3 4 15 CHAPTER 4 LECTURE Scholastic and youth sport programs developing the future via physical activity OVERVIEW organized sport programs for children Organized sport in north America and Europe Developed for more than health fitness and recreational enjoyment Practical uses were envisioned Sport team sports and the tiering effect Designed to teach lower class boys how to cooperate and work together peacefully Designed to turn middle and upper class boys into strong assertive and competitive men future leaders Early goals of organized sport programs Lower class boys Potential outcomes Productive Cooperative Obedient Career outcomes Production Service Laborers Blue collar workers Middle and upper class boys Potential outcomes Strong Assertive Competitive Career outcomes Business Military Politics Leaders Girls Encouraged to participate in girly activities and noncompetitive games e g tennis Activities designed to train them to become mothers and homemakers Domestic sciences had a higher priority than sport skills more functional Sport interests basically ignored Relegated to spectator and cheerleading roles Youth sport development Evolved dramatically after WWII Little league baseball was exception 1939 Exponential growth during 1950s and 1960s Aided by public private and commercial sponsors Programs primarily for boys 8 14 Factors Baby boom Kraus Webber test 1953 Cold war era Sputnik 1957 Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations Eisenhower establishes president s council on youth fitness now called president s council on fitness sports nutrition Major societal changes occur in late 1960s and 1970s Segregation ruled illegal Racial integration in effect Female sport participation increased dramatically Impetus for increased participation Fitness movement Women s movement Title IX Americans strongly support YSP 90 Yes misgivings exist about YSP outcomes 85 Respondents noted that coaches took games too seriously Too much emphasis placed on winning Not enough emphasis on physical and psychological development of participation 1 2 3 The rise of organized adult controlled YSP Perceived benefits Vehicle for keeping kids occupied out of trouble and under adult control Safe alternative to hanging out without adult supervision Functional role of sport Future fame and fortune Scholarship potential Socialization and identity Discipline and structure Major trends in YSP Privatization YSP rely heavily on private and commercial organizations for financial support Performance ethic performance driven Technical skill development highly emphasized Increase in private elite training facilities Specialized programs for highly skilled affluent youth Increased parent involvement Activities have become more serious for kids and parents Alternative action programs Disenchantment with conventional sport forms Privatization trends of YSP More reliant upon private and commercial entities Fewer tax supported or subsidized programs Public park and recreation centers forced to charge Public facilities forced to scale back activity offerings drop programs and close facilities completely due to budgetary constraints City wide soccer program Public pools Issues besting contemporary YSP Financial shortfalls Pay for play corporate support solicitation and fundraises become norm Selective and exclusive programs Often cater to only those who can afford to pay e g disparate impact or de facto discrimination Participation opportunities limited Private programs attract financially affluent Can perpetuate inequities hostilities and contempt Segregation and social class divisions often occur 3 9 15 Performance ethic driven programs read article on Blackboard basic characteristics emphasis primarily placed on activity outcomes progressive skill development highly emphasized performance becomes a measured outcome fun defined by personal improvement and success often private and or selective affective concerns feelings secondary Outcomes programs often exclusive and emphasize competition more so than public programs programs often market themselves on successful graduates physically superior kids most often recruited and attracted expenses and training viewed as investments connections drawn between childhood sport involvement and future educational and vocational activities Sport specialization strongly encouraged year round commitments via memberships and fees referred to as training schools clubs academies camps similar to specialized schools in Europe and Asia which cater to elite competition in figure skating gymnastics tennis ice hockey soccer and swimming Detrimental concerns over involvement can lead to injuries and maladies specialization can lead social isolation Hyper commitment can lead to malevolent behavior performance driven ethic can lead to lowered self esteem training schedules can emulate jobs Child Labor Issues residential training facilities may foster dependence Alternative sport forms a k a action sports etiology promotes departure from conventional programs constraints and controls of adult sponsored YSP exclusivity and performance oriented aspects of YSP rigid and extensive structure of conventional YSP Growth rationale house rules structure participant controlled activities flexible facilities and equipment inclusive nature Activities skateboarding snowboarding trick cycling X Games Gravity Games Dew Action Sports Tour informal and formal YSP experiences Research on youth sport experiences highlights studies of kids sport experiences informal and formal sport structures analyzed results give insight into strengths and weaknesses data secured via observations and interviews Key findings in informal sport experiences action which led to a score personal involvement playing challenging contest close scores reaffirmation of friends bonding Unique aspects of informal games o Structure games and rules often resembled organized programs rule modifications made to enhance action handicap systems employed to equalize talent pool personal involvement emphasized via house rules o Inherent concerns bigger and stronger kids may exploit smaller weaker and less skilled kids girls may incur sexist remarks and discrimination rule arbitration negotiated by social or playing status last kids selected often feel rejected or slighted Unique aspects of formal games o Structure highly structured rules playing conditions adult controlled fewer arguments kids serious and concerned about performance and game outcomes o