Reply to Why would a school place athletics on an equal or even higher footing than academics?

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[quote=Anonymous]While I think a lot of schools need to have caution on how they handle athletics to the right balance and not above academics,  there are different perspectives "then 99.9% won't play professional sports and will end up middle age guys with beer bellies working for a PhD kid in India or China".

I work in a global environment working closely with global executives from the major countries.  Though admittingly none have  PhDs in Chemistry, many have math degrees (a few masters /PhDs) and other rigorous academic backgrounds.  Interestingly the majority (est. over 75%) have played the equivalent of high school sports in US or other countries and as applicable university sports or club sports.    Most are actively fit today.

Sports can provide discipline, goal setting, and team work.  It provides a platform for the physical activity needed to meet the demands of global life -  working mutliple time zones, traveling internationally,  balancing stess and life.  Many still use athletic activities as an outlet for creativity or thinking.    And, sports can be a relationship builder in and across geographies.   (in part - that's why I'm aware so many played sports - its often an opening trust builder).

Do parents go overboard - yes?  do high schools go overboard?  yes .   But dismissing sports as taking away from one's capacity to be prepared for the global future would be a mistake.  [/quote]

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