According to research by Active for Life, here are the top five answers a kid gives when they’re asked, “why do you play sports”:

• It’s fun
• to do something I’m good at
• to improve my school
• to stay in shape
• to get exercise

None of these  involve winning. Even high school students would rather be on a losing team than be on the bench with a winning team.

Most of these students play for the fun and competition, though at least one out of five people will say otherwise. Parents put their kids in sports thinking it’ll keep them active. Many parents don’t realize the great value these kids find about the sport they play.

“I dance as a sport,” Zariyah Perry explained. “If you ask me, any story or song you hear you can put into movement and make something awesome.”

Perry has a very strong passion for this sport. She dances to tell a story and emphasize how she feels.

Although many people disagree with calling dance being a “sport,” she doesn’t let that stop her.  

Still, there are other reasons students participate in extracurricular athletic programs.

Madison Betters is a triple-threat: she plays volleyball, runs track and performs with drill team.

“These sports entertain me and help me forget about my own personal problems,” the aspiring volleyball player shared.  “I wish to become a volleyball player.” Madison doesn’t just play for the fun of it. Sports is her way of coping with her own problems.

Athletics is not only a distraction, but also for entertainment. Betters does the things she loves and hopes to make something more of herself with these sports as she gets older.

Another future pro athlete, Priya York said she plays for the competitiveness and the joy of the game. Priya has been playing volleyball for quite a while. It seems she is part of the four out of five kids who play for fun.

Then there’s the human physical interaction that comes with all team sports. 

“My main interest is the physical contact,” Eighth grade ROMS football player Zechariah Mitchell said. “I just love the aggressiveness in the sport.”

Those kids have a passion for the sport they play, or the sport they’re offered. If you didn’t notice ROMS middle school doesn’t offer a soccer team, a baseball, a softball team, or a swim team. A lot more kids would participate in school sports if we offered these things.

Zamaria Baugh plays soccer for another organization. 

“I would do anything for us to have a school soccer team,” Baugh said.  She even stated how she was sad the first few weeks of school knowing there was no soccer team.

The question lingers in many people’s minds as to why soccer, baseball, softball or swimming aren’t a choice for ROMS middle schoolers.

Many kids have to find leagues out of school because of the lack of sports ROMS has.

According to middle school principal Mr. Gatewood, it’s part of state law as to why none of those teams are part of not only our school but any middle school. No middle school has soccer, softball, baseball, or golf because those are high school level sports. “I would love for us to have a soccer team,” he states. Although the school does have other leagues for those sports, like soccer, there is no actual district team.

 As you can see school sports is really important to students, and not just for the fun of it.