Sid’s Spot: Developing Positive Characteristics for the Future

SIDNEY AUNG
Sports Editor

Participating in sports is an important part of the high school experience and can help develop lifelong skills in the process. It builds character and teaches self-discipline; not to mention that it also rewards athletes with many unforgettable memories and experiences.
Success follows hard work; athletes learn this concept as they consistently push through obstacles and practice hard throughout the season to perform well. A rigorous work ethic is crucial in college and the years that follow, and developing this skill early on through participation in high school sports is important. You can learn the ordinary academic material in a classroom, but there are lessons to be learned outside the classroom as well. Being able to balance both schoolwork and sports will truly allow you to hone your time management skills.
The lessons passed down from an experienced coach to an athlete will prove to be beneficial. Great coaches do not just teach the fundamentals of the sport and the strategies that come with it, they go beyond the ordinary scope of teaching the basics and help student athletes discover what theyʼre truly capable of. A coach can serve as a role model to athletes and set precedence for them to follow. They can also build positive relationships with students and coach them not only to be successful athletes, but also to be successful people.
Participation in high school athletics is stereotyped to be fit only for the “jocks” of the school, but it is encouraged for everyone to participate. Although time consuming, the benefi ts of being in a sport are great and can build lifelong characteristics.