by Courntey Suber
When the generic idea of the “American high school experience” is brought up, most will think of the same culturewide staples. These include but are not limited to pep-rallies, parties, and of course football.
Football is a large part of American culture, which tends to reflect onto the generations birthed from said culture. It’s reported by MaxPreps, the number 1# site for information on high school football in America, that a whopping 16,000 schools have football teams across the US. With 26,727 high schools in the United States, that makes for a significant percentage of 59.86%. With this data and anecdotal evidence from not only me but many students, we can see that high school football is a big deal.
I wish to make a bold statement though, an opinion that rebels against the masses. High school football is overrated. Even with that 60% statistic looming in the paragraph above. Because football is a staple in American school culture, the concept can become boring… dull even. I mean after so many decades teenagers giving each other routine brain damage becomes uninteresting. This is where I argue that more attention should be given to the arts rather than concussion and tackle.
It’s said by First Coast News that many Georgia high school coaches make more than 100k a year… from their football duties alone! Football is a sport that includes various amounts of physical contact that can harm student athletes. It’s reported that 2 in 10 student athletes are likely to get a concussion. Why do we encourage such activity that may harm our children?
Theater and the arts, on the other hand, are fun, creative, and a good outlet for teenagers rather than developing concussions for fun. Studies from Seneca Academy find that students who engage in these activities are likely to develop good social, decision-making, and motor skills. These are much more advanced as well as beneficial to students. This opinion straggles but stands out, but shall remain defended. Although many schools put money and energy into football, it’s routinely found that the arts are a better investment.
