Relations Between Sports And Some Factors Influencing Socialization Process

Children who participate in sports are less likely to be overweight or obese, have higher self-esteem on average, and are generally more invested in their academics. Sports are oftentimes seen as a gateway to academic opportunity, particularly for kids with fewer resources. While this logic is inherently problematic, it is true that high schoolers who were involved with organized sport were more likely to be enrolled in college later on. Youth sports also give children a place to develop socially by teaching them about teamwork, leadership, and compromise. Team sports in particular can provide children with a sense of belonging to a group, and therefore increase their self-esteem and improve their social competence. There are dozens of reasons why youth sport is important and beneficial to a child’s development, and with millions of participants each year in the United States alone, it doesn’t look like youth sports will be going anywhere anytime

In conclusion, the benefits of sports cannot be denied. There is no doubt that interscholastic athletics in high schools are generally good for student’s mind and health. It is the mental and conceptual area that many use to support the importance of participation in competitive sports, something many can wholeheartedly agree with. It is also the same area that some point to when behavior exhibited by some athletes does not seem to support what is believed they should be learning. As with anything, however, one can only get out of something what one puts in. Athletics also provides social benefits and center on concepts such as cooperation, teamwork, and friendships. All of which can also benefit them in school and the workplace. Physical benefits

Sport’s are an aspect of life that affect societies across the globe. Athletics affect everyone's life, whether that be playing the sport, watching games, or hearing about a sporting event. There is a big difference between playing an individual sport and players relying on their own athletic abilities versus a team sport when members of the team rely on their teammates to complete each individual's specific responsibility to reach the team's goal. Team sports bring people together in countless ways, and they teach many life skills for the athletes that participate in them. Some of these skills include communication, teamwork, discipline, work ethic, dedication, leadership, and numerous more that will help them in their personal and work

Sports can be viewed as a learning environment that helps individuals learn life lessons, foster strong work habits and develop core values all the while learning a sport skill. Youth sports that truly benefit young athletes should be structured to emphasize participation more than just competition. Children enjoy a sport more when they are able to have fun (Humpries). Despite many excesses some sport programs still manage to promote important virtues like self- confidence, teamwork, personal responsibility, coping skills, and persistence. Through sports kids can learn to stay organized and learn how to prioritize (Ferguson). Sports enables development of physical skills and increasing proficiency makes kids feel good about themselves. It teaches kids that failure is something to overcome and and not to fear (Meyerhoff 8-9). Youth sports has many aspects that are truly benefiting for children, but these benefits are slowly being clouded by the negatives that are prominent in today's youth sports.

Sport is incredible in how it can increase confidence, self-esteem, and overall health while teaching children a new ability of working with others as a team, taking direction, and doing things they never thought possible. I want to be able to show what sports is capable of teaching and the rewards that come along with it. The concept of team reveals what is achievable through solidarity that would be impossible in solitary.

It’s been debated that having kids participate in sports can be either a positive or negative factor in a child’s development. Is participating in sports a positive outcome in a youth’s development? Through my own personal experience and through the research that I have conducted I believe that participating in sports is a true benefit to a child’s development. Participating in sports can contribute to a healthy individual, developing problem-solving skills, social interaction, promotes following direction and rules, goal setting and creating plans, promotes self-esteem, reduces stress, helps academic success, and a higher quality of life.

Youth sports can have a great impact on one’s life, whether it be physical, mental or emotional. The impact they have on character, winning, and fun, however, beats all. These factors all play an influential role in youth sports. What many don’t understand is that winning isn’t everything. Everyone can win when playing sports by having fun while in addition, by building relationships and in turn, character. Winning doesn’t have to be one’s top priority despite the positives that can arise from them. Sports, in general, “help youth become better contributors to society” (Importance). Sports have also shown to help youth improve their social interaction skills, their confidence, their skills, and their overall health. They are also linked to higher grades, lower dropout rates, and lower crime/drug rates furthermore. They can teach youth how to deal with pressure, how to get along with others, and how to play by the rules. Overall, youth sports help children learn how to pay it forward: to contribute to something bigger than themselves.

The choice to engage in athletics is influenced by many different factors. It is well accepted that parents, siblings, peers, teachers, and coaches all play a role in influencing the start, continuation, and discontinuation during adolescent (Fredricks & Eccles, 2004). The influences of these individuals can range from simple encouraging and continued participation by taking children to sporting events to teaching values and norms associated with sport participation and physical activity (Fredricks & Eccles, 2004). Mothers and fathers are also the ones that generally seek out opportunities, provide equipment and financial support. Researchers consistently identify parents as the initiating sport socialization agents for children (Brustad & Partridge, 2001). As children continue their participation in sports, parents serve as models for observational learning, provide experiences, encourage participation in a variety of ways, and help to interpret experiences for their children

When you are younger and first getting introduced to the sports world it can be fun and a great experience for not only you but your family too. While I was growing up my parents did everything they could to get me involved with sports of all kinds, such as soccer, softball, tennis, basketball etc. The first step in this journey was finding a sport that I truly enjoyed and that my family enjoyed watching me play. Throughout the years I narrowed my sports involvement down to one sport, soccer, which allowed me to focus solely learning the game. I soon realized that as I grew older the sport became more competitive. As well, my parent’s interest and competitive nature became more involved in the game. Parent Sport Socialization as described in the article “Early Socialization of Parents through organized Youth Sports” states that Parent Sport Socialization is socially constructed for parents to make sense of their roles in organized youth

In DiFiori’s article he tells us, “Youths participating in sports have opportunities to enhance self-esteem and socialize with peers setting the stage for an active adult lifestyle.” When a child is playing sports they have multiple opportunities to do well in their activity which increases their self-esteem. Coaches will complement them and encourage them as they master skills and perform well. Also playing on a team with other players will increase social skills. The teammates a child befriends while on a sports team will create everlasting relationships. Also, some teammates are hard to deal with. It teaches a child how to deal with adversity and people they do not see eye to eye with. Sports teaches people how to work together with people for a common goal and interest. Sports provides inumerable benefits and lessons that one can use later on in their adult life and in the workforce.

Sports help to develop teamwork by giving kids a chance to play side-by-side with other kids. Teacher Steven Ruhl, says, “Being in sports almost gives you another group of friends to be around, thats how I met a lot of my friends.” This means, you can gain another group of friends through sports. When developing new friendships through teamwork, children learn how to communicate more effectively with peers. In the article, True Sport, it states, “Communication is the key to successful teamwork. Strong communication makes it possible for the team to know the strategy, what is

Socialization is very important in society and in the development of a child’s personality. Socialization is very vital to the success that a person hopes to accomplish in life. One must learn how to work with others and effectively communicate with others. This characteristics are very essential in life. Through sports many find that these concepts can be learn. It is preferred that these skills are acquired at a young age. If these skills can be learned through sport it makes sense that a parent would put a child in these at such a young age. Sports also give the very important benefit of better health. I will closely examine both the pros and cons of socialization of children through sport at a young age from a functionalist and

Playing sports may help children develop new friends. Some people against youth sports might say that if a child is not that great at a sport, he will have to sit out and not get a chance to play. Only in adult sports athletes don’t get to participate. In youth sports, every athlete is required playing time. Although I believe that sports help children develop friends. Participating in sports has helped children make friends by 87% (Doc 1). Playing sports provides pleasure for children and gives them an opportunity to meet new people and acquire new friendships. Children playing sports find it a lot easier to make friends rather than children not involved in sports.

153). Social play through organized sports gives the adolescent a means for physical activity thus, increasing self-esteem through appearance. By increasing the participation rate, the physical ability of the adolescent increasing once again provides an “opportunity to demonstrate these attributes” (Findlay & Coplan, 2008, p. 158). Sports participation increases the athlete’s self-esteem and well-being over their non-participant peers. The psychosocial benefits for adolescents through sports participation provide an advantage context for skills (physical and social), self-esteem, and anxiety reduction.

Sport sociology examines sports as a part of cultural and social life, and adds a different dimension and perspective to the study of sport and exercise. More specifically, sport sociology examines the relationship between sports and society and seeks answers to many issues and questions regarding sport and culture. Sociology of sport poses critical and controversial issues; additionally, sports are considered a microcosm of society, the same social issues that exist in larger society also exist in sport culture. I have chosen eight peer-reviewed Sociological Journals to expand upon the understanding of this topic that I found to be the most relevant and offer diverse yet complete perspectives on sports.