age 14 suffered from basketball injuries that have landed them in the hospital. 167,000 suffered injuries from football 147,000 suffered injuries from baseball 69,000 from soccer (Johnson 1998)These injuries tend to fit the same profile. The children play on a competitive team practicing almost everyday on a year round basis. The duration and intensity is increased during training. The injury starts off as a pain or an ache but coachs and players feel they can still be active in the game. These injuries tent to be over-use injuries such as stress fractures, tendinitis, and bursitis. Children are not given the time necessary for the body to recover. Coachs and parents both dont realize children have growth tissue that adults dont, leaving them more vulnerable. These injuries were first noticed and tend to be more susceptible in boys because they play in high-risk sports. Girls are also very susceptible to injury because of the increased body fat, decrease in muscle strength, and change in alignment of body (Johnson 1998) Children are not ready at young ages to be using their muscles for vigorous physical activity.In conclusion, sports can be beneficial to a childs self-esteem, confidence, health, and social life. When a child is an athletic environment that boosts his self-esteem, he will learn faster, enjoy himself more and perform better under competitive pressure. Competition if not used in the wrong way can be a very good thing for children. The word comes from the Latin words "com" and "petere" which mean together and seeking respectively. Competition is seeking together where your opponent is your partner, not the enemy. World records are broken all of the time because the best athletes are "seeking together" and challenging each other to superior performance.Athletes usually in higher level grades do better academically as well. Parents need to get children off the couches and away from the television set starting w...
