Getting ahead by staying back
In the pursuit of an athletic scholarship and illustrious professional sports career, many kids are being held back in school.
Nowadays, parents who believe they are raising the next Kobe Bryant or Jerry Rice decide to hold back their kids in school so they will have an advantage in sports, competing with kids a year younger but in the same grade. The held back child is stronger, faster, and has an edge against the competition.
This practice has been happening for well over a decade, but has become more prevalent within the last five years. Many people see this as an unfair tactic and believe that kids should continue with their correct grade level in sports.
However, I think if people want to give their child the opportunity to be the next star in the sports industry, let them. The athletes that are being held back are the ones that practice hours a day and have the drive and desire to play at the highest level.
I have several friends who have been held back for this reason and they are performing very well in their respective sports. Although they are the same age as myself, they are competing as students in the 11th grade. As juniors, they look like standout athletes and have great potential for an even better senior season, and they have the opportunity to attract the attention of more college coaches.
The chances of playing collegiate sports is very slim. For example, in men’s and women’s basketball, roughly three percent of high school athletes will play in college and approximately one percent of those collegiate athletes will advance to the professional level.
Personally, I don’t have a problem with people being held back one year for sports. If you think it’s unfair, well hey, welcome to life.
I just wish that the athletes that are held back don’t repeat that academic year, but instead take a gap year to better themselves for their future, not only in sports. I believe the best time to take a gap year would be after 8th grade before entering high school. That is a critical time period of growth, both physically and mentally, and allows the freshman to have an advantage and possibly make the varsity team as an underclassman.
During this entire year, kids should not only be honing in their athletic abilities, but should take this time to explore. If your parents have the means, take this off year to travel around the country or take a trip to a new place and learn about different cultures and ideals.
Kids should aim to get ahead in school by starting to look at what they will be learning in high school and familiarizing themselves with the material.
Yes, sports can propel you through life if you are a highly talented athlete who is offered scholarships and can go to school for free and then even advance to the professional level. But no matter what, at some point in your life your career in the sports field will come to an end and you need to be able to cope with normal life.
Despite that fact, while kids have the chance to excel in the sports world and allow their athletic abilities to set them on a path for the future, let them embrace that ride while they can and don’t shame them for staying back a year in school, as they are staying back to get ahead in life.
