Adults may want to reconsider their leisure priorities

Travis Lazarczyk’s Oct. 20 article, “In Youth Sports, It Takes Adults to Grow Up,” touches on some important national issues: lack of common sense and decency, and social hypercompetition (i.e., winning at any cost). However, I would somewhat disagree that adults do not need to “grow up” per se, but rather consider limiting or changing their leisure priorities.

Selling sports assets is a good starting point. The amount of public and private money and time invested in sports—sometimes called the “sports-industrial complex”—in this country is absurd to the point of insanity. Who cares how many medals are won if our society descends into chaos?

A healthy body and mind is considered the reason for all sports activities. However, approximately 40% of Americans are obese. Conversations with my family, friends, and students have shown me that they are far more knowledgeable about players and teams—even the arcane “fantasy leagues”—than they are about current events. Finally, as Mr. Lazarczyk documents, police protection is now required at football events in Falmouth because parents are threatening the lives of teenagers.

Instead of investing so much of their time and money into sports, parents should consider investing it in the arts through public schools or private programs. Unlike sports, people can practice art throughout their lives. In addition, scientists have well documented the cognitive, social, and cultural benefits of engaging in the arts. And perhaps most importantly, art does not teach victory at any cost, but lifelong learning and development of one’s craft.

Stephen Bird
Portland

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