Benefits of Coaches Not Picking Favorites By: Caroline Merriman (Age: 13)

I think that everyone should be able to play because a new person to the group would be able to make new friends; the new person self-confidence would increase people who are bad at the sport (whatever sport that may be) can get better with help from the better players. Since coaches choose the best dude/gal for the job, the players who don’t get chosen are really disappointed, and some never play the sport again out of anger, anguish, and/or disbelief. It is really bad when people quit, since if everyone quits playing sports, what will be the entertainment for most of the grownups on the televisions?

First, the better people on the team could show the worse people how to do things like throw the ball into the hoop. They could also show them how to play soccer and baseball. They could show the people who don’t know how to do the way it is supposed to be one step at a time. They could also make friends with each other along the way. That would be nice, especially if the new player didn’t have any friends yet. That would encourage the new kid.

“Here’s what we found: When student athletes were asked how much they care about athletics, they rated their interest a healthy 8.5 on average, on a scale of 1 to 10.” (http://time.com/3827196/why-student-athletes-fail/)

In addition to that, the new person could also make brand new friends, which would increase their self-confidence and kindness level. This would also encourage them to stay in the game and have a lot of fun. But, sadly, since coaches choose the best of the team tryouts, this can’t happen. The people who are bad at the sport will be turned away. And, unfortunately, no one can go up to the coaches and argue for a spot. The people who do get argumentative for a spot just get in trouble. I don’t think it’s worth it. When the coaches have chosen, the coaches have chosen, and there is no going up to them and changing their mind. But, when everyone plays, the coaches don’t have to pick favorites and least favorites (although sometimes they do pick favorites anyway, and that’s fine, unless it’s unfair, example below)

“Why is it that the other guy you're competing with gets all these extra chances after he screws up, but you only get that one?

Here's the sobering news! Coaches are human and therefore, sometimes miserably unfair. They may have favorites. They may have rigidly, pre-set ideas about who should play and who shouldn't play. They may have a friend, son or daughter on the team and this person always seems to get the nod over you. It's a drag! It's maddening! It's frustrating and yet, there's not much that you can do about changing it.” (https://www.competitivedge.com/unfair-coach)

Most importantly, the new player’s confidence level could go through the roof! They could be shy at first, but they could be talking with everyone in the first few minutes! (If they are friendly) People will love that place, but if the coaches choose the best on the team, the newbies will be shoved aside and their confidence level would actually lower rather than rise. If you let everyone play, the newer people will soon realize that this place is to learn how to do sports that they may not know how to do. Also, it could get them into doing more sports. (https://www.mlb.com/video/rickey-on-why-he-chose-baseball/c-3742995)

In conclusion, the better people on the team could show the worse people what is what, the new kid’s confidence level could increase by a whole lot, and the person could get brand new friends, which is always very nice.