How have students been affected within their sports? There are many students who choose not to play their sport in their high school years. Why is this?
School and club sports can differentiate extremely, but the sport can also play a role in this. Depending on the sport can affect the experience and the system of how school and club vary.
The competition is different between the two as well, but the environment and coaches come into play as well. The experience can also depend on what club organization a player chooses to play at, sometimes coaches are volunteers and other times they are getting paid, as high school coaches are paid as well.
Many high school sports struggle with establishing a healthy sports system. All the different reasons to why someone could quit a sport may be for their grades, the coaching, the environment, the treatment on the team, the list goes on and on. So what can we do as a whole in the school system to adapt for a better program.
Beginning with coaches, as they establish the environment for their team and players, the way they act and treat them will determine the team as a whole. There are coaches out there who play favorites, others who do not care about their players personally, or don’t know what they are doing experience-wise. But, there are still coaches that play fairly and care about their players while still knowing the game, which I think is what our school systems need to keep working towards for the sports as a whole.
There are mental health aspects that come into sports too, some students become tired and burnt out. Others can’t keep up with their academics enough for the team, as that becomes more stressing for them as the seasons go on.
Whereas club sports are usually known for being a more laid back version of the sport. To some students, club is not as stressful, time-consuming, and it is a more flexible way to play the sport they love. Mckenzie Gladfelter talks about if she preferred to play school or club volleyball.
“I preferred to play club volleyball. I was able to travel and meet so many new people. I had new coaches and got more coaching experience,” said Gladfelter.
Many students enjoy club season because of the opportunity to travel and see new places, meeting other players on teams, and getting to play against teams they would never see during the school season.
Although, some club organizations are very expensive to join as well as the travel costs. This may affect if a student chooses to play depending if they can cover all of the costs and make the travel with their and their families schedules.
The experience with sports is different for every student, including their personalities and how they manage the experience. Two students could have the same experience, but manage it differently because they are different people and have their own personal aspects, which is what some can forget when going through the season.
The schools and communities around sports can contribute by helping these students to play the sport they love, so in their futures they do not regret not joining the team, but still establishing a healthy environment in the system for everyone.
