If we get away from sports in the schools (which a lot of school leaders would like to eliminate), our kids are going to be a lot worse off than they even are, now.
I will ask a kid at lessons, about balance - have you ever walked across a balance beam? No. Played dodgeball? No. Walked across the teeter totter? I am lucky if they know what one is.
They have never played hopscotch. So, if I talk about balancing on one leg, they are lost.
I had a student tell me recently that she had dropped piano lessons, because it fell on the same night as her softball practice. All I said was "Oh, no."
A few years ago, our local high school dropped the idea of playing "sports" in gym class. It's all about "fitness for life," which was largely driven by a young fitness fanatic teacher who was also quite friendly with the superintendent at the time (allegedly).
I personally think that's unfortunate. Yes, it's good to be in shape. But there are lots of ways to do it. I think you lose some of the benefits actual sports bring when all you do is run and lift weights.