Opinion editor's note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of commentary online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

•••

Reading how Duluth schools are looking to reduce their athletic budget, ("Duluth schools trimming some athletics," Feb. 9), perhaps it's time for them to consider transitioning to club sports, which are considerably less expensive and may help students prioritize academics over their sports teams.

It seems our society has gone sports-crazy. Almost as soon as children are able to walk, parents are signing them up for sports teams. Unorganized neighborhood pickup games seem to be a thing of the past. Now students exploring college campuses are just as apt to pick their college based on athletic teams and climbing walls, rather than their academic strength.

Club sports, like Ultimate, are a great example of how kids and adults can come together and enjoy a competitive sport, but without the expense team sports often require. As one of the world's fastest growing sports, the game simply involves a disc, open field and two teams of seven players each. The competitive nature of the game is combined with a "spirit of the game" award that goes to the individual or team demonstrating the best sportsmanship. Ultimate is self-officiated, so the players learn to negotiate with their opponents over possible infractions. Most all of the clubs are coached by volunteers, and so have very little expense other than the disc, jerseys, shorts, tournament fees and travel costs. Typically, with a low bar to entry, to join a club sport one doesn't have to start as a pee-wee.

I had a fantastic experience running club cross-country my junior year of college in Nottingham, England. We didn't have a coach, and we organized our own race schedule. The top athletes had their own coaches who followed them throughout their careers. One of our club members later moved to Canada and became an Olympic steeple chaser. Coming off a couple of years running track and cross-country at a Division III college, this year of club sports helped to recharge my batteries. It was far less intense and much more enjoyable. We were competitive, but not overly stressed.

A Chinese student studying in the U.S. observed that the most admired kids in China are those who are academically successful, unlike in the U.S., where popularity is based on athletic achievement. This trend doesn't bode well for our country. While athletics are a wonderful complement to school, it should be just that, not the primary focus. Too many of our young people have "hoop dreams" of making a living in sports, despite extremely low odds.

As a 67-year-old lifelong athlete, I still run on a team and compete in races. However, the most fun I have is on Saturday mornings throughout the winter months playing boot hockey with a bunch of other guys on a local rink. We throw our sticks in to create teams, then have two hours of fun competition. No coaches or fees involved.

For those aspiring to make their living in professional sports, I would recommend considering Yared Nuguse, who just recently set the indoor mile world record, with a blazing 3:46. In addition to being a professional runner, he's also planning to go to dental school and become an orthodontist. Sports are a nice complement to education, but not a good substitute.

Daniel Johnson, of Crystal, is a retired social worker.