You actually think that because there are a bunch of instances where someone did something stupid at a sporting event, all school sports should be replaced? Besides the fact that you listed pro and college sporting events, do you have any idea how many school athletic events there are around the country on any given day, never mind over the course of an entire school year? How many HS sporting event have you gone to in your life where a referee was attacked or there was a riot? Never mind that you posted about mostly fan issues, not the athletes. Please, listen to Sea Dangles and get some professional help.

I asked my son, who is a senior in High School right now whether they should do away with Sports at School.

His response "I don't play Sports and I don't really follow Sports, but thats a Bad Idea"

I asked Him Why.

He said "Well, its good to compete for things, the kids are leaning team work, and It teaches you that you don't win all the time but you keep trying til you do"

I think he's Spot On....

Five Things You Can Learn From Playing Sports

Sports can be good for a lot of things and this includes having fun, being with friends, and excelling at something you are good at. But there are many lessons that can be learned from playing sports as well and you should be well aware of these lessons so that you can look out for them.

By looking out for these lessons, it means that you will be more aware of the things that you are learning and knowing what is lacking in yourself as a person. Here are some lessons you can take with you just by playing sports.

• Learn about health – You will only really know about your physical health and condition if you do something physical like getting involved in sports. While playing a particular sport, you will learn how to keep yourself in top shape, according to the demands of that sport. You will also learn about diets and how to make yourself stronger, faster, and more acute to certain physical things that you were not aware of before. This is something that will ensure you great physical health and this is one major reason that you should get into sports.

• Learn about objectives – The one thing about sports is that there is always a goal and that is how to succeed in the sport by playing it right. This is something that you can bring along with you in the real world. There are certain objectives in life that you must discern for yourself. The lesson you can take from different sports is that you must focus on those objectives and strive to achieve them as diligently as you can.

• Learn to enjoy success – When you win a game in a particular sport, you are never sad. In fact, this is the cause for great celebration. This is another lesson that you can bring with you into your real life. When you succeed at something, make sure that you celebrate and be happy about it; don't be grumpy and get greedy for more.

• Learn that you can lose – Since you can win, you must understand that you can also lose as well. Losing should not be taken as something negative; it should help you to strive even further and to push yourself to be better. This is something that sports can teach you because in sports, when you lose, you improve the way you perform and you can try again to win. This is something that you should also do in your real life as well.

• Learn about teamwork – Many sports involve more than just one or two players. This is important because each person in a team in sports thinks differently and performs differently. You learn to work with each other's strengths and improve on each other's weaknesses. This is the kind of mentality that you can bring to your real life as well as at work and even at home. Good teamwork is something that will help everybody in a group or team to achieve success.

Most of those incidents he listed were fans...not the athletes too...Maybe if they actually played the sport they may have behaved better.

In my town the only sports that involve school are grades 9-12, all other sports are town affiliated leagues which we pay for. So in theory we are talking 4 years, the competitive drive/ character issues start way before high school. In my eyes they started at tball..and they increase as the childs league/skill level increases. That being said it starts in other leagues that have nothing to do with school which are "private" and not funded by money used for education. I pay to have my son play whatever he wants to.

Only competitive sports can teach these thing? Why not sports that have no potential to cause injuries?

Once again though, my original intent was to reduce the cost to the taxpayer and realocate the monies spent on something a little less confrontational. How about conditionig and billiards for instance.

Went to my oldest sons wrestling event in Marshfield yesterday,it was held at the high school on vacation week with around 20 towns represented.Yeah they try to beat eachother but most importantly they shook hands after every fight regardless of outcome. Some kids were upset they lost but the coaches made sure there was good sportsmanship.The fact that girls were competing was a surprise. Even more of a surprise was seeing a child with Downs syndrome competing with his peers. My sons second match was against a physically disabled youth who also had the courage to compete despite a legitimate handicap he has endured since birth.His appearance alone made me cringe but he submitted my boy in the 1st round. I have never been so proud. Thank goodness for school sports and the opportunities it provides the winners and losers alike.If that is not a life lesson then what is.

I'll bet most of them played competitive sports when they were in school.

Report: Eight percent of scholarship players have criminal records | CollegeFootballTalk

NFL commentary: Dealing with criminal behavior by pro football players - by Denver Washington - Helium

I'm sure you folks who are avid sports fans can think of many pro's that aren't good characters. If it builds such good character why even have drug testing for atheletes???

Why have drug testing for Home Depot employees? Do you ever look in the police log in the local paper? Do you think that the majority of criminals played HS sports and that's why they turned to crime?

And saying "I bet those fans played sports" is lame and a cop out. I could just as easily say I bet many of those NFL players who commit crimes went to church as kids. That must be why they turned out the way they did.

I just don't get why you have to beat this dead horse. We get it, you were embarrassed by a coach and had your feelings hurt by some of your teamates, but by and large, most HS sports programs are well run and benefits the kids and by extension the parents.

We started sliding down this slope when most if not all schools eliminated gym.

You have every reason to be proud.

There has to be a better way to teach what competitive sports teaches without the cost that goes along with competitive sports, both from a school budget perspective and the prevention of injuries to the students.
High school hockey player paralyzed after hit into boards - Prep Rally - High SchoolBlog - Yahoo! Sports

Ban driver ed. too. A lot of those kids eventually get into a car crash.

Art can't be good,didn't Fawn Liebowitz die in a kiln explosion?

Music? more druggies coming down the pipeline.Ban it.

Sewing!!! see Numbskull for evidence to outlaw.

Woodshop can only lead to injuries also.

Yep, good memory.

-spence

We might as well just institute a New School Uniform...

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