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I heard that the high school I attended looked into trying to start later because of all the studies that show it would be beneficial, but realized that it wasn

I heard that the high school I attended looked into trying to start later because of all the studies that show it would be beneficial, but realized that it wasn't doable because of after school sports: our school would have games against other schools in the area, so if our school started later and the others didn't then then it would make scheduling games difficult or impossible.

adamnemecek 8y ago
High school sports are such a waste of everything. I legit don’t get why they are attached to high schools and not independent.
- sbinthree 8y ago
  I agree, but I'd argue they make sense at a high level just not as much on lower ones. The level they may sense on is the "design a way to keep kids busy with useful stuff while their parents work". In that sense, something that involves directly being bussed somewhere after school vs. and evening thing adds convenience.
  - adamnemecek 8y ago
    I agree but I just find that 90% of after class clubs are kind of a waste of time.
- mc32 8y ago
  They keep kids busy and direct their energy and attention to arguably constructive things. Some kids do sport, other kids belong to chess clubs, others do theater. It all keeps them out of trouble.
  - adamnemecek 8y ago
    However there are external costs to sports that other extracurriculars don't have. You also end up spending a lot of the school budget on facilities (stadiums, pools etc) that are a waste of time.
    - anoncoward111 8y ago
      I also broke a ton of bones in my hands and experienced lots of tendonitis for (in my adult opinion) literally no reason. Group mentality was strong in high school. "Be a strong boy for everyone to be proud of." Now everyone has moved on and I have lifelong aches and pain for 0 financial or personal gain. I'm glad I specialized in computers :)
      - mc32 8y ago
        There seems to be two approaches to sporting activities: the intramural kind where you’re kknd of just having gun olaying games and the more competitive type where it’s about besting the competition as the main goal. I hope one day we get back to tje more collegial attitude toward sport: bonding, teamwork, fitness and fun.
- tabhygfr2 8y ago
  I'm the introverted nerdy type - my main interests are programming, playing the piano and physics. But as I was growing up my parents were trying to encourage me and my siblings to be somewhat active for the obvious health reasons. And I stayed on the swim team through freshman year of high school. And I get it. There's more to life than school and books. Being on a sports team can be fun and rewarding, it can push you out of your comfort zone, can help you meet and bond with people not quite like you. I consider it one of my top five life mistakes that I quit the team. So I disagree that the teams are such a waste of everything. Sure, you could separate the teams from the schools, but especially in the suburbs, why? Logistics are an issue - if you're already at a school how do you get to practice? The school also already has a social structure based on which to organize teams - sure you could create a whole separate structure, and I don't think that's necessarily bad, but I don't see why it wrong to use one you already have. Just because something can be overdone doesn't mean it's wrong to do it at all.
- deadmetheny 8y ago
  Can nerds as a group please drop the "I don't get the sportsball so it's clearly a waste of time" bit? Athletics promote physical fitness, working together as a team, and are at their roots generally enjoyable to those who choose to play them. You can argue about how it's expensive, but in my mind the price is well worth the investment if it gives kids a sense of camaraderie, keeps them out of trouble, and helps teach the value of teamwork. There are of course people who get way too invested in sports, but that is a totally different problem to be addressed, the sports themselves are generally fine.
  - dragonwriter 8y ago
    > Can nerds as a group please drop the "I don't get the sportsball so it's clearly a waste of time" bit? No. The same is true of almost any question that starts “Can nerds as a group...” It's not like there is a National Council of Nerds coordinating nerd doctrine. > Athletics promote physical fitness, Generally, that's fairly obvious. > working together as a team, Less true; team sports (like any team activity) does that, but athletics doesn't consist exclusively of team sports. > and are at their roots generally enjoyable to those who choose to play them. Most activities are enjoyable to those who choose to participate, because otherwise people wouldn't choose to participate.
  - adamnemecek 8y ago
    Why is it attached to schools tho? Sports are a distraction. I spent only a year at a high school in the US but god I hated all the talk about sports.
    - deadmetheny 8y ago
      >Why is it attached to schools tho? Because people have decided that the benefits of having sports programs are worth taxpayer support. This is largely opinion-based - if you feel they shouldn't be, bring it up at a school board meeting. Maybe people will agree with you. >Sports are a distraction. Sports are inherently no more of a distraction than chess club or coding for fun after school. >I spent only a year at a high school in the US but god I hated all the talk about sports. Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, your opinion, man. I played sports and enjoyed myself doing so, and gained some perspective and habits that I still value later in life. You are obviously welcome to hold your own opinions about sports, but you're going to have to do better than "I don't like sports" to convince people they are not worth the time or should not be funded by the school systems.
- Retroity 8y ago
  It promotes athleticism, teamwork, and is generally enjoyable to those around it. Sure, some schools may invest a little too much into sports, but that doesn't mean that schools should drop sports entirely.
  - adamnemecek 8y ago
    No, it's a major strain on the school and the school life. Schools tend to promote sports over other things. Things like "school spirit" are legit retarded.
- lowestprimate 8y ago
  One of the points missed with school and sports is that exercise interacts with learning (growth hormones from working out help strengthen memories etc) and I do agree with it being separate from schools.

adamnemecek 8y ago

High school sports are such a waste of everything. I legit don’t get why they are attached to high schools and not independent.

sbinthree 8y ago
I agree, but I'd argue they make sense at a high level just not as much on lower ones. The level they may sense on is the "design a way to keep kids busy with useful stuff while their parents work". In that sense, something that involves directly being bussed somewhere after school vs. and evening thing adds convenience.
- adamnemecek 8y ago
  I agree but I just find that 90% of after class clubs are kind of a waste of time.
mc32 8y ago
They keep kids busy and direct their energy and attention to arguably constructive things. Some kids do sport, other kids belong to chess clubs, others do theater. It all keeps them out of trouble.
- adamnemecek 8y ago
  However there are external costs to sports that other extracurriculars don't have. You also end up spending a lot of the school budget on facilities (stadiums, pools etc) that are a waste of time.
  - anoncoward111 8y ago
    I also broke a ton of bones in my hands and experienced lots of tendonitis for (in my adult opinion) literally no reason. Group mentality was strong in high school. "Be a strong boy for everyone to be proud of." Now everyone has moved on and I have lifelong aches and pain for 0 financial or personal gain. I'm glad I specialized in computers :)
    - mc32 8y ago
      There seems to be two approaches to sporting activities: the intramural kind where you’re kknd of just having gun olaying games and the more competitive type where it’s about besting the competition as the main goal. I hope one day we get back to tje more collegial attitude toward sport: bonding, teamwork, fitness and fun.
tabhygfr2 8y ago
I'm the introverted nerdy type - my main interests are programming, playing the piano and physics. But as I was growing up my parents were trying to encourage me and my siblings to be somewhat active for the obvious health reasons. And I stayed on the swim team through freshman year of high school. And I get it. There's more to life than school and books. Being on a sports team can be fun and rewarding, it can push you out of your comfort zone, can help you meet and bond with people not quite like you. I consider it one of my top five life mistakes that I quit the team. So I disagree that the teams are such a waste of everything. Sure, you could separate the teams from the schools, but especially in the suburbs, why? Logistics are an issue - if you're already at a school how do you get to practice? The school also already has a social structure based on which to organize teams - sure you could create a whole separate structure, and I don't think that's necessarily bad, but I don't see why it wrong to use one you already have. Just because something can be overdone doesn't mean it's wrong to do it at all.
deadmetheny 8y ago
Can nerds as a group please drop the "I don't get the sportsball so it's clearly a waste of time" bit? Athletics promote physical fitness, working together as a team, and are at their roots generally enjoyable to those who choose to play them. You can argue about how it's expensive, but in my mind the price is well worth the investment if it gives kids a sense of camaraderie, keeps them out of trouble, and helps teach the value of teamwork. There are of course people who get way too invested in sports, but that is a totally different problem to be addressed, the sports themselves are generally fine.
- dragonwriter 8y ago
  > Can nerds as a group please drop the "I don't get the sportsball so it's clearly a waste of time" bit? No. The same is true of almost any question that starts “Can nerds as a group...” It's not like there is a National Council of Nerds coordinating nerd doctrine. > Athletics promote physical fitness, Generally, that's fairly obvious. > working together as a team, Less true; team sports (like any team activity) does that, but athletics doesn't consist exclusively of team sports. > and are at their roots generally enjoyable to those who choose to play them. Most activities are enjoyable to those who choose to participate, because otherwise people wouldn't choose to participate.
- adamnemecek 8y ago
  Why is it attached to schools tho? Sports are a distraction. I spent only a year at a high school in the US but god I hated all the talk about sports.
  - deadmetheny 8y ago
    >Why is it attached to schools tho? Because people have decided that the benefits of having sports programs are worth taxpayer support. This is largely opinion-based - if you feel they shouldn't be, bring it up at a school board meeting. Maybe people will agree with you. >Sports are a distraction. Sports are inherently no more of a distraction than chess club or coding for fun after school. >I spent only a year at a high school in the US but god I hated all the talk about sports. Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, your opinion, man. I played sports and enjoyed myself doing so, and gained some perspective and habits that I still value later in life. You are obviously welcome to hold your own opinions about sports, but you're going to have to do better than "I don't like sports" to convince people they are not worth the time or should not be funded by the school systems.
Retroity 8y ago
It promotes athleticism, teamwork, and is generally enjoyable to those around it. Sure, some schools may invest a little too much into sports, but that doesn't mean that schools should drop sports entirely.
- adamnemecek 8y ago
  No, it's a major strain on the school and the school life. Schools tend to promote sports over other things. Things like "school spirit" are legit retarded.
lowestprimate 8y ago
One of the points missed with school and sports is that exercise interacts with learning (growth hormones from working out help strengthen memories etc) and I do agree with it being separate from schools.