Elite Athletes

Sports in the media and popular culture effect how society and young adolescents view and value male and female athletes. Many young children begin to idolize professional athletes and how much money they make rather than focusing on the people who work “normal” jobs to make our lives better and safe, “… a person who saves lives, a person who protects and servers struggling families, and a person who shapes and molds young minds make a mere fraction of what sports stars make” ( Walker 344). This pushes the media and pop culture to persuade children to believe that professional athletes should be seen as more important than people like Teachers, Police Officers and Doctors who work to help us rather than just being here for our entertainment.

     Michigan State University's report, "Sportsmanship: Building Character or 'Characters'?" on the Youth Sportsman Institute webpage, explains the basic idea of how the role of children's participation in sports affects their sportsmanship. The report gives examples of how good sportsmen, and bad sportsmen are viewed by society. The Youth Sports Institute says, "participation is viewed as a double-edged sword that may have either negative or positive effects on the child"("Sportsmanship",1) and that "the critical factor in determining whether the youth sports experience has a positive or negative effect on children is the quality of adult leadership"("Sportsmanship, 3).

Every child at some point in their lives dream about becoming a rock star, doctor or an astronaut, but the career that stands out the most is becoming a professional athlete. Why? One reason could be the ever increasing media coverage on each individual sport with certain channels devoted for just that particular sport, keeping viewers updated and thirsting to get out and play. Another could be the ease of getting out in the backyard as a kid to shoot the basketball, throw a football, or hit a baseball because it is harder to perform heart surgery or fly to the moon when you're only a child. With that being said; it is easy to look up to a professional athlete and put your heart and soul into them wearing

In the article “Baseball has a rich history of big league role models”, author Lyle Spencer uses several big name athletes and their experiences to show the impact that a professional athlete has on future athletes and the impressionable youth of today. The article points out that each player named in the article has played a role

In today’s society, NFL players and hockey player are the inspiration in the lives of today’s youth. Little boys strive to be the best they can be in football and hockey, because their dream is to one day become a professional athlete. Young boys focus on sports like football and hockey, because they are two of the most populist sports in America. Many young children want to play professional sports for the fame. Some want to be a professional athlete because of all the money they can make each year. They also want to make money to make a better life for themselves and their families. Most children

For generations people have turned to sporting events as a form of entertainment, but they also turn to sports as a way to be inspired and to be uplifted. Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali, Cathy Freeman, and Michael Phillips are just some of the notable world-class athletes throughout history that have captured the minds of millions of people around the world and, in turn, have furthered the perception of an Olympic champion being a hero. To be a hero, one needs to have incredible discipline and determination, mental and physical strength, and a charisma and personality that is admirable and respected by people of all ages and from all backgrounds. Therefore, to fit the idea of a ‘hero’ is obviously not an easy one, especially in today’s world where

Though it does not sound like a big issue, it is a major problem in our society. As little kids, they are incapable of doing activities. Thus, kids tend to copy their parents/guardian as the parents would set a good example. Mainly, in Australia, the country is known for sports such as AFL, NRL and the Australian Open. It can be enjoyed all over the world, no matter what age you are. “Sports Illustrated for kids did a survey from ages 7-12 about who their role model was. 96% answered that the person they looked up to was a professional athlete and the other 4% answered one of the parents was their role model.” Already we can see how many kids are influence over athletes. Kids who are in leagues, will learn consideration, teamwork and dedication through watching their role model’s games. To continue this attitude, athletes even off the field, go to hospitals, visit children at school or start an organization to help the needed and ill. However, not all athletes have this kind of heart and not considerate knowing they have people looking up to them. These athletes are not just cold hearted, but love to cause trouble. “Around 20%-60% of professional athletes stepped forward and have admitted to use some kind of performance enhancing drugs.” Kids are now hearing talks about drugs on news and talk shows on TV involving their role

For example, Brene Brown once said, “ Sometimes the bravest and most important thing a child can do is just show up.” Not giving children a trophy after a long exhausting season teaches them that there is no value in trying. As Woody Allen once said, “ Eighty percent of life is showing up.” Sports can be a reflection of life, and teaching children that life is bigger than winning or losing is important. When children receive trophies, they get the message that being accountable, showing up, and working hard means something. Most children will not be a Michael Jordan or have the opportunity to be on winning teams, but that does not mean they are not embodying winning values

II: Why athletes shouldn’t be bad role models and why kids shouldn’t look up to

Everyday today's youth are asked what they want to be when they grow up. Some say teachers, firemen, police officers and a large response to that question is a professional athlete. Something that all these professions have in common is that they are all role models to children. Firemen, teachers, police officers have an easy job at doing this; they are after all the people that save children, teach children and protect children. But professional athletes on the other hand have a difficult task assigned to them when it comes to being role models. Professional athletes are not given an option as to be a role model or not. Just because they have a special gift does not make them have

Often, even without trying an elite athlete becomes a role model for young people, this is because they are fit, focused and famous.

It is currently a contentious argument over whether professional athletes are proper role models for the youth or not. This essay will discuss both these views prior drawing a conclusion and giving my own perspective.

A role model, as described by Google is “a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated” (hello read me and find a god damn source!!!). Charles Barkley, a professional basketball player, said in a popular Nike ad, “I’m not a role model. Just because I dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids” (Don’t forget bout me u dipwad!!!). This sparked the debate; “Should pro athletes be role models?” Children need a true hero to look up to, and these athletes satisfy that need. These athletes show the features of a hero, not a criminal. Adolescents need athletes as their role models to emulate their positive traits.

Another critical factor to consider is the obesity epidemic as it is one of the greatest challenges facing Australia and many other developed nations. Australia is one of the most overweight nations, with 62.8% of adults and one in four children being overweight or obese (Health, 2014). One of the greatest problems facing youth sport is drop-out rates. Therefore, having successful elite athletes as role models to help inspire children to continue with their chosen sport, is vital. A study from Lockwood and Kunda found that “having successful athletes as role models provoke inspiration and self-enhancement when their success seems attainable to the observer” (Lockwood, P & Kunda, Z, 1997). Personally, I have witnessed a significant drop in sports

Theoretical practices of sportsmanship in sports provide adolescents with positive attitudes about fairness, honesty, and responsibility. Athletes learn to reflect these values of sportsmanship and apply it to their daily lives, once again providing positive psychosocial benefits to youth athletes. “From the perspective of sport psychology, the sphere of research that encompasses the key concepts of sportsmanship, ethics, and morality has been termed moral development in sport” (Goldstein & Iso-Ahola 2006, p. 19). Moral development is influenced by the sporting environment that the adolescent is exposed too. The adolescent’s psychological growth is dependent on “moral cognitions (thoughts of right and wrong),