Is it School Sports or Video Games

Many years ago, the numbers were staggering - over one quarter of a million students played high school sports in Ontario.

And the numbers were up significantly too for coaches - be they teachers, students or people scattered throughout the community taking time off from a job to pitch in.

But now, coaches are apparently in decline and there are no firm numbers indicating that participation numbers for students are up, down or even remain the same. The best answer I was given was - a guess.

There have been numerous reported studies, one from ther Canadian Journal of Public Health, that says academic performance is maintained or even enhanced by increase in a student's level of physical activity. Some students see that as lifting an IPod, playing video games or walking - to the fast food stores. Thousands of tax dollars have been spent with the message - stay in shape and avoid health problems.

I remember when the chatter at school was focused around who was going to be the No. 1 quarterback, the elite hockey player, the track star or even the captain of the cheerleading team. Now, other interests are appealing to teeny-boppers.

Last summer, a  Canadian study published by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine reported that by the time adolescents reach high school, most have abandoned vigorous activities like school sports.

Earlier this year, I asked Michael Suraci at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations for numbers that we used to get annually - and haven't for the past five years. He was honest and said the participation numbers, at best, would be a guess. Suraci said school athletic associations, hadn't been submitting information.

Some people claim numbers don't mean anything. Others -- like the Ontario government funding school sports and corporate sponsors wanting to aim their products at young kids -- clearly are interested.

With obese kids continuing to be a concern, lots of high schools are having difficulties getting kids to participate even in intramural sports.

I wanted to stage my own survey. So, last week, I stopped 30 teenagers across the Greater Toronto Area, and asked them what was more appealing to them: video games or playing sports for their school? The final totals: 24-6 for the electronic toys and one stalled while typing a text message to her friend.

Comments

[Ken]

You're right. It's not the same. Too bad. Few spectators at games. Too much petty politics with schools and coaches. People are always too busy and Canadians don't give a damn about school sports the way they do in the United States.

[Sanjay]

OFSSAA is just coming up with excuses when they should be insisting on numbers or no participation in provincial finals. What's wrong with that organization and can someone not ask for accountability.

[Jasonn]

I am a teacher and on my lunch break. I thought I would see what's the hot topic on your blog and I enjoy it immensely. Keep it up. Just looking around our school now, the gym is empty. Students are in the cafeteria playing cards and outside talking on cell phones.

[K.P. Willis]

Good blog. I would like to know what these youngsters have to say in 20 years when they have all sorts of health issues.

[Chuck]

OFSAA does not represent the masses and is hurting students and school sports more than helping. This organization needs what the Leafs did - get rid of the uesless people - and re-build and also find a way to get numbers of students rather then push it off to others.

[RatPack]

Well it is quite alright to say kids are playing more video games or spending their time on things other than academics or sports, but maybe it is the school administrators and regional boards that should be taken to task for this, due to a lack of funding and sometimes lack of interest. The high school that I attended up until a couple of years ago, did not have enough money to fund a football team, which probably has the largest number of participants of all the sports. Please tell me what other option would a student have if they have minimal skill at other sports (and hence could not make the other teams) but could be decent football players? Someone like me would definitely end up playing video games after school instead of attending practices and training for my chosen sport, since I was never given a real choice.

[Mr. M.]

Yeah, why are schools, school boards and athletic associations not accountable. What's wrong with our society that has people in our educational system with huge egos, huge salaries and gutless that when someone makes a reasonable suggestion they all go on the defensive or change the topic. Is anyone in Government listening or are they too busy dealing with their own mess and trying to gain votes.

[Don Allen]

I read this blog and I am left with many questions.
1. Why doesn't OFSAA have a better count on what's happening?
2. Why are athletic associations so disorganized?
3. Why are students not participating in sports?
4. Why is the message not getting through and is there a communication problem between school boards of education and students?
5. Why are parents so quiet?
6. Why does the Government of Ontario keep wasting my money with advertising that is not working?

[Jason]

Mr. Grossman, I very much enjoy what you and the Toronto Star do in keeping high school sports alive in a city where the rest of the media have burried it along with their future readers and viewers.
I certainly don't mean to throw the baby out with the water but some school sports are as bad a video games.
All you have to do is watch the quality of coaching, the manner in which some athletes get away with things and they might be better off playing video games and avoiding the game ejections and attitudinal problems they tend to get away with spoiling it for the majority of others.

[Pepper]

Sports are indeed the answer for many young people but in moderation and every efforts should be made to push the powers to ensure kids play intramural as well. A friend of mine tells me that OFSSAA is about to make changes at some kind of a meeting this week to prevent kids from playing for their schools.

[Toronto School Coach]

OFSAA is a video game.

[M.V.]

I may be the only one who feels this way but schools have to make it more attractive to get students involved in participating sports. I know many youngsters who are new to Canada and they feel very uncomfortable trying something they don't know how to play. Not everyone can be a Canadian hockey player. Please take time to work with those not as fortunate. Then we can build from there.

[N. Chen]

A friend of mine says a group called the Ontario Physical Health Education Association has to be the best kept secret because no one knows what this organization does and yet they're supposed to be helping to educate. Where are they?
Maybe these young people who avoid sports for other things will read on their computers and gadgets how they'll die young because they're not in physical shape, eat garbage and will have serious health issues in their 50s.

[A.K.]

Schools need to be creative in getting their students out for sports, any sports, and the Government has not helped. It should make physical education a mandatory credit.

[Al Humphrey]

Jason,
I coach boy's and girl's basketball and ref girl's Flag Football, Boy's tackle football and boy's and girl's basketball. I must say that in these sports, what you are describing happens infrequently. The attitude of most young adults in these sports is the same as it was 40 years ago when I first started coaching.
To what sports do you refer.
David,
Thanks for bringing up another thought-provoking topic!

[guelphdad]

Other than organized sports which are becoming more and more expensive, I think kids need to participate in sports activities at school.

Some competitive and some intramural. I think the latter should be mandatory in schools. Different levels of competition and comfort though.

Physically it would be good for the kids.

At the same time I can see kids who "aren't good" at sports won't want to participate or won't enjoy it.

I never participated at sports when I was in school, at least not during school nor in organized sports.

But all my friends and I played pick-up ball hockey, baseball, football, basketball.

I sucked at all of them, but it was fun because it was my friends.

School is different, filled with peers who aren't necessarily out for your best interest.

My youngest son dropped out of Cubs after two years because the group played dodge ball every week. He swims and joined a running club, so he does like activities. But as the smallest/slightest built kid guess who was the target at dodge ball each week?

And as parents, where are we as role models? I admit I had to drag my rear off the couch and get back into doing things with the kids.

My oldest is nearly 13. A month ago when I told him to go outside and play he told me it wasn't the 1800s any more (too many video games to keep occupied), but now he and I throw a baseball daily and are bike riding.

I think there's got to be more involvement on the school ends and at the same time has to be lest costly community activities as well for the kids to participate in.

[Concerned Parent]

Great topic and that "guelphdad" is right on. People like him should be running our athletic associations. Time to clean the house, please.

[Ummm...which is it?]

Mr. Grossman, as a teacher I have been following your blog (or should I say daily whim?) as I am very much interested in HS Sports but often find myself scratching my head regarding your views. In just your last blog entry you seem disgusted by how many school sports there are (and presumably student athletes there to play on and fill up those different teams) and then a day or two later you seem upset that not enough kids play school sports....? Sooooooo.....if I extrapolate your ideas, you would somehow want to cut sports and teams but then get more kids to try and play/participate on whatever is left? As for intramurals...sounds fine and dandy but very few kids are actually interested in getting sweaty at lunch to then go sit back in class...it's a shame but they are teenagers.

[Archie Hannan]

I really find it very unfortunate that the Toronto Star allows people to post comments without identifying themselves. This allows any yahoo to say what he or she wants - assuming the Star people keep some delicate and disturbing commentaries away from the eyes of the world. Still, make it essential for names. Here's why I believe it is necessary. I would like to call the person known as "Umm....which is it" to say that my school has a very active student body that participates in intramural activities before school, during lunch and after school. I would rather have what he/she calls sweaty kids who are having fun and in shape than the opposite. Yes, teenagers are teenagers.

[Dunk]

I get my daily laugh reading some of these comments. Do some people who submit comments actually read and understand what they write before they send them in?
I am sure Grossman deliberately writes these blogs to generate responses. Good for him and while I have my own observations I like the guy for keeping school sports front and centre and with a bigger audience than his paper. So, it doesn't surprise me that he has one opinion on a given day and a different viewpoint 48 hours later. I see nothing wrong with that. What I do see as being flimsy are the people who can't see out of the box.