Counterview on "sports should be optional in school".
Answers
I strongly feel sports should be compulsory. Sports are exceedingly beneficial for all age students. If they are made optional, some students might opt not to play sports; this choice might seriously affect their health and overall growth and development.
Sports and games are undoubtedly the building blocks of the health and character of children. Their importance in the over-all and holistic development of children cannot be denied.
Games and sports give children the right environment for physical exercise. While playing them children run, sprint, bend, and exert healthy pressure on their muscles, organs, and systems. This healthy exertion is a must for optimal physical growth.
Games instill in students many values and virtues. The first is a sense of discipline. All games are time bound activities. They start at fixed time, continue for a specified amount of time and then there is always ending time. The player has to do his best within the given time to win game. This time-limit makes him aware of the value of time. He prepares himself keeping the time in mind.
Secondly, games teach us focus and concentration. The player focuses on strategies to win a game. For example in order to score the target in a cricket match, he keeps the target in mind and plays accordingly. This enhances his focus.
Thirdly, games teach us teamwork, camaraderie, and cooperation. A player has to play in coordination with other team members. He learns how to adjust and adapt in relation with others. This ability to work in a group and team is very essential in the current times. Later on I life one has to work always in a team, at work, research projects, or any type of work, it is all team work. So team work one learns the best at play ground.
Fourthly, games teach us sportsmanship. We learn good etiquettes and polite behavior with our opponents. Games also teach us how to accept defeat and further self-improvement. So games are essential in building a strong character. We must encourage young children to play at least one game regularly.
Keeping the above mentioned benefits in mind, sports should be made compulsory for all children and students.