how someone reacted to the big game. Sports
permeate every aspect of our lives. Theyre enjoyed by a great many people, but there are still
several inhabitants of our country that simply cant get into them, whether by watching or by
actual participation. The fact is that the spectrum is not broad enough, and the range of athletic
activities, especially in high school, is not inclusive enough.
So why are sports so popular? An article on the subject of the history of sports in America
outlined their origins, how the Native Americans had competitions in athleticism for ceremonies
or gambling, the country folks of the outlying areas of the land had their games just to pass the
time, and everyone else had their own pastimes and activities special to their region. These were
small, local competitions, between friends and neighbors. However, in the mid- to late nineteenth
century, there was a boom in the popularity of such competitions as they became more accessible
to the common man through the use of better technology, such as trains, to get further in faster
fashion; and lightbulbs, so such competitions could be held indoors. Schools then adopted the
sports and formed groups to compete in. At this point, sports were so widespread and so wildly
popular that any kid with a spare moment was out in the yard training on their own or playing

with a group of their friends from the neighborhood so they could be better at their favorite sport.
And even when they werent playing, once the advent of television came around, people of all
ages were watching sports in their homes.
As time has gone on, however, the interest for sports among youth has declined, as the
need for physical activity in everyday life has declined. Assuredly, there are still those who strive
to be active and to excel in their particular game, most youth do not have the drive to go to
practices and put in the effort that it takes to be a part of a team. The amount of commitment
required to be on a sports team is immense, and most cannot handle it, or else they simply refuse
to try. If the youth of our day and age knew the numerous and substantial benefits of athletics,
though, their minds could possibly be changed, and they may become willing to put in the time.
Some may argue, of course, that those who dont already play sports obviously dont
want to, or that they just arent good enough to do so. First off, there are too many people who
only dont play simply because they think theres nothing out there for them. They think the
world has definite limits on whats available to them. People want to participate. They just dont
think theyd fit in with whatever group commonly participates in the same sport theyre
interested in. If there were more options open to them, they would not encounter this problem.
Secondly, different sports are available to people of all capabilities. Bowling, fencing, and golf
require different strengths than say, football, basketball, and soccer, to play. Opening up the
sports programs would enable more students to engage in athletics, and would also help to solve
many problems that youth face today.
It is important to note, first off, that the subject of interest is the average American
teenager participating in school. A study conducted by the American Psychological Association
showed that teenagers were reporting stress levels equaling and even surpassing those of adults.

Such a phenomenon is appalling, as one would certainly think that adults had much more to
worry about than a teenager did. Yet the fact still stands. On a scale from 0 to 10, teens that were
interviewed averaged out at a stress rating of 4.6, as opposed to the level reported by the
interviewed adults, only 3.9. Any number of things could be the cause of this stress, be it trouble
with friends or problems with parents, be it work or school, but it is on the rise, and teens need to
have ways of combatting it.
A possible solution, of course, would be to engage in a physical activity. While more
concrete evidence is needed, preliminary studies have been done that suggest that exercise of any
sort can improve your mood, relieve stress, and even alleviate the effects of depression. Physical
activity triggers certain signals in the brain which tell it to release endorphins, flooding it with a
sort of euphoria that is usually for the blunting of the physical strain of the activity, but also
affects your emotions as well, making you happier and more relaxed. Additionally, the very act
of exercising or participating in a sport demands attention and concentration. When ones focus
is directed at their stance, form, or energy expenditure, they dont have room in their mind to
give up for stress. So for the time being, at least, all stress is forgotten. Since more and more
teens are in need of this kind of relief, it would be incredibly beneficial to give more people
access to sports by expanding, broadening, and diversifying the athletics programs at American
high schools.
Another advantage of athletics is the social boost. Members of a team are strengthened by
each other in all of their efforts, whether its for the purpose of a win in a game or simply in
living life. They bear one anothers burdens and provide a sense of camaraderie, with a depth of
trust that is rare in many a circle of young people. Having a team that supports them may even
help to fill in the gaps left from an inadequate home life, where they may not have the family-

type bond that youth need. Sports, and for that matter, fitness in general, also boost selfconfidence, since people who are more in shape tend to be more open to others and ready to
socialize. They like themselves more, since theyre comfortable in their own skin, and this
allows them to reach out to others more. Having confidence is critical for teen development, as
young people who lack self-confidence often develop anxiety, depression, or other social
disorders that are crippling later in life, and can prevent them from living a normal life, getting a
regular job, or simply interacting with people comfortably.
Another important, and more obvious, advantage of sports and athletic involvement, is
the physical reward. All athletics, by their very nature, are physically demanding in some way.
They require their participants to push themselves to new limits in order to compete with the
others who are striving to be better than them. This competition starts at try-outs and pushes on
straight through the championships, and every step of the way there are people driving their
bodies to the ends of their capabilities, and then surpassing them to become stronger, faster, and
better. Multiple studies have shown that exercise helps people to remain powerful not just in their
ability to perform, but also in their all-around body health. Doing everything thats necessary to
stay strong for a sport has side effects like improved brain function and a bolstered immune
system. The world is evolving to eliminate the need for effort, so only those who purposefully
work to remain above the trends of the world will stay in a state of good health be able to
continue to help themselves.
Now, one of the most influential benefits of sports and athletic participation for the
common American teenager is the ability to make oneself seem appealing to colleges. Sports and
other such extracurricular activities give students an advantage when applying to colleges, since
they show that that particular student has a higher level of commitment to tasks they take up than

the average student might. If someone is willing and able to devote a portion of their time to
something that is not school, and yet still perform well in the academic field, than that appears to
admissions boards as a special trait that sets that individual apart from the rest of the students
applying to the same college. Colleges are always looking for someone who will make their
school look good, and devoted students, who work hard and know how to balance their time,
make ideal candidates for acceptance. And yet, despite this, and in regardless of the temporal
benefits of sports, some of the most major advantages are changes in the way people who play
think.
Bren McAneny, leader of a small group of fencing enthusiasts in Asheville, North
Carolina, strives to bring people to his class who want to participate in a sport but have never
been able to find one that suits them. He started fencing at a young age because he didnt like the
other, more mainstream options available to him, but he still wanted to do a sport. His school did
not have a fencing a program, so he looked outside the school system and found a club, and he
absolutely loved it. He fenced all through high school and college, and learned some of the most
important lessons of his life with a blade in his hand. When asked if fencing improved his
performance in school, he thought beyond the scholastic environment to where teachers arent a
factor, saying What fencing taught me as far as school is that youre always in competition with
other people and there is no authority figure that determines your success or failure, it's not so
much what the teacher thinks of you on the fencing strip, but what you are able to do and what
your opponent is able to do. This is inspiring, because in life, people arent being graded. The
only judge of how theyre doing is themselves, and their only benchmark for their success is
other people. If they can be as good as one person, and better than another, theyre probably
doing okay.

Also, there comes with sports a sense of independence and leadership. People who are
part of a team develop skills for leading groups of people. Whether its by actually being in a
leadership role such as team captain or quarterback, or just watching their coach or instructor,
they learn what its like to head a group of people, and to work with that group for a common
goal. In the workforce, as well as in life in general, this is an invaluable skill. In a world where
too many people latch onto the ideas of one person, who is hailed as wise or learned, its critical
to have people who can think and lead independently. These skills and truths are taught on the
field, whether its a football field, a pool, or a small strip of mat on which two combatants seek to
impale each other.
With so many benefits to exercise and athletic participation, the common person cant
help but wonder why all people, especially the youth of our era, arent constantly involved in
sports. The issue in public schools, or private schools, for the offenders are numerous, is that
there are a few widely accepted and acknowledged sports. Students are given access to these and
these alone. These sports, such as football, soccer, baseball, basketball, and volleyball are
familiar, easy to learn, easy to play in groups outside of school, and as such are presented as the
best options for students. One might notice, however, that other sports such as swimming, field
hockey, equestrian, and fencing are all overlooked or underfunded in favor of the bigger ones.
This creates an incredible skewing of the opportunities of youth that may wish to participate in
sports. Some youth may claim to not be athletic enough for sports, when the only sports they
know or that are available for them simply arent a good fit for their style or physique. One need
only look past the status quo to find a whole new and broader range of activities to engage in that
accentuate their strengths and appeal to their minds. If the people in charge of these things would

open their minds and allow for a broader spectrum of athletics to be funded, then more of our
youth could be reaping the physical, mental, and social benefits of sports.
It is painfully apparent that the school systems of our nation are not doing enough for the
physical health of our youth. Many attempts have been made, of course. Encouraging or
imposing healthier eating habits and starting a movement to get kids out of the house to play and
socialize have both been tried, but have not produced the expected or wished-for results. The best
option available is to open up their options. Kids and young adults have a tendency to want to do
things their way, and forcing them to do something, or even strongly suggesting that they do
something, is almost always a sure way of getting them to never do it. Schools and communities
need to fund a wider range of sports, and make sure they get the publicity and interest that they
deserve. If students have a massive pool of possibilities to choose from, they are far more likely
to choose one, especially if it can make them feel unique compared to the rest of the kids around
them, and if they can feel good about themselves by doing it.
All that is needed is a change of mindset by the officials in the school boards, the media,
and the parents of the kids that will benefit from this change. If the importance of an accessible
sports world could be emphasized by everyone, then the funding and interest would all mount up
for an incredible system to take the place of the one in effect now. There could be new, more
open programs, for everyone to participate in, and to obtain the benefits from. All of this would
be possible, if people opened their minds, widened their vision, and broadened the spectrum.

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Independent studies by students