Maddy Gipe
Argumentative Essay
College English
February 22, 2016
Beneficial or Dangerous?
Are sports beneficial to our society or too dangerous? Some critics would argue that sports are too dangerous and can cause major health issues in athletes. On the other hand, sports advocates argue that sports are rewarding and teach admirable life skills. Even though some critics believe that sports can be risky, they are actually beneficial in society because they provide a world where athletes are judged by performance rather than race, religion, or gender.
Some analysts believe that sports are too dangerous and could put athletes at a higher risk of serious injuries. In the article, “Do the benefits of high school sports programs outweigh the physical risks?” the controversy of whether sports are worth the risk or not is debated. The article mentions, “Schools should be compelled to improve their safety procedures, by law if necessary, and parents should discourage their children from playing especially hazardous sports” (“Do the Benefits of High School Sports Programs Outweigh the Physical Risks?” par. 2). This article puts emphasis on the fact that safety precautions need to be taken for high risk sports, especially high school sports. The article also states, “Serious damage to ligaments and tendons can take a long time to heal, for instance, while head injuries can impair an athlete's mental abilities and, in some cases, cause death” (“Do the benefits of high school sports programs outweigh the physical risks?” par. 7). In making this comment, the author urges us to consider their point of view and reexamine whether the pros of sports outweigh the cons. In conclusion, the protesters argue that sports are too dangerous; however, there are a multitude of positive reasons sports are needed in our society.
First of all, sports have changed America’s view on many topics, one being race. The sports industry has become one place where, despite an athlete’s race, the athlete will be treated the same as other athletes of different races. African Americans have come a long way in the sports atmosphere and hold countless world records today. The African American professional boxer, Joe Louis Barrow, was heavyweight champion from 1937-1949 and influenced the world’s view of Black athletes. In the article “Champion of the World,” Maya Angelou told the story of the big fight and her race’s reactions and joy when Joe Louis won. She thought, “Champion of the world. A Black boy. Some Black mother’s son. He was the strongest man in the world” (Angelou 487). This victory was a defining moment in the incline of Black athlete’s career, and the world could now see that there was no difference in African American’s athletic talent because of their skin color. Americans now judge athletes by their performance rather than race.
Secondly, religion has made some changes and effects throughout the years in the sports atmosphere. Some belief systems used to look at sports as a dreadful activity. In the article “Why Sports Matter” by Wilfrid Sheed, Sheed himself writes, “Thus preachers, who had previously considered sports the devil’s work, open invitations to brutishness and gambling . . . gradually perceived that they might be rescued and cleaned up in the service of the Lord . . .” (489-90). When preachers start to look at sports differently and think differently then the world starts to consider a different view. Sheed also goes on to talk about how schoolteachers followed the preachers example and started apply sports to the children’s everyday activities (490). These are just a few examples of the effects of religion and different belief systems on the growth and expansion of sports throughout the years. There are many professional athletes today that openly practice their beliefs and will talk about their faith if asked. Tim Tebow, a professional football player, and Albert Pujols, a professional baseball player, have shared their testimony on many accounts and have no problem praying in public or answering questions about their faith. In sum, religion has made quite an effect on the atmosphere of sports, and the acceptance level of free expression of faith has grown over the years.
Lastly, in most areas of life women have had to work extra hard and prove themselves to be treated equal to men, sports are no different. Women have advanced and achieved remarkable tasks in today’s sports. For example, in tennis women have changed and enhanced the sport completely. Specifically, the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, have made other competitors work harder and train more, in order to have a chance to win. In his article “Women Who Hit Very Hard and How They’ve Changed Tennis,” Michael Kimmelman states, “Women have certainly never hit harder and not just on account of improved equipment. They’re stronger, bigger, faster, better trained and pushed above all by the example of the Williams sisters” (513). In other words, Kimmelman believes that women have had to step up and put more sweat into their practice in order to make a name for themselves and earn a career out of what they love. Women have put in countless hours of training in order to earn respect in the sports industry. Kimmelman discusses the prize money of the tournaments for tennis including “the Grand Slams, which . . . pay men and women equally” (517). His point is that women have earned the respect they deserve, considering their achievements, and in some tournaments they have even earned the same awards as men. Kimmelman goes on to say, “Wimbledon and the French Open lagged behind until Venus Williams wrote an article for the Times of London a few years ago claiming she felt like a second-class citizen. Tournament officials got the message” (517-8). This is another example of women fighting for what they think they deserve. Women have come a long way in sports over the years and have finally earned the respect they wanted.
On the one hand, I agree with the critics that sports can be dangerous and put athletes at more of a risk for injury. On the other hand, I still insist that sports are valuable and profitable to our society and are ultimately worth the risk if the athlete agrees. Certain safety precautions should be taken and the athlete should take care of themselves and not further injure themselves if they have been hurt once, but athletes would not want to give up their passion. Sports have advanced America’s society in multiple different ways, and there is no telling where the world would be without them. In conclusion, sports can be dangerous, but with the right safety measures and medical staff, athletes should be allowed to enjoy what they love and be taught valuable morals in the process.
Works Cited
Angelou, Maya. "Champion of the World." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 484-488. Print.
Kimmelman, Michael. "Women Who Hit Very Hard and How They’ve Changed Tennis." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 512-513. Print.
“High School Sports Injuries.” Issues & Controversies. Infobase Learning, 21 Dec. 2007.Web. 22 Feb. 2016. <http://icof.infobaselearning.com/recordurl.aspx?ID=1757>.
Sheed, Wilfrid. "Why Sports Matter." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 489-511. Print.
Argumentative Essay
College English
February 22, 2016
Beneficial or Dangerous?
Are sports beneficial to our society or too dangerous? Some critics would argue that sports are too dangerous and can cause major health issues in athletes. On the other hand, sports advocates argue that sports are rewarding and teach admirable life skills. Even though some critics believe that sports can be risky, they are actually beneficial in society because they provide a world where athletes are judged by performance rather than race, religion, or gender.
Some analysts believe that sports are too dangerous and could put athletes at a higher risk of serious injuries. In the article, “Do the benefits of high school sports programs outweigh the physical risks?” the controversy of whether sports are worth the risk or not is debated. The article mentions, “Schools should be compelled to improve their safety procedures, by law if necessary, and parents should discourage their children from playing especially hazardous sports” (“Do the Benefits of High School Sports Programs Outweigh the Physical Risks?” par. 2). This article puts emphasis on the fact that safety precautions need to be taken for high risk sports, especially high school sports. The article also states, “Serious damage to ligaments and tendons can take a long time to heal, for instance, while head injuries can impair an athlete's mental abilities and, in some cases, cause death” (“Do the benefits of high school sports programs outweigh the physical risks?” par. 7). In making this comment, the author urges us to consider their point of view and reexamine whether the pros of sports outweigh the cons. In conclusion, the protesters argue that sports are too dangerous; however, there are a multitude of positive reasons sports are needed in our society.
First of all, sports have changed America’s view on many topics, one being race. The sports industry has become one place where, despite an athlete’s race, the athlete will be treated the same as other athletes of different races. African Americans have come a long way in the sports atmosphere and hold countless world records today. The African American professional boxer, Joe Louis Barrow, was heavyweight champion from 1937-1949 and influenced the world’s view of Black athletes. In the article “Champion of the World,” Maya Angelou told the story of the big fight and her race’s reactions and joy when Joe Louis won. She thought, “Champion of the world. A Black boy. Some Black mother’s son. He was the strongest man in the world” (Angelou 487). This victory was a defining moment in the incline of Black athlete’s career, and the world could now see that there was no difference in African American’s athletic talent because of their skin color. Americans now judge athletes by their performance rather than race.
Secondly, religion has made some changes and effects throughout the years in the sports atmosphere. Some belief systems used to look at sports as a dreadful activity. In the article “Why Sports Matter” by Wilfrid Sheed, Sheed himself writes, “Thus preachers, who had previously considered sports the devil’s work, open invitations to brutishness and gambling . . . gradually perceived that they might be rescued and cleaned up in the service of the Lord . . .” (489-90). When preachers start to look at sports differently and think differently then the world starts to consider a different view. Sheed also goes on to talk about how schoolteachers followed the preachers example and started apply sports to the children’s everyday activities (490). These are just a few examples of the effects of religion and different belief systems on the growth and expansion of sports throughout the years. There are many professional athletes today that openly practice their beliefs and will talk about their faith if asked. Tim Tebow, a professional football player, and Albert Pujols, a professional baseball player, have shared their testimony on many accounts and have no problem praying in public or answering questions about their faith. In sum, religion has made quite an effect on the atmosphere of sports, and the acceptance level of free expression of faith has grown over the years.
Lastly, in most areas of life women have had to work extra hard and prove themselves to be treated equal to men, sports are no different. Women have advanced and achieved remarkable tasks in today’s sports. For example, in tennis women have changed and enhanced the sport completely. Specifically, the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, have made other competitors work harder and train more, in order to have a chance to win. In his article “Women Who Hit Very Hard and How They’ve Changed Tennis,” Michael Kimmelman states, “Women have certainly never hit harder and not just on account of improved equipment. They’re stronger, bigger, faster, better trained and pushed above all by the example of the Williams sisters” (513). In other words, Kimmelman believes that women have had to step up and put more sweat into their practice in order to make a name for themselves and earn a career out of what they love. Women have put in countless hours of training in order to earn respect in the sports industry. Kimmelman discusses the prize money of the tournaments for tennis including “the Grand Slams, which . . . pay men and women equally” (517). His point is that women have earned the respect they deserve, considering their achievements, and in some tournaments they have even earned the same awards as men. Kimmelman goes on to say, “Wimbledon and the French Open lagged behind until Venus Williams wrote an article for the Times of London a few years ago claiming she felt like a second-class citizen. Tournament officials got the message” (517-8). This is another example of women fighting for what they think they deserve. Women have come a long way in sports over the years and have finally earned the respect they wanted.
On the one hand, I agree with the critics that sports can be dangerous and put athletes at more of a risk for injury. On the other hand, I still insist that sports are valuable and profitable to our society and are ultimately worth the risk if the athlete agrees. Certain safety precautions should be taken and the athlete should take care of themselves and not further injure themselves if they have been hurt once, but athletes would not want to give up their passion. Sports have advanced America’s society in multiple different ways, and there is no telling where the world would be without them. In conclusion, sports can be dangerous, but with the right safety measures and medical staff, athletes should be allowed to enjoy what they love and be taught valuable morals in the process.
Works Cited
Angelou, Maya. "Champion of the World." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 484-488. Print.
Kimmelman, Michael. "Women Who Hit Very Hard and How They’ve Changed Tennis." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 512-513. Print.
“High School Sports Injuries.” Issues & Controversies. Infobase Learning, 21 Dec. 2007.Web. 22 Feb. 2016. <http://icof.infobaselearning.com/recordurl.aspx?ID=1757>.
Sheed, Wilfrid. "Why Sports Matter." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 489-511. Print.