I set out to learn more about the troubling statistics that reveals participation in sports are descending drastically in schools. Why did participation drop in the recent years? Along the way, I also came upon the fact that e-sports are a popular replacement for physical activities among youth.
I started my search by finding reliable sources, through Charles Best Secondary’s library database. The two websites I ended up using are ‘Explora Canada’ and ‘Gale Engage Learning’. [Please see links to specific articles at the bottom of this post!]
Through my searches, I found that there are many reasons behind the recent drop in physical activity participation, one of which was a result of the Covid-19 lockdown. I was able to continue training for my sport throughout the pandemic, as my sport (competitive figure skating) does not require athletes to be in close proximity to others, so Health Canada allowed sessions to continue.
Another reason that I found was poverty. Many families cannot afford to send their children to sports, as it is too much of a financial burden. In some cases, schools also don’t have sufficient funds to maintain sports teams.
This is when I found about e-sports, and how they are a cheaper alternative to physical sports. E-sports do not require a substantial amount of equipment, as well as spaces to train.
In conclusion, I came to see that e-sports are considered an alternative to physical sports, and are being widely popularized. Many see it as a ‘sport’, but in my honest opinion it would be unfair to put physical sports and e-sports in the same category. I, myself as a professional athlete have gone through my fair share of injuries and countless doctor visits, whereas I can imagine e-sport players don’t have to worry about these things. I strongly believe that children should still be having constant physical exercise each day, and that other forms of leisure should be put in different categories.
Sources:
Gale Engage Learning:
Explora Canada: