Disabled Athletes Rights

The article I read, As Disabled Athletes Compete, Questions of Logistics by Mary Pilon, discussed the abilities of disabled kids and adults, and whether they should or should not compete in sports. This article talked a lot about physically disabled students participating in afterschool activities, and whether or not it should be allowed. It gave examples of children who were denied the right to compete in swim meets, track competitions, or tennis matches. This article really stuck out to me because soccer is extremely important to me, and I don't really know how I would go about being without it. I know tons of people whose sports mean so much to them, and it seems unfair that someone would take away such a big part of someone's life because of a disability they could not prevent.

I have strong feelings about this article. I've been playing soccer since I was six years old, and it has become routine for me. Every weekend I play a game, and I feel as if every weekend I get better. I love having something that I personally, and not my friends, am good at. A sport can be a lifestyle. To me, it seems unjust to take away something like that. The author discussed how they did not allow a deaf girl in high school to compete on the tennis time, even though she was equally skilled, if not better, then the rest of the team. Although they might encounter some problems if she played on the team, I believe that they honestly could try to make that work. Although I do agree that disabled people should be allowed to compete on teams, I do see the alternative side. It could be dangerous in some situations for them to participate, and the coaches and advisors are probably not as much discriminating as looking out for the safety of these students.

There are so many kids who play sports, and to some of those kids, a sport can mean everything to them. It is not fair to take away something that means so much. I believe that every kid, disabled or not, should receive that same chance to play on a sports team. Everybody should get the opportunity to participate in a sport, whether you're deaf, missing a limb, or in a wheelchair.