Re: “For student athletes as marketers, getting rich isn’t the goal” (Jan. 22, Page A1):

Reading the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram article about, and seeing the photo of, the 16-year-old high school girl who says she’s found “the perfect fit for my social media brand” made me sad and concerned, in the same way Facebook and other social media do.

Sports should be a way to keep in top physical shape, learn good sportsmanship, have fun, develop physical skills, make friends, perhaps get a financial contribution from a college that would like you to be on its team, understand why winning is not necessarily the most important goal, learn how to work as part of a team and gain a sense of accomplishment and a degree of competence.

We are unique human beings, not promotional codes or products. Participating in sports is laudable – a system that makes kids think they are a commodity, not so much.

Louise Davis
Portland