I’m not great at sports. At best, I’m inconsistently good. That is, sometimes I’m awesome, other times I am a disaster.. Sometimes I think I only got to play sports at all in school because I was so tall. I don’t think anyone was shocked when I stopped playing sports entirely in high school. I wasn’t good enough to earn a spot on the team and I grew tired of pretending I was. It wasn’t fair to the other, shorter girls who had more stamina, speed and agility.
However, if I could go back in time and talk to 15-year-old-me I would tell her a) yes, leggings will make a comeback eventually and b) work your ass off to get a spot on a sports team, any team. Team sports are great for individuals of all ages but especially youth because they encourage commitment, team work and active living. If nothing else, playing a sport gets people off the couch for a few hours a week. While the overall rising obesity rates in North America are alarming, perhaps nothing is quite as alarming as the rising child and youth obesity rates. According to the World Health Organization’s website, an estimated 22 million kids under the age of five are overweight worldwide.
Although the role of junk food, genetics and instincts (our ancestors had to eat as much as possible when it was available or risk dying out) play a huge role in the current obesity crisis, the factor of exercise, or lack thereof, cannot be overlooked. Most people, but especially kids, aren’t as active as they should be. Why would they be? Nowadays you don’t have to leave your house to have fun, not with your big-screen TV, computer and Wii right at your fingertips! No more walking down to an arcade to play games or going to the park to play real-life baseball! It’s just so much easier to sit inside your air-conditioned room on a hot summer day and chat with your friends via MSN messenger or Facebook instead of actually leaving the house to see them. Technology is awesome and I’m not trying to knock it because I do appreciate indoor plumbing and everything that has come since its inception; however, technology makes it easier to be lazy. And we are all unfortunately taking advantage of that fact.
Of course, technology is not solely to blame for obesity in youth. There are a variety of factors that seem innocent enough on their own but when added up lead to extra pounds. Today we have more access to news than every before, meaning we hear about all the evils in the world so much faster and easier than before. This has led to many parents worrying about letting their kids outdoors to play in the yard or run around the block, lest a paedophile kidnap them. I’m not trivializing their concerns because it does happen. However, society’s growing concerns about the outdoor world not being safe has led to more kids sitting in their rooms instead of playing dodge ball outside.
People of all ages need to be active. But it is essential for kids to be active because being involved with sports and other recreational activities at an early age can help ensure that children continue to lead active lives when they grow older.
This week I visited Thorsby Junior Senior High School for their colour day, during which the school recognizes students for their athletic achievements. I was shocked to learn the school has six (!) volleyball teams. It also has several basketball teams and badminton teams, in addition to a cheer team and a golf team. Many students also participate in track and field events. It was great to see so many youth participating in sports. There is no magic formula for ensuring kids will be active and remain active. However, team sports really might be the key to ensuring this happens. Team sports allow kids to exercise on a regular basis in a way that is fun, not mundane or repetitive. The problem is many kids aren’t quite good enough to play team sports or are too shy to try out. Sometimes there simply isn’t enough room on school teams for everyone that wants to or deserves to play. If government officials want to make a real dent in the rising costs of the obesity epidemic they’d be smart to invest more money into school athletic programs, ensuring that all kids can start living active and healthy lives.
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