Did you know that 39 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2020? These kids may have further health conditions later in life. For this reason school, sports should be mandatory. They should be mandatory because it can build strong friendships, it’s good for your health, and can help raise your grades and motivate you to do better in school. 

The first reason school sports should be mandatory is they can build strong and long-lasting friendships. Research shows that it gives you time to spend with your friends, bond with people on your team, and working hard together can grow your friendship. According to i9Sports, “Sometimes, making friends through sports leads to lifelong relationships with teammates from childhood, high school, and college.”

The second reason school sports should be mandatory is because it’s good for your health. Sports help maintain a healthy weight and help you reach your health goals. Keck Medicine of USC states that “With obesity at an all-time high, it is essential to participate in physical activities, especially if you spend most of your day sitting at a desk. Most of us kids spend all day at a desk working. Harvard Health claims,” Being physically active is one of the best things you can do for health. It decreases the risk of many chronic diseases and so enhances longevity.

My last reason school sports should be mandatory is it helps with your grades and time management. When doing sports you have less time to mess around and get in trouble. According to eduTopia, ”students in grades 9 to 12 showed that more than 97% of student-athletes graduated high school, 10% higher than those students who had never participated in sports.” In my experience, I’ve had to keep school grades up, or else there are consequences like less playing time and possibly being cut from the team. It helps motivate you to do better in school because if you can’t keep up you aren’t able to do the things you like.  

School sports are good for your health, help you keep your grades up, and it builds good strong friendships. After researching these reasons, school sports should be mandatory. If you’re beginning middle school, look at the sports your school offers and talk to your friends about doing a sport together.