Accessibility to youth sports for all children. by Rilee

Accessibility to youth sports for all children. by Rilee - April 2023 Scholarship Essay

Sports have made me the person I am today. Without access to sports, I would not have the connections I have today. I would not have the work ethic I have today. I would not know the value of teamwork, motivation, or selflessness. I would even have a different college major. Sports were the building blocks of my childhood. It was what I looked forward to every weeknight and weekend. I gained an appreciation for a healthy lifestyle and being active from a young age, which I have carried with me into early adulthood. Those are just a few of the endless benefits sports provide.

Regardless of the technology and electronic entertainment available to kids today, when you drive by an elementary school it never fails that you will see kids running around, playing soccer, touch football, or kickball outside at recess. Although, this might be the only access to sports and exercise some kids have. There are many factors that can prevent kids from participating in sports. The financial situation of a family can prevent a child from playing sports. Some parents cannot afford to put their children on teams because of high fees, purchasing equipment, and paying for lessons that increase their children’s ability to compete. Parents also may have to work all day to make ends meet so they can’t take their children out on bikes or to parks and get physical activity. Geographic location can also prevent children from taking part in sports. There may not be any recreational or club teams around where they live or they might not have a large backyard or no walking trails near their homes to get exercise.

After taking a course on how sports affect society and how the two mesh together, it really puts into perspective why sports are so good for youth. It not only builds their athletic skills, which is the obvious benefit but it also grows their personal skills. Sports may be a child’s only opportunity to learn from failures or losses, a cornerstone of being a part of a team. Having to work on a team with other people who may be very different from you can grow you into a well-rounded and open-minded person. Qualities like I listed above that I personally gained from sports can set children up to be successful in whatever path they take in life, sports or otherwise.

To take specific action in communities, I would build more athletic facilities in inner cities and rural areas, making sports more accessible to those children. Through what I have learned, proximity is what will draw kids into sports. If they see people playing baseball right down the street, they are more likely to go join and see what it is all about. I would create low-cost, competitive leagues and teams with experienced coaches and state-of-the-art facilities. I would collaborate with local government and business to provide sponsorships and scholarships so that no child is prohibited from playing sports for financial reasons.

I would also implement mental health programs and practices for youth athletes. A lot of athletes struggle once they reach high school and college. Students tend to stop playing because of burn-out or other mental health issues. This also leads to a decline in their performance in the classroom. There is a direct correlation between student athletes and students who do not play sports. The difference is in their classroom participation and their grades. By educating children on healthy ways to manage their mental health and interpersonal issues, we would most likely see an increase in the number of children who continue their sports to a higher level while also being mentally healthy and performing well in school.

Kids are the future. They are change makers. We can depend on them create a better world for generations to come. If we invest in their personal development, safety, health, and quality of life, We are setting them up for success. I believe this can start with their careers in sports. The lessons learned in sports can be implemented in many aspects of life and will shape the rest of their lives. And that is why, if I had all the time and money in the world, I would invest in making youth sports more accessible