High School Athletics
David Beach
University of Denver

Abstract This study deals with high school athletics and their long-term effect in the lives of those who participate; it also deals with the positive and negative aspects of athletics during high school, and the treatment of those who participate. This study was conducted with qualitative data obtained from five personal interviews with previous high school athletes. These five people come from a range of places, ages, and experience. Conclusions are that participation in high school athletics is a contributor to a better social life and experience during high school. Good friends and influences are obtained through the pursuit of high school athletics. The long-term effects …show more content…

Phillips and Schafer go on to state in their article, “There is strong evidence to indicate that athletes aspire to and succeed in attending college more than do nonathletes” (1971). Hanks appears to be on common ground in his article as he speaks of the positive effect that athletics have on college-bound behavior. While his article focuses more on the differences seen in the overall effect athletics can have between gender and race, it is evident that Hanks believes there is substantial evidence to show that athletes are more likely to continue education after high school (1979). While many high school graduates decide not to attend college, positivity from athletics in high school surround this group of people as well. Bradley Ewing (1995) studied the effect of high school athletics in the wages of black males working after high school. Ewing (1995), finds that those who participated in athletics were significantly more likely to receive higher wages than non-athletes. He went on to describe reasons such as the work ethic and leadership prevalent in high school athletes. While this was the only article focused specifically on salaries of athletes in the work force the other articles tend to agree with the positive traits and effects seen in high school athletes. Barron, Ewing, and Waddell