The Harsh Cost of Youth Orgonized Sports.
Carrillo 1
Garrett Carrillo
Professor Solis
English 101
29 February 2010
“Win, At What Cost?” “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” A quote made famous by NFL head coach Vince Lombardi winner of the first two Super Bowls ever played, but are these words the motto we should subject our young athletes too? In a Research Digest article titled “Youth Sports In America: an Overview” the Presidents Council On Fitness & Sports talks about the benefits of organized sports. Also in Sports In Contemporary Society Authors: Joan Ryan, Buzz Bissinger, and Mark Hyman write about their encounters with eating disorders, mental and physical abuse in organized sports for youth. Unfortunately the harm caused to youth by organized sports is greater than its benefits. According to “Youth Sports In America: An Overview” sports are an excellent opportunity for social development. The Article states that, “…many of the social and moral requirements for sports parallel to how individuals must function in a law-abiding society” (7). This statement is true in theory, listening to your coaches and following orders at practice can teach you to follow the law and model how to act with say a supervisor, yet this is all assuming your coach teaches you how with more then an agenda to simply win at all cost. Although sports are thought to teach moral values “Youth Sports In America: An Overview” states this, “Sports themselves are not morel or immoral…however the potential does exist to enhance moral development…”(7). This tells us that sports its self is neutral, the people are in control of practice are the ones who install the morals that come with the
Carrillo 2
Organized sports. If the people who are in charge of organizing our sports for our youth only want to win at all cost, physical health and integrity will slowly disappear in our youth. In “Harm to Your Children in Youth Sports” by Mark Hyman we see how the coaches and parent in youth
Garrett Carrillo
Professor Solis
English 101
29 February 2010
“Win, At What Cost?” “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” A quote made famous by NFL head coach Vince Lombardi winner of the first two Super Bowls ever played, but are these words the motto we should subject our young athletes too? In a Research Digest article titled “Youth Sports In America: an Overview” the Presidents Council On Fitness & Sports talks about the benefits of organized sports. Also in Sports In Contemporary Society Authors: Joan Ryan, Buzz Bissinger, and Mark Hyman write about their encounters with eating disorders, mental and physical abuse in organized sports for youth. Unfortunately the harm caused to youth by organized sports is greater than its benefits. According to “Youth Sports In America: An Overview” sports are an excellent opportunity for social development. The Article states that, “…many of the social and moral requirements for sports parallel to how individuals must function in a law-abiding society” (7). This statement is true in theory, listening to your coaches and following orders at practice can teach you to follow the law and model how to act with say a supervisor, yet this is all assuming your coach teaches you how with more then an agenda to simply win at all cost. Although sports are thought to teach moral values “Youth Sports In America: An Overview” states this, “Sports themselves are not morel or immoral…however the potential does exist to enhance moral development…”(7). This tells us that sports its self is neutral, the people are in control of practice are the ones who install the morals that come with the
Carrillo 2
Organized sports. If the people who are in charge of organizing our sports for our youth only want to win at all cost, physical health and integrity will slowly disappear in our youth. In “Harm to Your Children in Youth Sports” by Mark Hyman we see how the coaches and parent in youth
Cited: Bissinger, Buzz. “Bench the Parents.” Eitzen 108-111. Eitzen, Stanley D, ed. Sports In Contemporary Society. London: Paradigm Publishers. 2012.Print. Hyman, Mark. “Harm to Children In Youth Sports.” Eitzen 112-115. Ryan, Joan. “Female Gymnast and Ice Skaters The Dark Side.” Eitzen 101-107. Seefeldt, Vern D. “Youth Sports In America: An Overview.” Education Recources Information Center. Sep. 1997. Web. 25 Feb 2012.