Travis Lazarczyk’s Oct. 20 article, “In youth sports, it’s the adults who need to grow up,” touches upon some important national problems: a lack of common sense and decency and societal hypercompetitiveness (i.e., winning at all costs). I would, however, slightly disagree that adults don’t need to “grow up” per se but need to consider limiting or altering their leisure priorities.

Sports divestment is a good starting point. The amount of public and private money and time invested in sports – sometimes called “the sports-industrial complex” – in this country is absurd to the point of insane. Who cares how many medals are won if our society descends into chaos?

Healthy bodies and minds are offered as a reason for all things sports. However, roughly 40% of Americans are categorized as obese. Conversations with my own family, friends and students have instructed me that they’re far more knowledgeable about players and teams – even arcane “fantasy leagues” – than about current events. Lastly, as Mr. Lazarczyck documents, police protection is now needed at Falmouth soccer competitions, due to parents threatening the lives of teenagers.

Instead of investing so much of their time and money in sports, parents should consider investing them in the arts via public schools or private programs. Unlike sports, people can do the arts their entire lives. Further, scholars have well documented the cognitive, social and cultural benefits of engaging with the arts. And, perhaps most importantly, the arts teach not about winning at all costs but about lifelong learning and growing in a craft.

Steven Byrd
Portland