Dodgeball classic fun or violence in disquise?

Essay by ccpwriterCollege, UndergraduateA, February 2005

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In this day and age of modern technology and advancement children have so many options of activities to participate in. There are countless video games, computers, and electronic toys, to distract them from physical exercise. Often times the only real exercise a child will receive is through Physical education classes and sports activities through school. The game of dodge ball, which has been a classic activity in Phys. Ed. For many years has become an issue for some. Many teachers and others want to take dodge ball out of PE curriculum because of, in their opinion, its violent nature. In dodge ball the rules are simple, players throw balls at other players attempting to hit them and eliminate them from the game. In light of many violent happenings between school children across the country, it is important to look at the root of these problems and try to change the way children think.

Dodge ball is merely a game and is the least of our problems regarding children's attitudes towards violence.

This issue has caused quite a debate between PE teachers across the country. Describing it as: litigation action waiting to happen", and "encouraging the best to pick on the weak and to be glorified for picking on the weak." Is that not the basic object of sports? To analyze your opponents weaknesses to exploit them in play, in order to win? Is that not the basis of every game? The purpose of Physical Education is to provide supervised physical activities to children to keep them fit and active, and also to teach children who aren't very skilled at something to get better. Dodge ball is great exercise, it teaches body control, hand eye coordination, and most of all, its fun to play.

There are contact sports that children...