How Does Participation in Sports Encourage Positive Youth Development? Essay

Many adults argue that playing sports doesn’t make a difference in the way teenagers or adolescents behave. Many studies show several affects on children’s behavior when they are involved in sports. Different characters such as manners, leadership, social skills, and others are proven to be developed over time within participation in sports. I have found two articles arguing why kids should participate in sports and how it affects their behavior in a positive way. The first article argues First Article: Youth problem behaviors, such as truancy, violence, and substance use, are alarming to parents, teachers and youth alike. These behaviors disrupt the learning environment and lead to serious social and economic problems. Some experts have argued that rather than trying to prevent individual problem behaviors, parents, schools and communities should work towards building a youth’s ability to resist the lure of problem behaviors (Dryfoos, 1990; Werner & Smith, 1992). As youth develop, they need positive settings that offer the opportunity to build these important internal resources (Hawkins & Weiss, 1985). Researchers and teachers have long suggested that extracurricular activity participation can be an important source of positive influence in the lives of youth (Holland & Andre, 1987). This Fact Sheet will explore how youth participation in extracurricular activities can encourage positive youth development. Second Article: is putting a child into a competitive sport beneficial for them? Some people believe competitive sports to have a negative impact on children. It’s hard on their bodies, they tend to put sports before education, and it puts a great deal of pressure on the child to win and if not it can lower the child’s self-esteem. Yes, like everything in life, it has its negatives, but its positives outweigh its negatives by a numerous amount. Competitive sports help children not only physically but mentally and emotionally. Sports can have a great impact on a child’s life and can help them grow not only as an athlete, but as a person. Growing up playing sports you meet many new and different people, which helps you learn how to adapt and get to know new people more quickly. Playing competitive sports, you meet people with the same interests and you can develop long lasting friendships. Children learn to participate as a team not just as an individual; this will be needed throughout someone’s life through jobs relationships, and much more. Character and integrity are associated with competitive sports. These two characteristics are not built through competitive sports, but are revealed in a competition. The hope is that you learn to do the right thing and make the right choices, which is character and integrity at its finest. â€Å"Competitive athletes are consistently involved in situations where they are challenged. This not only occurs on the competitive field of play but in the practice gym as well. When this happens, their level of perseverance and determination will be tested. The hope is that they become stronger within over time† (Mango). They also learn discipline, how to set goals and how to achieve those goals. â€Å"Kids involved in sports are less likes to take drugs or smoke because they realize the impacts that these destructive activities can have upon their performance. Girls who play sports are also less likely to get involved into any sexual activity at a young age. Their hormones are released during sport activity and not just held in so that they feel the need to engage into sexual physical activity at a young age. They are also less likely to get pregnant if their mind is on sports not only because of the hormones put into sports but because they will want to continue their career and not get caught up.