History of modern latin america - Essay Example

Sandra Phillips (2009) stated that sports provide a unique opportunity for children to acquire physical, social, and personal benefits that can help them throughout their lives. According to her, the benefits of youth sports are extensive. She gave some of the ways how sports can positively influence a child’s development and serve as an avenue for teaching children valuable life lessons (Phillips, 2009). According to Phillips (2009), sports can build self-esteem, self-respect and dignity. It provides social interaction with peers and adults and an opportunity to develop talents (Phillips, 2009).

Sandra Phillips (2009) also added that sports teaches sportsmanship, teamwork, control, and how to deal with adversity by showing them that it is alright to make a mistake and giving them the opportunity to learn from mistakes as well as moving on once a mistake has been made. It instils self-discipline and awareness of the value of preparation (Phillips, 2009). A sport teaches kids how to deal productively with criticisms, provides leadership opportunities, and fosters a sense of community by providing a sense of belonging or opportunity to be part of a group (Phillips, 2009).

In addition, Phillips (2009) presented that sports develops skills for handling success and failure and provides stress relief from academic and social pressures. SPORTS AND THE HIGH RISKS COUNTRIES Brazil is a passionate country besotted with sports (Tyler, n.d.) According to Vera Tyler, a volunteer coach, there are many areas of the city where children are exposed to dangers of poverty and they can be easily led into a life of crimes and drugs. The sports programme that they offered provided a positive channel for energy of the children and a distraction from a ghastly lifestyle.

Tyler added that they focused on encouraging children to see the ‘good side’ of the world by taking them away from the violence and poverty that they live in and encouraging them to see things in a different way. The sporting activities provide positive role to help keep the children away from the dangers of the streets (Tyler, n.d.). According to Tyler, the activities helped motivate and encourage poor children in Brazil. In Rio, charitable organizations, NGO’s and social projects are working hard to provide recreational activities to street children or those from disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

In Haiti, they organize sport events to help integrate the people, boost self-esteem and encourage change after the city was shaken and desolated by earthquake (Pires de Mello, 2011). They highlighted the sports for social inclusion, social re-insertion and its desired effect in contributing to create an environment conducive to peace and less violence in the area (Pires de Mello, 2011). Kay Nou, a non-profit organization in Haiti, is devoted to caring for abandoned and disenfranchised youth in Haiti (www.kaynouinc.org, Kay Nou).

They aim to deal with physical, emotional and academic needs of the Haitian youth. Kay Nou took part in sports activities such as soccer, judo, volleyball, capoeira, athletics, gymnastics and other activities (Pires de Mello, 2011). In a vast squatter settlement outside Lima, Peru, schools are overburdened and most families don’t have the means to pay for a child’s education outside the slum (www.globalfundforchildren.org, Escuelas Deporte y Vida). There is violence in the streets and at home.

Sara Diestro, as social worker who