Prompt: Some people believe that competitive sports, both team and individual, have no place in the school curriculum. How far do you agree or disagree?

Sporting competitions of all kinds have always been considered as healthy rivalry, yet some people feel that this is not something that should be included in educational programmes. Personally, I disagree with this idea since it is important for overall children’s development. Ċ There is no doubt that competition is a natural instinct in humans, and as such is healthy because it pushes us to give our best. For this reason, the team, as well as individual sporting contests, should be a part of school syllabus as this would provide pupils with the opportunity to develop their drive for competitiveness. However, besides competitive strength, mutual respect is another essential virtue to be taught through sport, and so famous sports stars should teach in schools since they would provide good role models for young people. For instance, famous footballers could conduct training on a regular basis. Ċ Furthermore, although doing physical activities takes students out of primary subjects, one cannot deny that it is an essential part of the learning process off all pupils since it creates a healthy basis for later life. For example, children who do sports every day have fewer opportunities to have a heart attack and avoid obesity. Moreover, thanks to enjoying sports, students’ brain can be relaxed after long lessons and therefore their mental soundness is preserved. Consequently, their productivity in school will also be increased. Ċ In conclusion, I firmly believe that there are no reasons why competitive sports should be neglected in schools because of the vast advantages they bring to children’ drive for success and both physical and mental health.