By PoliceOne Staff
A few weeks ago we asked our Facebook fans for help answering this question: Do you think participation in high school/college team athletics gave you an edge as a police officer?
We received some interesting responses, and whether you answered yes or no, many of you also added what besides sports helped prepare you for the job. Ten standout answers are included below, but if you’ve got any additional thoughts, please leave them in the Comments section to keep the discussion going.
1.) Absolutely, it taught me the skill of playing off another team mates actions and how to work together toward common goals. — Warren Gould
2.) No. Except for being a part of a team and having to be in good physical condition, I think that it is not comparable to law enforcement. — Ahmir Kenyatta 3.) I think the military helped more than school sports. I never shook the hand of someone after I arrested them. — Alex Valencia
4.) Six years of wrestling has made the difference several times. Now if I could just make weight. — Clete Elstran
5.) I never really participated in team athletics except for football my sophomore year… However, I trained in various martial arts since childhood. This definitely prepared me for the eventuality of having to go hands on. The military gave me the other tools needed. — Joe Goodwin
6.) It helped me work as a team member and always support people on your team. Also being the team captain I had a responsibility to help the rest of the team. I think it help define who I am today as a police officer. Not to mention staying physically fit. — Doug Fairchilds
7.) Got me used to trying hard and not being appreciated. — Mike Taggart
8.) I was in JROTC and on the Rifle Team. Both helped in several ways. Learning how to shoot and perform under pressure paid off later when I became a SWAT team sniper. — Steve Harris
9.) Yes, leadership, teamwork, responsibility, discipline, the desire to excel, good values, and much more are (and should be) learned through participation high school sports. I believe it also helps being athletically fit for police work and for all emergency services providers. — Michael Hackley
10.) I was never in sports in high school or college but I made a damn good police officer. — Tina Ricard Sanchez
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