Teen Participation in Sports Saves Them from Many Troubles - Research Paper Example

It has been strongly believed that teen participation in sports can keep them away from all sorts of troubled behavior. Although in this field, opinions vastly differ and those who are against the premise also hold plausible evidences, there still is a wide range of social, psychological and medical literature that proves the efficacy of sports in dealing with a range of anti social and un healthy behavior of today’s youth. Therefore, the present article analyzes both hypotheses by weighing their practical implications. The paper covers each aspect of a teenager’s life in relation to the term “trouble” and the consequential significance of sports as a savior. Historically speaking sports has always been considered the healthiest form of catharsis. It not only helps the players channelize their energy in a positive direction but also provides an outlet that transforms all possible frustrations into positive energy and aggression- qualities much needed in all forms of sports. However, before going into the empirical details to support this point, it is important to define the term “trouble”. It has now been an established fact that teenagers around the world face a huge set of challenges ranging from physical and psychological to social and educational. Most of the teens get suffocated with the growing demands, lesser help from family and friends and severe psychological disorientation. This paves way to unhealthy and unlawful stress relieving strategies like drugs, sex, cyber addiction, organizing gangs for illegal activities .i.e. delinquency another name for troubled behavior. A Gallup survey of 1998 determining the seriousness of alcoholism in public schools of different communities showed a 42% of the respondents deeming it as a very serious issue followed by 31% who considered it a fairly serious problem. (synder, 78). On psychological plain some teenagers easily fall victim of lower self worth which also lead to drug abuse. As Richard Kozar holds, “some people use drugs because they don’t feel good about themselves or have faith in what they can accomplish. Kids who suffer from this problem may think that they are not as’ good’’ as their friends because they don’t dress well, aren’t smart or funny…….. They may begin to take drugs to try to forget how bad they feel” (kozar, 35-36). On the contrary, in a survey conducted by USA weekend magazine there had been a considerable number (36%) of teens who considered “doing better at sports” as the most important factor that makes them feel good about themselves preceded by “getting better grades and “losing weight” as 49% and 38% respectively. (Kozar, 35). It is important to note that drug use can easily turn into drug abuse which in turn creates trouble both for the teens and their parents. There is an increased probability of delinquency, harming one’s health, causing car accidents, unhealthy sexual behavior. As Jim Pollard and Chloe Kent commented in their book “Teen Issues: Alcohol” “Drugs kill dreams”. In the same book they also conceded that alcoholism and sports cannot go together and that sport is good deterrent to this unhealthy practice. They held, “Athletes often do not drink because alcohol drains their performance. Modern sports are so competitive that you can only play it if you are at your best. Serena and Venus Williams are two of the greatest female tennis players ever. They do not drink and have made movies encouraging young people not to take drugs such as alcohol”. (Pollard & Kent, 44). This therefore entails that if sports are adopted as a hobby from early ages it becomes a strong deterrent to all unhealthy activities including the use of drugs. It also shows that sports has a significant effect on children’s self esteem and while there are negative ways of handling it there is a much more socially acceptable and healthy activity i.e. to indulge in sports in order to eradicate all social inhibitions and feeling better about oneself. In another article by Seefeldt and Erwing titled “ Youth Sports In America”, the writers documented the issues relating to youth involvement in sports and its relative efficacy viz a viz the problematic anti social behavior like gang memberships, drugs, stealing, use of weapons etc. They hold that participation in sports does provide a strong alternative for gang membership. They also draw a similarity between the reasons why teens enjoy gang membership and the attitudes promoted through sports. For example, youth tend to be more aggressive than adults and instead of a criminal and anti social outlet they can channelize their aggression in a positive sporting activity. Also gang membership, in writer’s words, “fills a void in a youth’s life that was created by the environmental and inter/intra personal conflicts, gang membership provides affiliations, self worth, companionship and excitement” they continued that, “youth sports participation is a practical substitute for this” Specially if it is initiated from young age it doesn’t let that “void” to be created at the first place. Therefore the writers suggested it to be offered to those who are already a gang member and disapprove their activities. (Seefeldt & Erwing, 13-16) Moreover there are other behavioral patterns which may be considered by some religious groups and sects as immoral and generally speaking unhealthy is indiscrete sex. For example in ‘’Go Ask Alice” a novel in the form of an anonymous teen’s diary, she delineated the picture of her awkward feelings as she in advertently had sex for the first time under the effect of drugs. Afterwards what she had to say only showed fear and shame about other people knowing the fact somehow and her getting pregnant at the age of fourteen (Go Ask Alice, 31-32). Another research conducted by Russell Pate, Stewart Trost, Sarah Levin and Marshal Dowda examined the relationship between sports participation and health related behavior among high school students. Statistics proved that “sports participation deters a number of unhealthy behavior like cigarette smoking, cocaine and illegal drugs and heedless sexual intercourse”. ( Pate etal, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine). Apart from the behavioral problems mentioned above there is another rising phenomenon and that is the inclination towards suicide. As presented by Hal Marcovitz in ‘Teen & Suicide” where he clearly stated ,” Teenagers experience strong feelings of stress, confusion, self doubt, pressure to succeed, and other fears…… suicide offers a solution to these seemingly insurmountable problems” According to the national mental health association suicide is the second leading cause of death among people of college age.( Marcovitz, 24-25). This was discussed in the website “peak performance: sporting excellence” with the reference to a research conducted by some US scientist whether physical activity deter suicidal thoughts. They draw the conclusion that in many male participants the sports participation does have a significantly protective effect on from suicidal thoughts. (Suicide and physical activity, www. peak performance.co.uk). However, there has been data which shows that sports could be linked with certain kinds of bad behavior in teens. The news site msnbc reports a research in their internet edition of nov9, 2009 which hypothesized that “team participation would not be overwhelmingly positive but it would have both positive and negative effects, is just what we found” the researcher said. However, the researcher himself concluded that the sampling was not large enough to give a representative data therefore “ the study raised more questions than it answered”. (Reuters: Sports linked to some bad behavior in teens). Also in “A Parent’s Guide to Adolescent Health and Wellbeing” the writers while discussing sports and injuries concluded that the “advantages of physical activity far outweighs the downside of potential injury” (Kelly &Lopez, 2002). It is important to note that the unhealthy activities discussed in detail and the specific troubled behavior mentioned above are done because of peer pressure, identifying with the people of one’s own age, relaxation, joy, temptation and frustration, but one thing remains the heart of the issue and that is the use of one’s leisure time. Because human mind keeps working even when you are not and that’s where devil creeps in. Sports are a comprehensive manner which doesn’t let one sit idle and think about the frustrations or unlawful temptations to explore. The basic facts about sports are 1 focused, goal oriented approach 2 physical and mental fitness 3 A disciplined schedule All three together with more tolerance and peaceful co existence are the traits to be instilled in the youth of today which eventually become natural deterrents to troubled behavior. Therefore It can be positively held that sports is a panacea to the behavioral disorders and if used with minimum risk of injuries and proper coaching provisions it can maximize the benefits. Everything needs to be under a proper discipline. Too much of anything can be harmful and therefore this phenomenon also needs to be applied by keeping in mind each situation as specific and individual in order to get full advantage. Note cards 1 Recommendat ion ■ Children should be exposed to a broad array of sports opportunities during their elementary years. ■ When possible, youth should be exposed to sports that have potential for lifetime use. ■ Early childhood involvement in sports should emphasize instruction more than competition. ■ Sports programs must reevaluate their programs and institute equitable programs that will meet the needs of all youth. ■ Coaches must be encouraged to teach young athletes responsibility, independence, and leaders■ Sports organizations can provide an alternative to gang membership and violence by providing opportunities for more youth to be involved and thereby benefit from being a member of a pro social team. ■ Sports organizations should make a commitment to increasing the number o f women and minority coaches in youth sports programs. ■ Public policy makers must become educated about the significance of youth sports in the nonschool lives of youth. Dedicated revenues for sports programs are an uncommon, but necessary, means to avoid the fluctuations in funding by private and public funders. ■ Programs must be designed so that they revitalize communities as partners in the delivery of sports programs. ■ Communities must improve the condition and maintenance of facilities and sites so that they are attractive and safe for children and families. ■ A broad-based organization that unites the public/private sector of a city should be established to plan, develop, coordinate, maintain, and evaluate the municipality’s comprehensive youth sports program. ■ Sports organizations should provide educational programs for all coaches of youth sports teams. ■ Sports organizations should provide education to parents about the roles of parents of youth sports participants, the use of appropriate feedback, and the positive and potentially negative aspects of participation in sports. Ewing, E, Martha, and Wern D, Seefedlt. “Youth Sports In America: An Overview” The PCPFS Research Digest, Series 2, Number 11, 1991 (12-16) Note cards 2 Synder, Gail.The Gallup Youth Survey: Major Issues and Trends, Teens & Alcohol. New Jersey,Mason Crest Publishers, 2004. Print Note card 3 Connor and her colleagues analyzed survey responses from a representative group of more than 13,000 U.S. high school students who participated in the 2007 Youth Risk Behavioral Survey. "Our hypothesis was that sports team participation would not be overwhelmingly positive but it would have positive and negative effects, which is just what we found," Connor said. Roughly 60 percent of the boys surveyed participated in team sports in the past year. For these young men, sports team participation was associated with decreased levels of depression and smoking, but it was also associated with an increased likelihood of fighting, drinking and binge drinking. ‘Sports linked to some bad behaviors in teens’ msnbc. Note card 4 Jefferson Award-winner Ernie Vargas   By Robert Holguin HAWAIIAN GARDENS, Calif. (KABC) -- At ABC7, it's important to recognize those who take the time and effort to make communities better. And one great way to do that is through the Jefferson Awards. Ernie Vargas is the Jefferson Award winner for the month of February 2009. Jefferson Award winner Ernie Vargas has turned a group of troubled teens into one of the best local rugby teams. As a youth counselor for the city of Hawaiian Gardens, Vargas was trying to help a group of troubled teenagers. He thought a neighborhood rugby team would be a positive way to funnel aggression. Note card 5 Sports Participation and Health-Related Behaviors Among US Youth Russell R. Pate, PhD; Stewart G. Trost, PhD; Sarah Levin, PhD; Marsha Dowda, DrPH Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154:904-911. Objective  To examine the relationship between sports participation and health-related behaviors among high school students. Design  Cross-sectional design using data from the 1997 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Participants  A nationally representative sample of 14,221 US high school students. Main Outcome Measures  Prevalence of sports participation among males and females from 3 ethnic groups and its associations with other health behaviors, including diet, tobacco use, alcohol and illegal drug use, sexual activity, violence, and weight loss practices. Results  Approximately 70% of male students and 53% of female students reported participating on 1 or more sports teams in school and/or nonschool settings; rates varied substantially by age, sex, and ethnicity. Male sports participants were more likely than male nonparticipants to report fruit and vegetable consumption on the previous day and less likely to report cigarette smoking, cocaine and other illegal drug use, and trying to lose weight. Compared with female nonparticipants, female sports participants were more likely to report consumption of vegetables on the previous day and less likely to report having sexual intercourse in the past 3 months. Among white males and females, several other beneficial health behaviors were associated with sports participation. A few associations with negative health behaviors were observed in African American and Hispanic subgroups. Conclusion  Sports participation is highly prevalent among US high school students, and is associated with numerous positive health behaviors and few negative health behaviors. Note card 6 Youth Sports in America: An Overview* Ve rn D . Se efeldt, Martha E. Ew ing MIC HIGAN STATE UNI VERS ITY The Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health (1996) clearly documents the benefits of regular physical activity to the health of adults and youth alike. Because sports is a major type of activity in which youth are involved, it can be considered a viable method o f promoting good health. Sports that are considered to be “lifetime” in nature are especially important in meeting national health objectives. In March of 1997 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published “Guidelines for Schools and Communities for Promoting Lifelong Physical Activity.” The guidelines note the benefits of regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence: improves strength and endurance, helps build healthy bones and muscles, helps control weight, reduces anxiety and stress, increases self-esteem, and may improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The guidelines also indicate that community sports and recreation program coordinators can help increase physical activity among youth in a variety of ways including providing a “mix of competitive team and n o n competitive, lifelong fitness and recreational activities,” increase public facilities, and ensure coaches are competent. Note card 7 Youth Sports in America: An Overview* Ve rn D . Se efeldt, Martha E. Ew ing MIC HIGAN STATE UNI VERS ITY Yo ut h Sp or t s a nd Mor a l De v e lop m e nt Participation in sport has been used as a treatment for delinquency with some success. Trulson (1986) matched 34 delinquent teenage boys on age, socioeconomic background and test scores on aggression and personality adjustment and then divided the youth into three groups. One group received traditional Tae Kwon Do training, which combined philosophical reflection, meditation, and physical practice of the martial arts techniques. The second group received “modern” martial arts training, emphasizing only fighting and self-defense techniques. The third group ran and played basketball and football. These groups met for one hour three times a week for six months. Results revealed that members of the Tae Kwon Do group were classified as normal rather than delinquent, scored below normal o n aggression and exhibited less anxiety, increased their self-esteem, and improved their social skills. The modern martial arts group scored higher on delinquency and aggression and was less well adjusted than when the experiment began. The traditional sports group showed little change on delinquency and personality measures, but their self-esteem and social skills improved. The findings support the notion that whatever advantages or liabilities are associated with sport involvement, they do not come from sport per se, but from the particular blend of social interactions and physical activities that comprise the totality of the sport experience. +MIC HIGAN STATE UNI VERS ITY Note card 8 Youth Sports in America: An Overview* Ve rn D . Se efeldt, Martha E. Ew ing MIC HIGAN STATE UNI VERS ITY Yo u t h Sp or ts a s a De te r r e n t to Ne g a t iv e Be h a v ior Reasons identified for initial gang membership include a combination of family, school, and personal conflicts as reported by juvenile delinquents (Clark, 1992; Fukada, 1991). Alienation from Participation in sports by youth is a highly desirable alternative for gang membership. Society’s current attention on the destructive nature of youth gang involvement has prompted much research over the past two decades. Historically, conditions for the foundation of gangs have been familiar to the inner city: poverty, racial division, broken families, andhigh unemployment (Stover, 1986). Current information on gangs has involved the identification of other conditions for gang membership such as age (Parks, 1995) and inter-/intrapersonal conflicts (Curry, 1992). Furthermore, gang activity is no longer isolated in the inner city, but has infiltrated many suburban and rural communities. For example, Los Angeles reported 200,000 gang members in 1991, Chicago spent $7 million on anti-gang efforts, and gangs have infiltrated Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Milwaukee. What is more alarming is that contemporary gangs are more violent than earlier gangs were (Evans, 1995) indicating that the problem is getting worse and more dangerous. Where gangs of the 1960s were more concerned with fist fights over “turf,” contemporary gangs are involved in drug trafficking and the use of weapons, including an arsenal of assault rifles. Note card 9 Youth Sports in America: An Overview* Ve rn D . Se efeldt, Martha E. Ew ing MIC HIGAN STATE UNI VERS ITY Youth sport participation is a practical substitute for gang membership. Initiation into sports at a young age allows for a positive filling of the void in a youth’s life at a critical stage. Early intervention is recommended as a tool to curb delinquent behavior, which would most likely continue over a lifetime (Laub, 1994). The highest rate of criminal offenders with chronic antisocial behavior began involvement in crime at an earlier age than offenders with shorter and lower incidence careers. Continued intervention is crucial in the lives of youth who are facing a pivotal choice about whether or not to join a gang. Delinquent behavior b y gang members was shown to be lower before and after gang membership, showing the positives for decreasing criminal activity outside of the gang (Thornberry, 1993). The focus has been on prevention and intervention strategies; however, once in a gang, getting out may not be the easiest task to achieve. However, leaving the gang is a consideration of many members (Hochhaus & Sousa, 1988). Peer pressure was identified by current gang members as the most important reason for not leaving a gang. Some members expressed dissonance when asked to take part in stealing, drug dealing, or violence, but the peer pressure outweighed the guilt. The desire to leave is the most promising of avenues for youth sports to reach young people who have already joined the gang. Offering an alternate activity that provides the same qualities as gang membership should become part of the recruitment strategy for youth sports. Note card 10 Question: which of the following would make you feel better about yourself? Getting better grades 49% Bulking/toning up 38% Losing weight 38% Doing better at sports 36% Source: USA Weekend Magazine, May 1, 1998 Note card 11 Other Reasons why some kids use drugs To have fun or relax To feel more grown up Out of curiosity Because it seems exciting or rebellious To stop feeling lonely or depressed Kozar, Richard. Junior Drug Awareness: How To Get Help, Philadelphia, Chelsea House Publishers, 2000. Print. Note card 12 A 1996 study found that morethan 11,000 American teens under 18 years of age were arrested for violating DWI ( DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED) laws. Kozar, Richard. Junior Drug Awareness: How To Get Help, Philadelphia, Chelsea House Publishers, 2000. Print. Notecard 13 Another study of 1,023 patients admitted to a hospital’s trauma unit found that one third had delectable levels of marijuana in their blood. Kozar, Richard. Junior Drug Awareness: How To Get Help, Philadelphia, Chelsea House Publishers, 2000. Print. Note card 14 There has been an increase in violence in the nation’s public schools over the last decade. How important do you consider increased use of drugs and alcohol among school age youth as a cause of increased violence. 74% said very important 16% quite important 8% not very important Poll taken May 1999, 1,027 total respondents Source The Gallup Organization Note card 15 The study tracked cases involving young suicide victims over a period of 10 years and concluded those youths who abused drugs and alcohol were up to eight times more likely to kill themselves than youths who didn’t drink or take drugs. Source The Gallup Organization Note cards 16 Another study found “frequent use of non prescription drugs or alcohol” , among 70% of the twenty teenagers who committed suicide in the Louisville area between 1980- 1983 . Source The Gallup Organization Bibliography Synder, Gail.The Gallup Youth Survey: Major Issues and Trends, Teens & Alcohol. New Jersey,Mason Crest Publishers, 2004. Print. Anonymus. Go Ask Alice. New York, Simon& Schuster Books for young Readers,1971. Print. Kozar, Richard. Junior Drug Awareness: How To Get Help, Philadelphia, Chelsea House Publishers, 2000. Print. Pollard, Jim & Kent, Chloe. Teen Issues: Alcohol, Chicago, Raintree, 2005. Print. Marcovitz, Hal. The Gallup Youth Survey: Major Issues and Trends, Teens & Suicide. New Jersey, Mason Crest Publishers, 2004. Print. Ewing, E, Martha, and Wern D, Seefedlt. “Youth Sports In America: An Overview” The PCPFS Research Digest, Series 2, Number 11, 1991 ( 12-16 ) Pate,R Russell, Trost, G Stewart, Levin, Sarah and Marsha Dowda.. “Archives of Pediatrics and Adolscent Medicine: Sports Participation and Health Related Behaviour among Us Youth”. Vol 154 No.9, sept. 2000. Web. Houlgin, Robert. “Jefferson Award Winner Helps Teens” Jefferson Awards: KABC.TV Los Angeles.CA, February 06,2009. Web. Reuters, “ Sports linked with some bad behavior in teens” Msnbc, Nov 9, 2009. Kelly, kate, and Lopez, I Ralph. “ The Teen Health Book:n A Parent’s Guide To Adolscent Helath and Wellbeing. Google books. web Read More