Ideally children's participation in team sports should be fun, contribute to their physical development and well-being, help to develop social skills, and promote a desire for continued involvement with physical activity. The objective of physical education in schools should be to encourage development of appropriate exercise habits, with emphasis on the recreational aspects of physical activities (Roskosz, 1998).
Unfortunately, compelling evidence suggests that, for many children, the pressures associated with sports produce low self-esteem, excessive anxiety, and aggressive behavior. Children may eventually experience "sports burnout" and develop a lifelong avoidance of physical activity (Hellstedt, 1998).
In Hellstedt's opinion (1998), these negative outcomes of sports involvement are caused by adults, particularly parents and coaches. Lip-service is paid to sportsmanship and having fun, but rewards are reserved for winning. Often, encouragement to pursue victory is accompanied by direct and indirect signals that aggressive behavior is acceptable to achieve it. Hellstedt also suggests that anxiety about winning impedes performance and makes players more susceptible to injury. Physicians have noticed an increase in sports-related injuries in children (Hellstedt, 1998).
In recent years, organized youth sports has received unprecedented media attention, largely as the result of parents and coaches engaging in negative, and, in some instances, violent behavior. Anecdotal evidence is insufficient to substantiate the claim that violence in youth sports is "escalating" or "out of control." To date, there have been no scientific studies conducted to support that view. Ultimately, it's beside the point. No matter how likely or unlikely, administrators must take reasonable steps to prevent inappropriate or violent behavior.
With the increase in society taking a stance against violence by youths, sports has become an area where some feel that the violent acts such as the hitting and fighting that occurs should be eliminated.
The amount of unnecessary behavior by parents at....
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