One of the many benefits of playing sports is the children will build character. Building character is important because with character they will obtain new friends and develop different skills. Playing sports at a young age can build character in many ways, “Playing sports at a young age enables children to participate in social interactions and build skills such as teamwork, leadership, and responsibility as they learn to work with others to achieve a common goal,” (Aspen Institute). This is a benefit because they will build character from learning how to deal with wins and losses from playing sports. Also, they will develop different skills. Developing different skills will build character because, “numerous positive developmental indicators have been associated with sport participation, including improved self-esteem, emotional regulation, problem-solving, goal attainment, social skills, and academic performance,” (Holt). This shows how when children play sports that some of them acquire different skills than others. Lastly, some of the benefits that the children will receive from playing the sports are obtaining new friends and developing different
Children who participate in sports are developing rapidly in sports skills, sportsmanship, and psychologically, but does this come from organized sports are just nature’s process. Children develop emotional and social benefits from participating in sports. Children experience character and leadership development through peer relations leading to an increase in self-esteem and a decrease in anxiety levels. Children will get opportunities to experience positive and negative emotions throughout their practice and games trials. It is important for the coach to understand the “psychology of youth sports and physical activity participation” (Weinberg & Gould, 2011 p.516).
Sports are a popular pastime among all ages and types of people. People not only participate in them for fun, but also for money, physical fitness, rush of competition, and for many other personal reasons. Playing sports is especially common among young people in schools. Athletics are great and enjoyable for many reasons, but there can be a point where sports participation can go too far and become negative for children and adults. Sports specialization for young people is an increasing trend that results in sports having a negative impact on individuals and society.
Since football’s inception, it has been considered a manly sport. Young boys have been encouraged by their parents to participate in the game. For many boys, it is considered a rite of passage. However, football is a dangerous sport. A study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy found, “an estimated 5.25 million football-related injuries among children and adolescents between 6 and 17 years of age were treated in U.S. emergency departments between 1990 and 2007. The annual number of football-related injuries increased 27 percent during the 18-year study period, jumping from 274,094 in 1990 to 346,772 in 2007” (Nation 201). These reported injuries include sprains and strains, broken bones, cracked ribs, torn ligaments, and concussions. A concussion usually happens when a player takes a hard hit to the head or is knocked unconscious on the playing field, and if not diagnosed and treated quickly, a concussion can result in death.
A survey taken from 2012-2013 illustrates an estimated one-million-three-hundred-sixty-one-thousand-nine-hundred-eighty-six students per year get injured while playing some type of sport in high school. That is one-hundred-fifty-six high school athletes getting hurt per hour. Majority of injuries occur at the age of nineteen for both males and females, and the minimum amount of injuries occur at the ages of thirteen for males, and twelve for females. During competition thirty-nine percent of injuries are strains or sprains, twenty-seven percent are concussions, thirteen percent are other injuries, twelve percent are contusions and nine percent are fractures. During sports practice forty-seven percent of injuries are strains or sprains, twenty percent are other injuries, eighteen percent are concussions, eight percent are contusion and seven percent are fracture injuries
In a CNN article, Kelly Wallace said that more than 3.5 million children younger than fourteen need treatment for sports related injuries (1). Many children are getting hurt in sports, and the benefits , may not be worth the countless concussions. The brains of young children have not fully developed and hard hits to the head can be life-threatening. The Roque News wrote an article on students playing sports, and they said, “In 2009 two high school students died from multiple hits to the head…”(McGough 1). Now innocent teenagers died from a contact sport. The constant jarring of the head finally killed two high schools students providing sports can be extremely dangerous. There are some downsides that make school sports an inadequate decision.
When a child lacks the natural born talent of athleticism, they can be destroyed emotionally and physically. The 2005 Youth Sports Report Card rated parental behavior and involvement as “unacceptable and needing improvement”(Citizenship Through Sports Alliance,2005). Community sports have “lost their child-centered focus” and has become “too specialized and over interested in parents”(Citizenship Through Sports Alliance,2005). Failing parental expectations, the child will lose any enjoyment felt previously in participation. Their desire to play is diminished, confidence decreases and anxiety overwhelms their innocent minds. Something that was created to add enjoyment and positively influence their life becomes a nightmare that they are unable to cope with. They become humiliated due to inadequately fulfilling their peer 's expectations as well as their
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.
There are tons of sports that people can play today here in the United States, for example, American Football. American Football is one of the most popular and entertaining sports yet the most dangerous sports to play, especially for children. Athletes can gain scholarships and an allowance from joining a sport, but they have to consider the dangerous situations that can happen, like brain damage. Athletes even use drugs to make themselves vigorous and an asset to their team. Players tend to think that side effects would not appear further down the road. While children are not similar to adults, since they are not fully developed and the impacts are twice as bad as the adults. Players need to consider the negative outcome of sports. It can be injuries and concussion for both adults and children and the possible change of players’ perspective. No matter how cautious a player can be, there is a possibility that they will have injuries and severe concussion.
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.