Sport as an Art - Essay Example

Daniel Vroom is one individual who claims that sports are stupid and that they have no positive impact on society. I disagree with Vroom's opinion because I believe that sports have significant benefits to society. There are several sports played on a competitive level and one such sport is baseball. It is played by two teams with nine players each and it involves scoring runs by hitting a ball thrown by a player of the other team with a bat. It is a team sport for young people as well as older people and as Rielly and Book noted, its many benefits make it more than just a game (17).

Baseball is an excellent activity that engages one in physical exercise that is good for the body's health. Some of these activities include running, stretching, jumping, and general body movements that give the body a nourishing workout. Engaging the body in physical exercise helps to improve or maintain the overall health and wellness of the body. Physical exercise done on regular basis enhances the efficiency of the immune system and helps keep lifestyle diseases at bay such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

The rate of high childhood obesity is alarmingly on the increase because of the sedentary lifestyle of the modern community. Indulging young children in active sports such as baseball is the best way of avoiding childhood obesity that goes up to their adult lives. One can burn a lot of calories when they play baseball because the body has to work hard to burn the extra calories that get stored in the body. The acts of swinging the bat, throwing the ball, running bases, jumping to catch the ball, and even simply walking towards or away from the dugout comprise of physical exercises that burn lots of calories through maintaining a high metabolic rate.

One can use this sport to lose the extra weight that tends to make them obese because the more the body weight, the more calories they burn since the metabolic rate will have to be higher in order to perform the physical activity (Rielly and Book 56). The combination of movements involved in playing baseball ensures that the player is always alert. One gains the ability to maintain the coordination between hands and eyes that help in appropriately responding to balls thrown to them by hitting them with the bat.

As a result, players develop the ability to think fast and respond in a swift and quick manner. These are valuable qualities that help in their overall well being. During the game or even practice sessions, one has to indulge in direct thinking that requires developing strategies for better play. In the process, one needs to come up with ways of winning while at the same time judging the opponents' strategy so as to modify their own accordingly. All this requires one to be alert at all times and as a result, they can apply these strategies to real-life situations.

As a team sport, Baseball builds the concepts of teamwork in the player on a level that helps them to deal with other people and situations in different environments. Players work together to improve their baseball skills, thus increasing their chances of winning the game. Batters, fielders, and pitchers have to complement each other in order to ensure a win for their team. Teamwork in baseball also helps to improve the social skills of an individual. When working with a group of people, one learns how to interact, communicate, socialize, and understand other team members.

This is important because it helps in bonding thus strengthening team spirit. Professionally, baseball is a very lucrative profession whereby a player can earn the highest average salary. As a young player, one dreams of playing professionally in the major league baseball, a league with one of the longest seasons. Baseball has become a very popular sport that attracts many young players who want to attain the great American dream by being the best professional players some day. This definitely means they will be able to enjoy the monetary benefits of their profession, maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle, and at the same time enjoy themselves (Rielly and Book 85).

Therefore, contrary to Vroom's opinion, baseball is a very beneficial sport to the society because it helps players, to stay healthy, always be alert and strategic, develop valuable teamwork skills such as communication, planning, socializing, understanding others, and attain the great American dream.