Youth Sports
Hameda
Lesson.docxYouth Sports
Instructions
Submit a 500 word response to BOTH of the following questions:
What are youth sports programs doing to improve sportsmanship for all involved? Cite one reference.
What are some ethical concerns in administrating and coaching amateur sports? Cite one reference.
Which point discussed in the videos caught your attention? Explain.
https://youtu.be/ssBwPPdhy28
Find a community youth sport sportsmanship program example found on the Internet. Provide description and personal critique of a program, rules or regulations of a community youth sports program to improve sportsmanship, and overall ethical behavior of all involved with their youth sports program. Describe when and how the administration has implemented its program. Select an example found on the Internet no later than 2010.
Minimum 250 words.
Youth and Sport Participation
• Youth sport participants typically indicated:
– Achievement/Success – Teamwork – Fitness/Exercise – Energy release – Skill development
– Friendship/Affiliation – Fun
Motives for Dropout
• Lack of fun (not fun anymore) #1 • Too much pressure • Time commitment • Injury • Coach
Reasons for Parental Behavior in Youth Sport (Docheff, D. & Conn, J. 2004)
• 1. Living vicariously through the child • 2.Visions of superstardom • 3. Seeking a college scholarship • 4. Family values (connection to worth, value) • 5. Professional role models (acceptable behavior) • 6. Win-at-all costs attitude
Reduction Strategies
• 1. Sportsmanship classes, continuing education• 2. Parental codes of conduct
• 3. Zero tolerance policies • 4. Silent Sat & Sun• 5. Fining abusive spectators
• 6. Non-scoring games • 7. Sportsman signage/advertising
Parental Support Study: Findings
• Parental support was positively associated with participants’ enjoyment
• Parental support associated with self-esteem
• Good performance leads to increased enjoyment IF parents are a positive part of the participant’s experience
Parental Support Study (cont)
• External pressure increases with improved performance (undermining youth’s enjoyment)
• Acknowledgement of supportive influences diminishes with improved performance
Youth Coaches • Preparation and background (may lack role descriptions or performance outcomes) • Left to their own devices (own philosophy) • Winning emphasis
• May lack technical skill development • Social development factors
Youth Coaches
• Should consider more than physical skills as part of their role.
• Consider:
– Cognitive consequences – Goal of developing autonomous learners “thinkers” – Ethical situations
NCYS
• MISSION STATEMENT: The National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) is a nonprofit organization representing the youth sports industry to advance the values of participation; and educate and develop leaders.
NYSC
• VISION: To lead professional development and advocacy for the youth sports industry.
• MOTTO: "Enchancing (sic) the youth sports experience in America.
NYSC Objectives
• Develop and share among members and others education, information and leadership skills.
• Encourage members to promote the participation by all youth in fun and healthy physical activities according to their interests and abilities.
• Promote universal recognition that organized youth sports can develop positive attributes including healthier lifestyles, self-esteem, fair play and good citizenship.
NYSC Organizations
• Boys and Girls clubs
• American Youth soccer
• American Youth Football
Is Youth Sport Changing?
• "Let's go play" Kids used to play in the streets - with their neighbors, in front of their houses, in plain view of mom and dad. Weekends would find kids playing catch, throwing a scrungy old football around, pretending they were their quarterback hero. After school, until the mothers called "dinner is ready," the streets would be filled with kids of all ages, throwing and batting balls, playing hide-and-go-seek, roller skating, shooting marbles, jumping rope and sometimes getting into minor troubles.
Cont.
• There were chalk marks on the pavement, indicating home plate and the three bases. Foul lines were often the length of the gutters and a row of parked cars. Anything hit past the old Buick was a foul ball.
• Jumping rope was fun and (little did anyone realize it) aerobic. Only the best got to do "double Dutch."
• Over on the best part of the sidewalk the girls were playing hopscotch (boys rarely participated). The artsy girl would take her chalk and draw the hopscotch squares and if the neighborhood was upper middle class or beyond the squares were in different chalk colors. And each girl would have her favorite marker - most of the time their favorite key chain.
