sports

Well, I figured sports would be a good topic for my "comparison" between the US and germany, since it was the superbowl yesterday.
Obviously, sports are very imprtant in the States...especially in High School and College.
let me back up and start by explaining the situation in which I grew up. First of all, we don't have High School Sports, I mean no school colors, no mascotes, no cheerleading or basketball or football or anything else... If you wanted to play a sport you can, but you have to join sport clubs. This has nothing to do with the schools and it usually isn't at the same level of intensity as it is here in the states. It seems to me as though ones personal lifes and school life are much more intertwined here in the States....there are dress codes and curfews and academic "punishments" for things that don't have anything to do with school (like underages etc...) but this is a different story.
I believe that sports are definately a good thing. it is a good thing to have at least some sense of Competitiveness, you have to learn to play as a team and you will stay fit (which with the current obesity problem is probably a good thing..) However, I feel that it also brings with it some negative aspects...Competitiveness turns into rivalry and rivalry can turn into animosity. Another thing is that oh so often, parents basiacally force their kids to go out for sports for stupid reasons. When I was an exchange student, I had a girl in my class who was pretty athletic...let's just say her name was Susi...Anyway, she was the "typical" cheerleader type: tall, blonde, pretty and athletic...But she didn't want to be a cheerleader. So, her mom, who herself was once a cheerleader in High School, (and still dressed as though she was the same age as she was back when....) told Susi that if she didn't go out for cheerleading and volleyball, she would not get a car. So evey game, poor susi would stand on the side line in her skimpy little cheerleader outfit, and force a smile on her lips...Man...what has the world come to....mothers bribing their own daughtes....
Anyway, this has been my experience with High School sports...
Ich wuensche allen eine Gute Nacht und bis bald :)