Millions of students in the U.S. play high school sports. Our high school athletic journey looks much different than that of students in European countries where school and sports do not mix and some may argue that American schools put too much emphasis on athletics.

   Playing high school sports can have a lot of benefits and some drawbacks as well. Students can earn college scholarships to play sports and get a degree without having to pay the full tuition. Another advantage to playing sports in high school is that sports are a good way students can make new friends and be involved in their school and community while learning about teamwork, developing a competitive attitude and building good character.

   According to www.lendingtree.com, participation in high school sports have exploded in the past 50 years. More than seven million students in the United States play a high school sport. Students in Europe and many other parts of the world do not have the same experience. Compared to other countries, the United States is one of the only countries that has sports in high school. According to www.gmtm.com the majority of foreign countries have clubs that have nothing to do within the school. These clubs in foreign countries allow students to have full focus on their school work during the school day instead of focusing on their game, match, or meet. 

      Some might argue that an emphasis on sports in high school is distracting from a school’s primary mission: education. However,  here at Warsaw High school, and probably many other schools in the United States, students need to keep decent grades to participate in a sport. If they are not able to do well in the classroom, then they will not be able to be a part of the team. You are a student before you’re an athlete, so not only do you have to put the work in on the field, court, or gym, you also have to put in the work inside the classroom. 

   Athletic scholarships are a big thing in the United States, but according to www.educationdata.com more than 180,000 students receive an athletic scholarship annually, which is only two percent of the high school athletes in America. The average athletic scholarship amount is around $17,000 per student, but not every student receives that much, the majority of the athletes get about $5,000. 

   Some people might disagree with high school athletics and call them a distraction for students, but they are actually very beneficial. Having sports available for high school competition provides equal opportunity for students to have these experiences without the cost or exclusivity of club sports.