Social Influences on the Experiences of Adolescent Physical Activity
Intro
Participation in organized youth sports provides an opportunity for young people to increase their physical activity and develop physical and social skills. Social influence takes many forms and can be seen in conformity, socialization, peer pressure, obedience, leadership and persuasion. Organized youth sports are highly popular for youth and their families, with approximately 45 Million children and adolescent participates in the US. (Elliott & Drummond, 2016). Seventy five percent of American families with school-aged children have at least one child participating in organized sports. There is a lot written about a greater concern about safety and benefits for the
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In the United States, these changes have been fueled by a combination of factors, including a conservative emphasis on traditional family values and fathers as heads of households. As a result of these factors mothers and fathers today are held responsible for the whereabouts and actions of their children 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This standard, never before used in any society as a baseline measure for good parenting, serves as a foundation for linking the character and achievements of children to the moral worth of parents (Coakley, 2015). Because sports are activities in which a child’s success is visible and objectively measurable, and because fathers are more likely than mothers to have or claim expertise in sports, the development of athletic skills among children is often monitored by fathers who act as coaches, managers, agents, mentors, and advocates for their child athletes. Therefore, the involvement of fathers in youth sports is grounded in complex cultural changes and it has implications for families and father–child relationships. These implications are discussed in light of new expectations that connect the moral worth of parents to the success of their children. Although, the youth organization can also shift the focus to goals that are not necessarily child …show more content…
The males were meant to compete in athletics and in battle. The training involved learning stealth, military training, pain tolerance, and social preparation. The process typically started at age 7 when the boy was separated from his mother and went through a process of training to become a soldier in the Spartan army. This process involved fighting, starvation and where necessary stealing and killing. The boys were taught to show no pain across the trials and no mercy to others – if they were successful in their training they returned to their families as a Spartan or otherwise they were outcast from society
The education of the youth establishes a precedent for the differences between the way Spartans and Athenians lead their lives. At age seven, training for the military began for all Spartan boys, they’re forced to leave their homes and go to military schools, where they endure all types of harsh training and discipline. The main lesson was learning to take pride in enduring pain and hardships. During their teenage years they were taught wrestling, ...
Parents in the U.S. today are becoming too involved in youth sports and are getting out of control. In the July 24, 2000 issue of Sports Illustrated, there is an article by William Nack and Lester Munson about a father in Massachusetts who killed another father over a little dispute about youth hockey. On July 5, 2000 Thomas Junta, a father of two, got into what seemed to be a minor shoving match with Michael Costin, a father of four, over a play in a hockey practice. After a while the fight was broken up and Junta left the ice arena. A little while later Junta returned with "clenched fists" and pinned Costin to the ground. With Costin's children standing just a few feet away and pleading with Junta to stop, Junta pummeled Costin with punches to the face and slammed Costin's head into the hard rubber mats that covered the floor. By the time someone was able to pull Junta off of him, Costin's face was so badly beaten that even his own children could barely recognized him. Costin was left in a coma and died two days later. This shows that p...
In Sparta you learned how to be a warrior. The most important things a person would learn were self-control, courage, endurance and obedience. This is what Spartans believed would make the best warriors. When Spartan boys turned seven they were taken from their parents’ houses and brought to a dormitory. This is called the Agoge. This is where they were required to live until they were 30 years old; they usually stayed until they were about 60 years old, however. A Spartan boy was the property of the state, and a warrior. Some children would be lucky to make it that far in their Spartan career. The infants would have to pass a test in order to test if they were strong enough. That test was to stay up on a mountaintop by themselves for 24 hours. If they survived they were considered strong enough to be a Spartan. If the child were seen as unfit to be a Spartan when it was born, the elders would throw it off a mountain into a chasm. The most important thing a Spartan learned in school was that their loyalty to the state came before everything, including their families. There was a saying that soldiers would come back either with their shield or on it. The idea of dying in the line of battle, while protecting their country was not scary. This concept was something that the men learned at an early age. The reason that Sparta had such a strong emphasis on military ideals in education was because they were preparing for
But Spartan society itself changed, evolving into a city-state. The state determined whether children, both male and female, were strong when they were born, leaving the weak in the hills to perish. At the age of seven, every male Spartan was sent to military and athletic school teaching discipline, endurance of pain, and survival skills. At twenty, the Spartan became a soldier spending his life with his fellow soldiers to live in barracks with his fellow soldiers. Only at the age of thirty, did the Spartan become an "equal," and was allowed to live in his own house with his own family, although he continued to serve in the military. Military service ended at the age of sixty.
Children went through rigorous training and preparation at a young age and men spent most of their life training for battle. Adult Spartan warriors moved into barracks at the age of 20 and began life as a permanent Spartan warrior. Spartan men were encouraged to marry, but were required to live in barracks until the age of 40, where soldiers could leave the barracks. Once a warrior turned 40, he was placed into the reserves until the age of 60 (AncientMilitary.com, 2012). When battle arose, Spartans had rules and codes that must have been followed to ensure safe travels and good luck.
Participating in a sport at an early age can be essential to the overall growth process during a child’s upbringing. Whether the participation is through some sort of organized league or just getting together amongst friends and playing, the lessons learned from this can help teach these kids and provide a positive message to them as they develop. There is a certain point, however, when organized sports can hinder progress, which is when adults get too involved and forget about the underlying reason to why they are helping. While adult involvement is necessary, adult involvement can sometimes send the wrong message to children when they try to make participation become more than just about fun and learning. According to Coakley (2009), “organized sports are worth the effort put forth by adults, as long as they do what is in the best interest of their children and put that thought ahead of their own agenda” (Coakley, p. 151). This is a valid argument because once adults put themselves in front of the children and their values, it needs to be re-evaluated as to why they first got involved in the beginning. Partaking in organized sport and activity from a young age can be beneficial to the overall development of children, as long as decisions actions are made in the best interest of the children and not stemming from ulterior motives of adults.
Jessica Statsky, in her essay, “Children need to Play, Not Compete” attempts to refute the common belief that organized sports are good for children. She sees organized sports not as healthy pass-times for children, but as onerous tasks that children do not truly enjoy. She also notes that not only are organized sports not enjoyable for children, they may cause irreparable harm to the children, both emotionally and physically. In her thesis statement, Statsky states, “When overzealous parents and coaches impose adult standards on children's sports, the result can be activities that are neither satisfying nor beneficial to children” (627). While this statement is strong, her defense of it is weak.
Literature has shown there is a constructive correlation between an individuals socioeconomic status (SES) and their participation in sporting activities. This piece of writing will be defining the impact social class division has on the opportunities for an individual to participate in sport and leisure activities. Also the key aspects of the social class system within the United Kingdom, from the traditional methods of social stratification, to the modern 7 class system released in 2013 by the British Broadcast Corporation (BBC). The term 'Social Class' or 'Socioeconomic Groups' , refer to an individuals status within society. There are various factors which determine an individual's status, such as; income, family background and educational experiences. This socioeconomic status can be seen as a status hierarchy in which three main common social classes are informally accepted in the majority of societies: Upper Class, Middle Class and Working Class (Wesson et al, 2000).
From birth Spartan children were expected to be physically strong and when male children were ten days old they were examined by a council of elders to see if the child had enough potential to be a warrior, or if it should be ‘exposed’. The children who were exposed were left to die at Apothetae on the slopes of Mt. Tygetus. The children who passed the examination were left in the care of their mothers until they reached the age of seven, at which point they left home to live in the barrack with other males, and were educated and trained in how to be a brave and strong warrior. While these children were still living at home they were mainly left in the care of a nurse, who taught them the first stage of their life-long education in the military. The nurses taught the children fight their fears as well as general superstition, toughening up the children so they would be able to better survive when they reach the age of seven and moved the barracks.
One of the positives of youth participation in sports is that it is an effective way of children making new friends and developing social skills. Sports teams provide an introduction for children to talk to other children with whom they may not talk normally. This is a huge opportunity for overweight children that might not socialize with others very often. As Ann Rosewater – a spokeswoman for the organization Up2Us – puts it, “overweight children have reported that the best part of organized sports is making new friends” (13). Teamwork can create a strong bond between athletes who compete together. Working toward a common goal gives children a reason to become good friends in an attempt to reach their endeavor of winning. They learn to help other children when they see them having a tough time and learn to offer words of encouragement to them (Harle par. 3). Children are given a sense of camaraderie by playing a sport with peers and that sense can become so strong that they will go as far as considering each other a second family....
According to statistics gathered by youth sports organizations, “Up to 50 million kids play youth sports in America, and 73 percent of those who begin playing a sport quit before they turn 13” (Binns). The children could have quit because they did not like the disappointment of losing, or because they are exhausted from their parents pushing them too hard. But parents have their reasons for pushing their children into sports. “Studies show that kids who play sports are less likely to become obese, abuse drugs or alcohol or to perform poorly in school” (McCormick). If children are not active, then they will most likely become overweight, and if they have nothing to do in their pastime, they may turn to drugs and alcohol, which usually leads to a decrease in grades in school.
These days, there is too much pressure on children who participate in organized sports because of the unnecessary parental involvement they experience. A growing concern amongst those involved in youth sports is that certain aspects of parental involvement become detrimental to the development and experiences of young athletes. Early emphasis on winning, making money, and the disruption of education can exceedingly affect ones desire to further participate in a sport later on in his/her life.
The studies summarize the different ways sports industry and athletes are influenced by socialization. Out of the many studies, I chose to read the study that describes the three factors that are related to sport participation. The first factor is a person’s ability, characteristic and resources that a person acquires. The second factor is the influence of other people, such as parents, siblings, friends, significant other, teachers and role models. The last factor is related to the availability of opportunities a person has to play sports in a way that can be personally satisfying. All the three factors can play a limiting role in a person’s life in a way that can limit them from participating in sports of their
Linver, M. R., Roth, J. L., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2009). Patterns of adolescents' participation in organized activities: Are sports best when combined with other activities? Developmental Psychology, 45(2), 354-367. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0014133
Let’s review the Pros of children taking part in organized sports: physical activity, socialization, health competition, self-esteem, and discipline. With every action there is an equal reaction also known as the Cons of children taking part in organized sports: which are injuries, cost, stress, and lost family time together.Some of the benefits of playing outdoor sports, are stated by Adnan Samia in an article entitled “Benefits of Sports.” In schools today the break time is hardly 20 to 30 minutes. Playing outdoor games enhance endurance, flexibility, improve balance as well as strengthen bones and muscles. Sports help in developing better hand-eye co-ordination and fast foot movement. The children who play sports are less likely to get arthritis and diabetes than their peers who do not exercise or play games.