The Kentucky Derby is just around the corner, and I have always found this time of year very exciting- filled with weeklong events, parties, nostalgia, pride, and hope with a twist of competition and mint juleps to top it all off. To watch twenty of the world’s fittest, most beautiful horses in the run for the roses and a hundred and fifty thousand fans cheering them on-what energy, sounds, and the feeling of the earth rumbling under the hooves of the horses in the fastest two minutes in sports. In anticipation of the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby things may have changed, but in my experience the most important things about the sport have not changed -joy, fun, excitement and camaraderie.
In the first part of this two part series we talked about youth sports safety and the importance of protecting our youth from physical harm on and off the playing fields. What happened to youth sports of years past when I was a kid? We played baseball spontaneously and for the fun of it. Today’s organized youth sports seem to have taken on a whole new attitude with the final result being a win for the team. In too many cases it seems kids are forced to play the game to satisfy their parents, and fun seems to be minimized. Where are the coaches who spend their time and energy focused on developing skills, building self-esteem and instilling the importance of good sportsmanship to their players instead of keeping score?
What has happened? We read about parents from coast to coast who have become so overcome with rage that they assault coaches and players alike. They shout, scream, hit, fight and in some cases pull knives send people to the hospital-over a game that is supposed to be fun, and exciting while building self-esteem.
Emotional abuse occurs when someone treats another in a negative manner which impairs the person’s concept of self. A few examples of emotional abuse are: forcing a child to participate in sports, yelling at a child for not playing well or when they lose, punishment for not playing well or losing, and criticizing and/or ridiculing a child for their sports performance.
The National Youth Sports Safety Foundation believes healthy philosophies foster emotionally healthy children. We should be proactive in eliminating destructive philosophies such as winning at all cost and that self-worth relies on wins and losses. Parents should refrain from negative activities like booing or taunting and yelling or arguing with game officials, parents or players. Parents should never hit another parent, player or official, or use profane language or gestures. The American Sports Education Program suggests, “Athletes First, Winning Second.” We as adults need to lead by example by instilling the concept of having fun and enjoying the game. These concepts will encourage an environment in which youth will learn and develop into the athletes of the future- both mentally and emotionally.
There are numerous benefits for parents and children who participate in sports. Competition in a friendly environment can develop better coping skills with competition in other areas of their lives. Social benefits provided by sports may be what draw children to sports in the first place. Physical benefits are many but research has shown that children who are involved in sports make better food choices than their counterparts who are not active. Emotionally, being a member of a team can help increase a sense of self worth when the emphasis is on group success.
Parents, remember your involvement can be either negative or positive. The child who receives positive attention without pressure will enjoy a great season of fun and reap good memories that will last a lifetime. Positive actives will encourage your child to grow not only emotionally but physically and socially as well. The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continuous sporting event in America, and that might be because it’s a competition filled with fun, cheers, excitement and anticipation of winning -but in the end a run for the roses makes you a winner.
Resources:
American Sports Education Program: www.asep.com
National Youth Sports Safety Foundations: www.nyssf.org
Positive Coaching Alliance: www.positivecoach.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.bam.gov
Howard Baker, RN BSN
For questions, comments, or suggestions on topics you want to read about please email me at: howard@howardsbaker.com
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