persuasive-PE courses should be optional

 -everyone excels in different things, consider the needs

-pe is not essential for a good job

-sport should be fun and students should be given choices if they want to enjoy it

30MIN

A majority of students will groan when hearing 'compulsory PE course'. No wonder those words send shivers down their spines-the fact that there is no option makes it worse. PE is not as necessary as academic subjects are in the real world. Students who excel in other subjects would never have a need for compulsory sport. But if they really wanted to, students could still have the choice to join in if it was optional! That's only what makes it fun-not demanding every student must do such a physically grueling task.

Everyone excels in different areas. You could have a science genius with major potential, yet you're currently wasting precious time that they would rather study on their preferred subject and instead making them jump into a sandpit. Of course some students won't want to run 2 kilometres-wouldn't it be better for their self esteem if they weren't losing in a race and instead doing something worth their time? Education should be made to tailor the needs of each student, not try and fit everyone into a certain mould.

Consequently, PE is not necessary for a good job. So many jobs, from accounting to even being a cashier require decent math or english skills. The more skilled you are in them, the more successful you can be. However a skilled athlete can only have a proper career until their late 20s at the most, to maintain good health. If you only invest time in sports, what is there left for you to do once your body wears out? Modern society requires smart, innovative people more than someone who can throw a ball far. Developing the young generation into an intelligent, capable community is far more important than forcing them to waste time on something most of them don't even want. 

And of course you wouldn't want to do something if it was mandatory. If you could have an option and you chose to do sport, it would be because you actually enjoyed it. Making sport courses optional still allows passionate athletes to pursue the path they want-without forcing any unwilling students to jump on the bandwagon. It still provides opportunity for unexperienced children to try it out. If they don't like it, they don't have to continue! Giving the young generation the power to express what they want or don't want will give them confidence, good decision making skills and a sense of freedom. 

Human society is so sophisticated, yet after all this time we still don't let others have options when they can. We don't consider the diversity of interests. We don't evaluate what is truly important. You might say 'it's only a sports course', but to a young person it has lasting effects if they feel trapped in others' expectations of them. It is imperative we nurture the developing generation with caution, otherwise society will only go downhill from here.