Twelve hours a week. Five days a week.

Seems like a lot of time to be doing something that isn’t school or sleeping. But it does involve school, so wouldn’t you think you should get credits for it, especially if the things that you are doing are benefiting the school?

Those “things” are sports, and students should get credits for doing them.

Too much exercise can be a problem. If athletes have practice for two and a half hours and have gym that is four hours of exercise a day. According to WebMD, most countries recommend three hours of exercise a day. I do not think student athletes should have their practice during the school day, but I believe athletes should not have to take gym classes. Instead, they could take other, more useful, classes to fill those spots in the schedule.

The main purpose of gym is to get students active, but sports and activities already do that. Another purpose of gym is to develop teamwork, but in every sport there is teamwork of some sort. A football player does not get anything out of running the pacer when right after the school day is over they have to go run four gassers (for football down and back two times running from sideline to sideline) Too much running can be a problem and athletes who have gym witness it first hand.

Students who are in music classes such as band, orchestra and show choir all get credits for participating in their activity. The band gets credits for playing halftime shows at football games, and other competitions throughout the year. While they are not even the main event they are still getting credits for it. Knowing this, shouldn’t athletes get credits for their activities?

For a student to not have to take a gym class they would need to be on a team roster of some sort, just trying out for a team is not enough. If a student would decide to quit the sport they were involved in then they should have all the credits they were going to earn be erased and they would need to enroll in a gym class.

No exceptions.

Music students have the ability to letter in their activity. Music and band students compete in state competitions and can earn a letter for it. Varsity athletes also compete in state competitions and earn letters so should they earn credits as well. If you have a chance to compete in a state competition or are on a varsity roster then you deserve to get a letter. So wouldn’t it make sense that you could also receive credits?

As an athlete who plays three sports, I have had gym 4th block and then practice right after. There is absolutely no break and for four hours it is straight physical activity.

This is unhealthy to some. Athletes need a break.

With gym and practice everyday that break is not in sight. Many students already take more than the three gym classes that are required, but I strongly believe that student athletes should earn credits for their sports and not have to take a gym class.