A couple people standing around. No real coach in sight. players wearing flip-flops. Half the team on their phones. This description of a lackluster athletics program isn’t just the portrayal of a group of athletes who don’t care about their sport- It’s an accurate description of how sports would look without competition.
A common claim made by disgruntled parents and kids alike is that sports are too competitive. They claim that this level of competition drives athletes who are unable to keep up out of the sport, making athletics harder to enter and succeed in. However, what these naysayers of the athletic status quo fail to realize is that without competition, sports wouldn’t be possible.
“The thing about competition is every school has amazing athletes and to compete with the bigger schools you have to push harder. Thats what’s really driven me and my team,” Track athlete Jacob Sackenheim (’27) said. “[Sports] would be a lower quality [without competition, as the whole reason for sports is to compete at the highest level possible.”
When you compete against others, you’re forced to prove your worth over the other athletes or give up your spot as a starter or even your spot on the team. By maintaining a high level of competition in sports, athletes have to continuously get better and better to be able to succeed in their sport, whereas without competition, athletes don’t have to be good to compete, leading to scenarios like the one described in the opening.
Competition doesn’t just serve to motivate a player to become better, however. Instead, it also helps create a sense of community between athletes in a sport.
“High School sports are a fun experience for students, especially because of the level of competition they have,” RHS Swimmer Mason Lucius said. “it’s a healthy community and helps foster friendships.”
Competing helps build some of the strongest relationships, with high school sports being a fantastic way to become more involved in the school as well as allowing students to meet similar, likeminded people. Sports act as a common ground, and with competition forcing students to be more involved in sports, athletes are able to better relate to and bond with each other.
Sports aren’t supposed to be something you play once and forget about. Instead, they’re supposed to teach valuable lessons that are applicable to real life, something only possible if they maintain a level of competition.
“[competition] challenges us to push beyond our comfort zones, learn valuable lessons from wins and losses, and ultimately elevate our performances,” Tennis Captain Nate Clement said. “High levels of competition foster a strong sense of teamwork and personal growth, proving to be more of an inspiration then a barrier.”
Competition doesn’t just help improve athletes’ senses of community and work ethic but can also help sharpen their skills specifically for their own sports.
“In flag football, competition pushes me to sharpen my decision-making as a quarterback, adapt to different defenses, and lead my team under pressure,” Flag Football Quarterback Adelyn Taliafero (’27) said. “It also helps me grow as a leader and a teammate, preparing me for higher levels of play”.
Competition causes athletes to get better, develop stronger senses of community, and learn lessons from the athletics they compete in. Although it may act as a slight barrier to playing sports, without it, sports wouldn’t be possible. Sports wouldn’t be complete without competition.
