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Are Professional Athletes Good Role Models Essay

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Xavier Preston Mrs.Fingarson English 11 10 March 2017 Are Professional Athletes Good Role Models? “With great power comes great responsibility.” This quote from Ben Parker, a supporting character in Spider-Man stories, can apply to professional athletes. When it comes to being great role models, they tend to abuse that responsibility. Considering Ray Rice, Michael Vick, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant may have been considered role models on their athletic stages, they were not necessarily your suggested role models away from their athletic platforms. To be a good role model you must obtain characteristics such as; demonstrating confidence, establishing leadership, good communication skills, showing respect towards others and, doing good things outside their job. Those are …show more content…

According to ABC News, “American children believe professional athletes motivate them to follow their dreams and goals, they’re also copying the bad behavior athletes do off the field”( ABC News ) One of the first national studies on examining kids’ perception of athletes’ behavior, on and off the field, researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation found,”many kids are learning lessons about sports and life from watching professional athletes.” These lessons that are learned are used more than often and can influence a child to do an action that’s disturbing for someone who is very young. Abc new’s input on children emulating professional athletes states, “Nine out of ten kids said famous athletes teach children mostly “good things.” “But some of the lessons learned from athletes are less than admirable.” Professional athletes can teach good things to kids, and people can go about their day, and act like nothing had happened. When professional athletes do horrible things then, people would lose it and make a bigger deal because they know how much social power athletes

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