Most public elementary schools in the United States do not have sports teams. There are many reasons for this. Sports equipment is very expensive, and it takes time to build stadiums and fields. Coaches must be found, and sports doctors must be on hand in case someone gets hurt. But sports teams can also be beneficial for children. Sports teams teach kids how to work together, give them confidence, and provide an outlet for physical activity.
All sports teams, from basketball to soccer, require people to work together. Children can especially benefit from this cooperation. Coaches teach teamwork in addition to physical skills. They teach children how to work well with each other, even if they are not friends. For example, my friend Jeremy is on a soccer team. One teammate is a boy named Ronnie. They are not friends, but they are good teammates and know how to play together to win a game. This is just one example of children working together to achieve a common goal.
Sports teams also give children confidence. As they learn more skills and become better at a sport, children become more confident in their own abilities. They learn that they are good at something and feel proud of that. For example, my classmate Elizabeth has played basketball for three years. When she first started, she barely knew how to dribble. Now, she makes two out of three free throw shots. She knows that she is a pretty good basketball player. Children need to feel confident so that they have high self-esteem.
The last benefit to elementary school sports teams is physical activity. Children today do not get as much exercise as they need. Instead of playing outside, they sit inside watching television, playing video games, and chatting on computers. Sports teams would give children the chance to get more exercise. If children played sports in elementary school, they would get into a habit of exercising at a young age. This is very important to their future health.
While sports teams would cost schools a lot of time and money, I believe that elementary schools should have sports teams, at least for older grades. Schools could work with local professional teams to raise money. Volunteers could coach until the schools can afford to pay coaches. Many parents would be happy to volunteer to get teams started. Team sports help teach children valuable lessons they can use later in life.
3
What evidence does the author use to make his or her argument more effective?
A.
The author complains that teachers are too lazy.
B.
The author asks the reader what sports are cool.
C.
The author uses his or her own friends as examples.
D.
The author says that equipment is very expensive.
Explain why?