Comparing and Contrasting Fine Arts

Sports play an important role in many people's lives. They not only bring people together to enjoy and make memories, but teach life lessons. While sports might be the only thing some kids are passionate about, others only find interest in fine arts. Fine arts seem to be the total opposite of sports, not only in the activity itself, but the personalities of the people involved in them. 

The fine arts include any type of choir, plays/musicals, band, orchestra and art. One way fine arts are similar to sports is in how they bring people together. Any common interest will gather people of similar personalities. Sports and fine arts create a family-like environment for anyone that participates. Another way the two are similar is in their teachings. Both interests teach life lessons about getting along with others, pushing yourself, being confident, and never backing down. The fine arts are similar to sports in that they both have showings. In other words choir, band, and orchestra have concerts and sports have games or meets. These are opportunities to show off students' many talents and abilities. This is equivalent to a test day at school. An athlete or fine arts student must show their abilities in one final judgment and hope to accomplish the goal they've been working for. 

One way fine arts and sports aren't similar is in the way you train. Sports and fine arts focus on both your mental and physical ability to do something. Both aspects are extremely important to the activity, but the physical actions are different. In sports you work on strength and conditioning, while if you were to try fine arts they focus more on being precise and graceful with every move. Fine arts focus on being able to do things with your hands and mouth, while sports focus on legs and arms. The physical activity in both cannot be measured as more difficult than the other, because everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. 

Athletes might complain and state that fine arts aren't nearly as difficult and no fine arts student should be stressed or harmed. I believe that both activities have their own difficulties and the level of struggle is determined by the individual person. What might be hard for me could be easy for you. Each person is different in their own way and no one else can determine what is easy or difficult for them.

How to be a Good Teammate

In life we are not always going to be around people we necessarily like, but it is important for us to try to get along and work together with them. No matter how much you dislike them you have to find a way to work together without getting completely frustrated with yourselves. One of these situations might be in sports. While playing sports there are going to be people on your team you aren't very fond of, but that can't stop you from playing the game you love. The chemistry of a team is very important, but it might be even more important to just be nice and be a good teammate. 

The first thing I think of when imagining a good teammate is someone who encourages and compliments others. Do not get jealous and start criticizing every move a person makes if they are playing better than you at the time. It is extremely important to encourage others to do well, because it will most likely benefit you in the long run. If one of your teammates is starting to excel, others will try to compete with them. This will then make other players on the team better too.

When it comes to complimenting your teammates I don't mean overreacting to the play they made. If someone does something good in a game or practice simply say great job or high five them. Teammates also need to learn how to give and take constructive criticism. It may be hard to listen to what others have to say, but it is helpful to see different points of view. Your teammates want to see you succeed, or should, just as much as you want to. When criticizing others don't be too harsh. Simply explain to them what you think they did wrong and give a suggestion to what they can do to fix it. No one likes a teammate who thinks they're the coach.

Remember, everyone has feelings and a life outside from school that you don't know about. You have no idea how harsh or easy someone's life is, so don't be so quick to judge. Sometimes people just need a little encouragement and positive attitudes to get them on the right track. Being a good teammate means being caring, passionate, encouraging, and never willing to give up. Be the person you'd want to see on the court next to you. 

Contribution of Sports Fans

No matter the sport or activity you are bound to have fans. Fans are sometimes vital to a team. The energy and encouragement from the crowd adds to the game and a player's adrenaline. Although fans are great to have, they sometimes overdo it. In my opinion fans should be respectful. This doesn't mean they shouldn't cheer and be competitive, but there are certain boundaries they should not pass. The actions of fans can not only impact the team they support, but also their opponent. This impact can be positive or negative.

When striving to achieve a common goal a positive attitude is key. Ways in which fans can contribute to their team is by cheering when a point is earned or doing group cheers to get the rest of the crowd excited. Almost every single athlete I know would prefer a jam-packed gym over a couple of fans. This is because the cheering and constant screams from the crowd not only put pressure on them, but also the other team. Wouldn't you want to play really well if a lot of people were watching? The nervousness players have adds to the adrenaline of the game and can potentially be a benefit to your team's energy. 

Negative remarks can hurt a team's confidence. I believe fans should not single out one particular person on the opponent's team just to help their team win. Yes, this might get into their head and cause them to make more mistakes, but if you make remarks about the way they play the effects aren't restricted to that single game. When that athlete goes home they will think about those negative remarks and it can potentially harm their self-esteem. It's all fun and games until you actually hurt someone's feelings.

Now I know not many fans act this way, but sometimes things can get out of hand. If everyone is mindful of what they say, about anything for that matter, and think about the effects their words have on others everything will be fine. I do love my school's fans and am very grateful for every single one of them. Each team has those few loyal fans that follow them to away games no matter the distance and each athlete should be extremely grateful for them as well. I am not discouraging fans to go all out and cheer, but remember you can never take back what you already said. Choose your words wisely.

Pros and Cons of Cutting

            Fear is the first word that comes to mind when hearing athletes speak of tryout day. Many kids are scared to see what decisions the coaches will make for that season. Many schools today cut, or choose only a certain amount of people, for their sports team. This topic is very controversial across the nation and has many sides to weigh.

            The first reason schools might want, or even need, to cut is merely because their school is too big to accommodate that many athletes. This issue is common in bigger cities and cutting is not an option. Another reason schools choose to cut is to have a more one on one focus during practice. Some coaches believe their team will get to its highest skill level if there are less athletes to work with and more coaches to teach. They believe the athletes will improve faster without adding to distraction, in this case extra people.

            One reason schools choose not to cut, is because they want to give every athlete an opportunity to grow and learn. This not only allows for competition, but more people to choose from when it gets to the varsity level. These types of coaches believe that everyone deserves a chance to improve no matter what stage they are in. This can lead to overcrowding and many people sitting on the bench. This then leaves the choice to play to the athlete. If they don’t want to sit they need to either improve or unfortunately quit.

            I have been very lucky in my years to have always attended a no cut policy enforced school. I believe this allows for athletes to grow by competing with others. This also helps athletes learn quickly. If you fall behind this makes your opponent that much more ahead of you. The choice to cut is very difficult and depends on your situation. Although I believe schools should not cut, I do not believe club teams shouldn’t. Club teams are for high level competition and require a huge amount of dedication. Playing for a private club team is an honor and should be earned. Remember your off-season is just as important, if not more, than when you’re in-season.

Common Issues of Playing Sports

                While many people encourage others to go out for sports, some find conflicts in them. Now I know sports aren’t for everyone, but it’s a great experience to have, especially as a high school student. If you are an athlete who absolutely, whole-heartedly loves the sport you play these conflicts mean nothing to you. Athletes deal with these conflicts year round and happen to do just fine in school. After all there is a guideline for grades when in season.

The first and most common issue many students find when going out for sports is time management. Sports do take up a lot of your time and can have an impact on your grades. On game/meet nights you might only have two hours to get homework done and study. This can be very stressful for students. The way I see it, it’s helping you prepare for college. Time management is a huge and valuable skill to have. Whether it is in college or your future profession you will need to use your time wisely.

            Another issue students find with playing sports is playing time. When you begin a sport it is very likely you will not play much, because you have no experience and very little skill level. This doesn’t mean you will be on the bench forever. If you are truly dedicated to your sport and always try your best you will improve. All a coach looks for is improvement and passion for the sport you are playing. Be confident in yourself. Playing time isn’t everything. Some of the most famous athletes sat during their high school careers.

            The last issue I will address is frustration with the way you play. Some athletes get very upset because they’re not the best on their team. Some athletes might even say they “suck” and want to quit. Don’t ever give up. Most kids who quit a sport during high school regret it. They wonder what could have happened and what memories they could have made if they went out. You’re not always going to be the best, at anything for that matter, and you just have to accept it. Athletes peak at different times and you never know when you could make huge improvements. It just takes time.

            There are many issues involved in playing sports, but the rewards and memories made are worth the struggle. Although you may want to quit, whether it’s because of a teammate, frustration, or not enough time to do homework, remind yourself of why you tried out for the sport in the first place. Fuel your body to keep going and make a difference on the court.

Why Everyone Should Play A Sport

You may have heard your parents encourage you to go out for a sport every once in a while. They tell you this whether it's to get you in shape, make friends, or learn valuable life lessons. Many students take up this recommendation, while others completely ignore it and go on with their everyday lives. It is estimated that around 55.5% of high school students play sports. U.S. News tells of this High School Athletics Participation Survey. Being a student athlete, I can tell you that going out for a sport is a very wise decision. 

One reason all students should consider sports is to stay in shape. Even if you aren't very good at the sport you're in, you can do it merely for fitness sake. For example a lot of people choose to run track just to stay in shape for a different sport they're in. Obesity in America has increased by 13% since 2010. About 25.8% of children in America are obese. These statistics come from the U.S. News website. By taking up sports, children can not only stay in shape, but have something fun to do in their free time. 

Sports, whether you want to believe it or not, can teach you very valuable lessons. In my experiences I have learned that you are not always going to get along with everyone. You must learn how to work together to achieve your common goal. In this case the common goal is either winning one game, your sport's conference, or even the state championship! Another thing I have learned from sports is in order to achieve your personal goals you must push yourself every day. You will never improve if you don't ever try something new.

Being coachable is an important quality to have as an athlete. Going out for sports will teach you that in order to improve you must be coachable. Being coachable means you are able to identify your issues as an athlete and fix them. If a coach asks you to try something new, your ability to do it and fix your error is extremely important. You can apply this to other jobs later in life as well. When you make a mistake, in whatever profession you choose, you are going to need to fix it or it might end in termination. 

While playing sports can be very valuable in lessons, it is also very valuable because of the family experience, Being in a sport is like having your own little family outside of home. It is nice to meet new friends and have people you can talk to other than your family. Social life is very important to your early stages of life, and can set you up to make lifelong friends. All in all, playing sports can put you on the right path to achieving your highest goals.