Cutting sports is a bummer

Young Voices

When I read the article in the newspaper about the cuts for soccer, hockey, and swimming, I was in total shock! Even though I am not involved in any of these sports, I am still an athlete and I would be very sad if the sports I participated in were taken out of my life. My sister, who is currently a seventh-grader at Wasilla Middle School, is very dedicated.

She plays outdoor soccer during the summer and indoor soccer during the spring. She is looking forward to playing soccer for the high school in two years when she will be attending Wasilla High School. Sports are an extracurricular activity for students. But sports also put a little bit of spice into their life and encourage kids and make them feel good about themselves.

Sports help teen-agers stay out of trouble, like drinking alcohol and doing drugs. They make you feel like you are a part of a special group and help students keep their grades up. Sports aren't just for jocks anymore. Take a look at the grade-point averages of the Mat-Su Valley athletes. Would these GPAs be as high as they are right now without all of the sport programs?

Adults are supposed to make wise decisions. Would cutting these sports programs be wise for the future of the youth today? Cutting these sports would be a real bummer for all of us students to have nothing to do for a whole school year and the summer. I hope that the Mat-Su School Board would make the best choice possible, and that would be to not cut these sports.

Katie Schurosky,

Wasilla High School