Health is for life! Dont neglect it. (Should Sport be Compulsory?)

Member Name: McBeer

Product:	Should Sport be Compulsory?
Date:	23/05/09 (142 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Stay fit and healthy, destress yourself with endorphins released, increase people skills

Disadvantages: Lack of time, teaching and variety

Surely no one can deny that sport is good for you? No matter how much some people may love or hate it, its still good for you.

With the countries obsesity levels rising, more and more campaigns are arising about healthy eating in schools. I'll be the first to admit that this is needed. Too many times when I was at school did I see friends have pizza and chips day in day out. Its not exactly the ideal lunch, but at the time I wouldnt of been complaining. Now looking back however, I wish it did kick in earlier! You can see exactly what it did to some people. I have first hand experience.

However this isnt the only problem. I could happily eat the healthiest meals about, but it doesnt mean I'd be as healthy as I could be. Its exercise that really gets people going.

I remember my P.E days at school. My school was a sports college, which had spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on its brand new facilities and equipment. Did we ever use or see them though? Hardly. Our lessons were an hour long. We'd be getting changed and hanging around for the first 10-15minutes. Then while the teaches discusses what we're going to do, thats another 5-10 minutes gone.

Usually it'd be basketball, football or rounders. By the time teams are picked, everythings set up, thats another 5mins. Eventually you have just 20 minutes to actually play before you get sent back to get changed again.

This is no time at all for any decent fitness, especially as there would always be atleast one or two teams sitting out while the others played. It doesnt exactly show the physical side of physical education does it? And this was at a sports college.

To make it worse for some people, not everyone was a fan of these sports. There was a top cricket player and many friends who always wanted to try it. There was a great tennis player, but never did we play tennis even although we had 2 courts.

I beleive these days there is such a lack in variety of sports for P.E, as well as the time used for it. Also, P.E would only be twice a week. So after setting up and getting ready, that would be about 40mins a week. Its a known thing that its best to try and do 30mins exercise a day!

I think with such a lack in sports, and short time, it makes people not keen on doing the sport at all. This then creates a trend to make people unhappy whenever P.E is a subject for that day. This shouldnt be the case! Sport releases endorphins, which not only destress you, but generally make you feel a lot better. Surely if P.E was performed every day in school with the phyiscal time being 30-40mins, it would make student perform better during the school day?

Sport not only helps fitness however, it also increases people skills. It teaches people to communicate with eachother, work in a team and even help co-ordination. These are all skills required in every day life.

I belive sport really should be compulsory, not only twice a week, but upto 5 times a week. A little bit of exercise doesnt hurt anyone. Infact, it does quite the opposite!

Summary: Sport should be a top priority in schools I feel. Knowledge is one thing, health is for life.