Playing a sport is a major part of the high school experience. It breaks bones, builds relationships and teaches students how to be responsible. Eight million high school students play sports and only seven percent go on to play in college — 560 thousand out of eight million. But how does it really affect them? Is it good overall or could it break not only their bones, but also their passion for the sport?
“I spend most of my time [running cross country,] recovering from it and preparing for it,” Henry Chipley (11) said. “I don’t think it is my whole identity but it’s a big portion of it.”
Sports bring many highs and lows throughout an athlete’s career and affect their overall relationship with their sport. They must choose how to navigate these experiences. That choice determines their motivation and progression through life.
“It is pretty up and down but mostly up,” Chipley said. “I have broken some bones from just the fatigue of it. It made me a better person. I spend a lot of my time doing it. I’m in shape [be]cause of it and not physically unhealthy. I think I’d live longer because of it.”
Chipley has experienced pain and injury from the many sports he has played in his life, but he understands the overarching impact they have on his overall life. It brings him physical health and a better quality of life, while also impacting his mental health.
“It can give you self-confidence [and] it can motivate you to go to the gym, be more fit, be more athletic and I think overall it gives you a purpose sometimes when you feel like you don’t,” Nathan Barnes (11) said.
Athletes build character with the difficulties they face. Learning or doing anything comes with mistakes, but mistakes teach people and help them improve their skills.
“It strengthens me; I believe that knowing I am good at something and striving to be better at that and to be the best plays into my character very well,” Johnathan Sullivan (11) said. “I am a person who tries to be the best that I can be and if I am good at athletics then I should be the best at those athletics.”
When athletes build character, they become a better person. Once that happens, they see their worth.
“It can affect the way that you look at yourself,” Barnes said. “Sometimes it can humble you; sometimes it can make you feel even better about yourself. It can make you think ‘I can do that; I can do these things.’”
When an athlete sees their competence, it can motivate them. It can add to their self worth, but it is also capable of the opposite. What happens when they do not make the mark, and how does this affect them?
“As a guy in society, you want to feel like you are better because it is always a competition,” Barnes said “You want to be the best at your sport; you want to be on top. Sometimes when you are not doing well, you’re on JV … you just feel like you are lesser of a man. You just feel depressed.”
Athletics do hold the possibility of turning sour. Not only can it affect these self views, but many high schoolers’ lives can be heavily governed by their parents. Many parents, as well as other family members, worry about their child’s future. They can outwardly share their opinions and hopes on their child, wishing that they too adopt them, but this external pressure causes stress on the student.
“When I was a lot younger, my dad played college basketball, [and so did] my auntie and my great-grandpa,” Sullivan said. “So, they tried to kind of mold me into another basketball player in the family, and once I realized that wasn’t for me, then my dad and I didn’t talk for a while. It was kind of just hard just communicating … I think he has come to terms with the fact that I do not play basketball at that level, but I still am a very active person. I’m still an athlete; I’m still a competitor.”
Sports can put stress on some children. Athletes can worry and, overtime, start to wonder if they are good enough for their families or for the people around them. The hardships they go through can make it crucial for them to reflect on their career and think about if it is worth it all.
“Last year I broke my leg almost,” Chipley said. “[I] had a stress fracture of my tibia and I think it really pushed me [to decide whether] to quit or keep going. I had to recover real fast and then go on the track season.”
Many participants in high school sports face career-ending injuries. Some can heal and continue playing in the future. At a quick glance, the sports industry seems to run mostly on talent, but hard work is what keeps athletes going and progressing.
“I believe that hard work is more important because even if you have nothing to begin with, you can still become one of the best,” Sullivan said. “Many talented people don’t work as hard as people who don’t have anything. It’s an excellent motivator when you see the people with all the gifts that you don’t have, and you still have to compete with all of those people.”
This hard work benefits their future. Most athletes understand that they might not make it in college with their sport but are still benefiting their future.
“I’ll keep running; life is kind of boring without it,” Chipley said. “I’d definitely keep going to the gym. I just strive not to be overweight or unhealthy.”
Chipley intends to maintain his athleticism in his future. He sees the value in it and how it impacts him. Others can see themselves making the future for other athletes.
“I think maybe I could be a coach for a little league team when I retire if I’m still interested,” Barnes said. “Maybe even teaching kids in high school when I get older.”
Barnes does not intend on playing baseball in college. He does, however, wish to have it present in his future by bringing it to future generations of baseball players. While sports cause stress and injury to athletes, it can be very beneficial to some high school students. It builds their character, teaches them the value of hard work, and benefits their health and overall wellbeing.