A kind of sport called e-sports is attracting a large number of audience. However, this latest sports craze is not even a sport.
In e-sports, players and teams compete in popular video computer games such as Dota 2 and Ovenvatch. Fans fill arenas(竞技场) to watch the action live on huge television screens.
The games have gone way past kids playing against each other while sitting on a sofa at home. The International, a major competition for players of Dota 2, awarded $24 million in prizes, with the winner taking home almost $11 million. A recent e-sports competition attracted more than 80,000 fans to the Olympic Stadium in Beijing, China.
I have to admit that I am not a big fan of computer games. I know that some games can be educational, but I think too many kids spend too much time sitting in front of a screen shooting space aliens. I think it would be better if kids spent more time reading or playing real sports such as basketball, baseball and soccer.
And please don't tell me that competitive gaming is a real sport because it requires hand-eye coordination. According to my American Heritage Dictionary, a sport is "an activity involving (包含)physical exertion and skill". I don't think anyone needs physical effort while playing video games.
Too often, regular sports send kids a kind of message. Competition starts early, when lots of kids are not ready for the ups and downs of games. Tryouts and travel teams come next, giving too many kids the message they are "not good" at sports. So lots of kids quit sports and start playing more video games.
Maybe everyone in youth sports, including coaches, parents and kids, should think more about the advantages of real sports.
