Talent can be described in many different ways. For most people, talent is physical rather than mental. So much of school is built upon the idea that sports and related activities will be better for student participation than theater or art class.

First of all, athletics are REALLY dangerous. In football alone, almost every player an admit to having at least one concussion in the last year. A concussion can be defined as a bruising or brain tissue, usually occurring by heavy head trauma. To achieve a concussion, one must exert enough force on the on the head to cause the brain to hit the inside of the skull. This particular injury is notorious for rendering students unable to complete academic assignments that are required in school. Some athletes cannot read, while others are restricted from writing.

In addition to head trauma, there’s the fact that brain power and academic thinking don’t matter  in the sports world. Any person can ram into someone. It’s simply a game that shows the amount of physical activity players can exert before the buzzer goes off.

This brings us to the question: Why are sports so valued in school? Some would say that it’s because they bring in more money for the school, but why does the school encourage activities that injure the students? If the school were to encourage and celebrate academics, more people would be encouraged to attend events other than sporting. A theater production can bring in the same amount of money as a football game.