Sports and Education

Ever stop to think about why most schools have sports teams? Instantly, everyone knows the natural answer. Sports has much to teach students: teamwork, discipline, sportsmanship, mental and physical fortitude, health, etc.

All good answers, but are these things being accomplished? And shouldn't all students have a chance at this type of education? In our current system, only the best players get to be on a team. This is my problem with large schools...if the benefits of sports are so great, why can only 15 guys from a high school of 2,000 play on the basketball team? And whatever your answer is, does that justify failing to offer this opportunity to the rest?

Small schools provide much more opportunity for all students to experience the valuable lessons taught through sports. Whether interscholastic or intramural, the lessons are the same and more valuable, because the emphasis is rarely on "win at all costs."

We won last night, by the way...but we're not getting press in the Reading Eagle because we're not "official." That's all right...it's not about the press, it's about what these kids are learning.