Camila+O’s+2016+OpEd+Article

So even though I am not running track for Ventura High School this year, and although I definitely will miss it and all the great peers I should’ve been training with right about now, one thing that I sure as hell won’t miss at all about it is all the snarky, rude, not to mention downright annoying comments I would get for being part of something which “shouldn’t be considered a sport”. Alright.. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Last time I checked track and field has been one of the oldest sports to have ever existed, not to mention one of the most elite and competitive. I even believe the web describes track and field as “a sport which combines various athletic contests based on the skills of running, jumping, and throwing.”. It’s just absolutely absurd to me when people would say that, like what occurs them to say that? The only good thing that has ever come from someone saying this is when a track runner becomes aware of these comments and decides to either say something to defend the topic, and themselves at that point. It’s come to the point where there have been many online disputes based off drama towards this subject on social media sites such as twitter for example. (Non that of which I have taken part of, only seen through screenshots of it from other people.) So dumb because most of the people to start this drama are either 1. People who don’t even run track, 2. People on other sport teams who know absolutely nothing about the sport, or 3. People who don’t take part in physical activity whatsoever. It’s definitely most frustrating when people from other sports who think their sport is top notch and more dominant compared to other sports say these comments. All they think is that track is that “go to” team to join when trying to get out of P.E., which today has become believable by many because recently many students have tried that. But what people fail to realize is that not all who join remain on the team. Like all other sports, you sign up and you try your hardest to remain on the team and not get cut through try outs. Track is ran the same way and not all make it. It’s not just something you can fly by through, that’s why it's become so irritating when people say is not hard at all. Last year for example, my friend who has been bashing on track not being sport finally decided to give it a try his sophomore year and only managed to last one day before not coming back. Even though he was in the back of the group running 200 meter repeats at probably 90% pace and was clearly dying and couldn’t keep up anymore, he somehow manages to have the nerve to still bash on track being a sport! It’s just so beyond irritating and I don’t know what it will take to give more props to all the track kids working their butts off everyday while training if Usain Bolt, or Jesse Owens haven’t already proven that in fact Track and Field is strong and competitive sport! People just need to shake off the idea that football and basketball are the only sports out there, and start giving Track more credit for what it is.