SPORTS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES BRING ABOUT WHOLESOME DEVELOPMENT IN THE LIFE OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH

  

Sports pertains to any form of competitive physical activities or games which aims to use, maintain and improves one’s physical abilities and skills.The documented history of sports goes back at least 3,000 years. In the beginning, sports often involved the preparation for war or training as a hunter, which explains why so many early games involved the throwing of spears, stakes, and rocks, and sparring one-on-one with opponents.With the first Olympic Games in 776 BC—which included events such as foot and chariot races, wrestling, jumping, and discus and javelin throwing—the Ancient Greeks introduced formal sports to the world. The following by no means exhaustive list takes a look at the beginnings and evolution of some of today's most popular sporting pastimes.Sports can improve one’s physical health, while also providing a lifelong opportunity for children and adults to partake in international events.In addition to making people healthier, it also provides an excellent way of managing free time. On the other hand, young children tear the idea of fair play and improve their commitment with a winning spirit. Sports are usually governed by a set of ethics or customs, which serves to ensure fair competition, and allow consistent appreciation for the winners. Winning can be determined differently in a different games. While in some, the winner is selected based on fastness, while in some it is through scoring a goal. Playing sports improves the self-esteem of both boys and girls, and it offers an opportunity to increase their quality of life through exercising. Playing sports and doing physical activities, youths can develop number of skills. In the playground there is equal chance of being injured and to learning anti-social behavior which is a challenge. Some suffer from stress or anxiety during the big events/matches. However, sports and physical activity is a vital to the holistic development of young people, fostering their physical, social and emotional health.

Youths who plays sports are less likely to be overweight, which helps them to project a positive body image. Those who plays sports as they grow up are less likely to take drugs and drink alcohol. For instance, Cristiano Ronaldo, the famous footballer neither took any drugs nor consumed alcohol, on the other hand he also donates blood twice a year. Physical activities also relieves anxiety and depression. A healthy body contributes to a healthy mind, and regular exercise contributes to an overall physical and mental health. A youth who can keep their body focused on the sports can also have an easier time focusing their mind on academic activities. However, there are equally bad sides to always engaging in sports activities. While some children’s may make that as their career to make a living, many will not have the chance. Education by far has been one of the crucial tool to excel in any filed, at least today in this modern era where we consume tens of thousands information in a day. Many schools in Bhutan does not teach the importance of sports, which could also mean that the scope of physical sports is minimal or non-existent in the country. From this we should learn that sports will not get us far. This is why it is vital for children’s to be focused on schooling and studies.

Youths who participate in sports can develop a number of different skills. Social skills are learned as individual are able to play sports with their friends. University of Florida for study of Youths and sports supports states that, the children who are involved in playing sports have better social skills. Playing sports requires cooperating with others and learns fair play, while working towards a common goal. According to University of Michigan 1998, “teen that play sports are more likely to get better grades than those who don’t.” There is a significant positive relationship between sports activities and academic performances as it involves a focused participation. Similarly, a youth who is an active participant in sports activities helps to develop good leadership qualities and abilities. Nonetheless, there are many disadvantages of playing sports,  the primary disadvantages of playing sports and physical activities is getting injured for a lifetime. It is possible for athletes to have long-term damage to their knees and parts of their body. The Centers for Disease Control and prevention states that, nearly two-thirds of all sports-related concussions patients entering emergency rooms each year are children between the ages of 5-18. It is seen that the youths are prone to the injuries caused by physical activities and sports. Common sports injuries seen in youths include, sprains, fractures, dislocation and to the Achilles tendon. Most of these injuries occur during practice sessions, specialization and inadequate rest. Additionally, excessive pressure for parents and coaches to improve performances in one specific field of sports can lead to serious injuries. 

However, Sports and physical activities often lead to stress, anxiety as well as depression in long run. Youths with busy scheduled may fall behind at school, complains of headaches or stomachaches and feel tired frequently.  When the child is not interested in participating in sports activities still their parents force them to that direction. Consequently, children can foster stress and anxiety. As a result, it affects creativity, decisions-making and the development of overall emotional, cognitive and physical abilities if the children.

Ricardo Portillo, a soccer referee in Utah, was killed in 2013 by a punch to the head from a 17-year old player after an argument on the field. In fact, some youths behave aggressively when they do not prove that their participation in sports is to develop good and strong characters. Sometimes parents and coaches believe that extreme aggression in the sport is more important than the fair play. In order to satisfy their parents and coaches, they cross the line from thinking of the activity as a game to that of thinking it as something more like a battle. Youths who can’t reach their expected goals, undoubtedly feels angry, alienated and eventually becomes aggressive. However, notwithstanding the above mentioned points, it is crucial that participating in variety of different sports activities expands ones skills, enables greater mobility and movement. It also boosts youth’s enjoyment and enhances positive attitudes toward life’s goal.

 

A variety of sports has been introduced to the world. The sports has been considered as a source of entertainment. Along with entertainment, we can draw lots of benefits in a way of social and physical health. Every time a player sweats out from the body while playing sports, it drains out the toxic waste. It enhances the body to be healthier and active. In the same way sports adds to muscle advancement and reduction of hypertension and depression. Balla S, states that people should participate in playing the indoor and outdoor games for entertainment as well as for having good personality and healthy body. Furthermore, sports can help a youth to strengthen their social skills. They can develop their communication skills as they need to communicate with others, to create better teamwork connection when they play in a team. Youths can develop confidence and self-esteem since everyone combines their personal skills. Youths can take healthy decisions such as not smoking and drinking which promotes a healthy body for all times to come. That is why sports is seen as a tool which brings wholesome development in a person.