Jessica Statsky's, "Children Need to Play, Not Compete," raises controversy about children ages six to twelve and sports. "Highly organized competitive sports such as Peewee Football and Little League Baseball are too often played to adult standards-(Statsky) According to Statsky, these children are too young to participate in contact sports such as Peewee Football or Little League baseball. Sports educate little kids with the necessary social skills that they will use for life. Physical activities for youngsters play both a positive and negative psychological role teaching the necessary roughness to succeed later in life. Ultimately, sports tutor children to succeed in life at all levels. Sports participation: .
"Builds an appreciation of personal health and fitness; Develops a positive self-image; Teaches how to work as part of a team; Develops social skills with other children and adults; Teaches both how to manage success and disappointment; and, Teaches how to respect others."(American Sports Data, Inc.).
Statsky touches on some psychological dangers, but Statky also fails to mention some of the benefits that competitive sports play in children's lives. Psychological advantages, such as the strength to be a leader, should far outweigh the fear that a child might shy away from sports in the future. The ability to work as part of a cohesive group should be placed in a child's head from a young age. When the child grows into a young adult, he knows that he is not alone in the world and functions effectively as a team member in the workplace. Winning feels good; winning fairly feels even better because you know you've earned it. This is a principle that if not learned early in life an individual will never have to drive to achieve success ethically. "A young person with higher goals in sports must learn to be competitive; competitive sports for kids, I believe there are positive benefits to competition which carry over into success in the adult world.
