Editor’s note: Today’s letters to the editor are from Southwest Junior High students learning about persuasive writing.

To the editor:

If you get your child involved in a team sport, it will benefit them greatly. In Lawrence, we have sports like football, baseball, basketball, tennis and soccer. I have played all of these sports and I think it has benefited me greatly. Things your children could get out of team sports are friendship and team working skills.

Coach Mike Ditka says, “Success is about having, excellence is about being. Success is about having money and fame, but excellence is being the best you can be.” What he means is that it is easy to have success but it is hard to be excellent. I know from experience that if you enroll your child in a team sport he or she will be excellent.

When involved in a team sport your child will experience winning with a team and also losing with a team. Losing with a team is very important because it will teach him or her how to be humble, but winning is also fun. Team sports can also teach your child life skills such as responsibility and discipline.

If you are not good at sports, that is just fine because the purpose of team sports is to make you better.

Adam Hayes,

Southwest Junior High