1. Introduction
There has long been a deep-seated belief that participation in sports has the power to teach positive values and build character in America’s youth. The belief lingers in stark contrast to a sports environment that has increasingly come to be dominated by unacceptable instances of poor sportsmanship. Despite a growing body of empirical data attempting to assess the character-building capacity of sports, and ideologically driven organizations that attempt to instrumentalize sports by claiming to use it to build aspects of character such as self-discipline, teamwork, respect for others, and self-esteem, relatively few direct assessments of these efforts have been conducted. Consequently, major segments of American society continue to believe they derive value by using sports for non-athletic aims regardless of how individuals actually participate or what motivates them to do so. As sports have become more secularized and professionalized, many lost sight of the potential transformational value that sports – when practiced as a youth amateur sport – can have.
1.1. Background and Significance
Sport has become a significant social institution that plays a major role in modern society. As a major component of sport, youth sport has attracted increasing attention for its role in child development. Research has widely recognized the positive impacts of youth sports, finding that participants in youth sports are more likely to display increased self-esteem and decreased antisocial behaviors, experience enhanced social skills and positive peer relationships, and later lead more successful lives in terms of educational attainment and future salaries, and are more likely to engage in lifelong physical fitness. Most current research on positive outcomes is conducted within the context of interscholastic sports programs. Nearly 50 million children and adolescents participate in organized sports, and far more participate in informal or recreational sports activities. But, with rising concerns about the effects of competition and the costs of supporting youth sports, the expected benefits of sports have only partially been achieved. Consequently, research on youth sport programs suggests that contextual factors shape the construction of character. Specifically, sport programs in which positive character models are established through ethical coaching, community building, and sportsmanship education will achieve the primary goal of instilling character in the youth involved in the programs. While youth who contract certain problems while involved in programs will be more likely to benefit from anticipated effects on character and sportsmanship, the investment needed for extra support may be prohibitive for many programs.
1.2. Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was designed to explore the role of youth sports in character formation. The study was conducted within a suburban school district located in the southwestern United States. The district’s diversity relative to ethnicity and socio-economic status provided a dynamic environment to explore the phenomenon. The specific purposes of the study were: 1. To understand the character traits parents hope to instill through the participation of their children in youth sports. 2. To understand the perceived purposes and outcomes of youth sport participation by children in the study. 3. To understand the role of the coach in nurturing, influencing, and motivating character development within the context of a sport team. 4. To understand the influence and significance of parental involvement within the context of a sport team. 5. To obtain information for the development of a character development curriculum within a sports context.
2. Theoretical Framework
How do competitive sports function as contexts for character development? In searching for an answer to this question, some distinctions need to be made. First, there is a difference between four kinds of tasks we might engage in when exploring the connection between sports and character formation: philosophical, psychological, empirical, and policy-oriented. Philosophers will pose and attempt to answer questions about which character traits are desirable and how they ought to be developed. Psychological researchers will focus on empirical questions of what kinds of people participate in sports and how different experiences associated with sports might influence character development. Empirical researchers will test hypotheses advancing these investigations. Finally, policy-oriented researchers will consider the practical implications of their findings, asking what is or ought to be done with respect to the conduct of sports programs due to their developmental potential. Second, there is a difference between youth sport settings themselves and the wider social framework in which sport settings are embedded. We can investigate the moral dimension of youths’ participation in sports and assess the capacity of these activities to develop character within the limits of the sports themselves. Related research offers evidence both that sport participation is indicative of positive moral and social development and that certain aspects of sport more generally can make a positive contribution to social development, school performance, self-esteem, and reduced involvement in various problem behaviors. It is another task, however, to design studies to determine the actual effects of sport participation on moral and educational outcomes. None exists to date.
2.1. Social Learning Theory
The idea that sport encourages the development of athletes’ characters has been at the heart of the profession of physical education for many years. Through the experience of physical activity in general and sport in particular, participation in a physical education program is intended to not only contribute to the development of an individual’s physical, intellectual, social, and affective domains but to draw out the highest moral and ethical qualities of those involved. The historical ideal that sport can develop character and moral values continues to be upheld, and it is still thought that youth programs focused on character building will effect just that—often times without explicit consideration as to the underlying mechanism behind such a transfer of learning. In actuality, participation in youth sports does not necessarily conquer the combined expectations of cognitive, emotional, and social development. Indeed, negative character-building experiences in youth sports are a concern to society and among the foremost factors contributing to an early exit from sports participation. With proper guidance, youth sports provide children with numerous opportunities that contribute to growth. Social, moral, and emotional development that can be applied later in life occur during well-structured physical activity settings, and these behaviors and attitudes related to character are developed. Practical methods for coaches can certainly be implemented to enhance the character and moral development of athletes. The “teaching” of character through youth sports must be grounded in sound educational theory—one such theory is social learning theory. Researchers have found that children with little opportunity to take part in organized sports are at a disadvantage in comparison to their peers who engage in such activities. Positive character formation can develop when the environment is conducive to such an experience. Positive relationships, cooperation with others, and encouragement of others while attending to one’s needs and feelings play an important role in shaping the attitudes of youth towards the values of the game. Successful and unsuccessful experiences encourage sportsmanship on and off of the field. While the competition factor draws many youth, these interactive algorithms contribute character development. Recognition of the values and experiences that transcend current sport participation into the learning of moral values and good character is the richest of rationales for the support of today’s generation of parents, coaches, and society in regarding the importance of school and community sports. Character building is an ongoing process that youth sports can successfully begin. With practice, modeling, and continued enforcement as prescribed by social learning theory in youth sports communities, our youth are given fecund opportunities to develop positive character traits from the many experiences in sports.
2.2. Positive Youth Development Model
Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, and the National Academy of Youth have endorsed the shared goal that all youth should have the opportunity to participate in sports and develop positive character traits. The Positive Youth Development model (PYD) has influenced this endorsement. This is based on the belief that all youth have the potential for positive character development. Research has found that sport participation among youth is associated with positive character development, such as interpersonal skills and work ethic, learning moral values, and accepting responsibilities and rules. These findings have led many concerned people to suggest that organized sports provide an avenue for formal character development. Unfortunately, the evidence is limited regarding sport-based programs that promote character development. Moreover, many examples of negative outcomes due to sport participation have also been documented. Therefore, the concern is that the messages and actions by the adults involved in sport may undermine the potential benefits of character development in young people. The need to elucidate how character development can occur in sports requires examining the underlying conceptual model used to guide sport participation. However, character and sports should be examined in their broader context. Specifically, character represents a component of overall moral functioning. Therefore, it is useful to recognize character development within the moral functioning of the individual. In its broadest sense (and for all ages), good character refers to the embodiment of virtues that will, overall, help to maintain or enhance one’s own and another’s well-being and the environment. To recognize character as part of moral functioning, the cognitive, general value and affective, and behavior sub-systems must also be considered. When considered in combination, it is not certain whether focus on the moral domain, when character development is an indication of overall moral functioning, should guide youth participation in sports as a concept for planning and action. Therefore, it is important to identify the conceptual underpinnings of character development for today’s youth.
3. Benefits of Youth Sports
The Cornell Survey Research Institute surveyed over 4,000 high school students from every part of the United States who had at least a C average and were involved in some extracurricular activity. They were questioned on moral and ethical issues. Unanimously, they rejected the use of steroids, attempting to injure an opponent on the field, financial aid to entice a quality player, and cheating to earn a degree. Youth sports programs must continue as a disciplined team environment capable of effectively expanding a youth’s development of their physical, intellectual, and social aspects. Horseplay is not generally presented in a team-oriented aspect. Sports develop a teamwork attitude in today’s youth that is difficult to replace. Teamwork in the sports setting starts early as a successful team becomes stronger than just a collection of talented individuals. Many non-physical activities, such as band, military units, or theater groups, affect teamwork through character formation. However, a dynamic environment that stresses individual contribution must be present for these types of groups to become successful. Societal development requires a sense of loyalty to a project or goal, doing your best, and being able to function as a member of a team. This valuable learning of cooperation should be an active part of every young person’s development. The team experience associated with sports fosters oneness and cooperation.
3.1. Physical Health
Certainly, the primary reason for children’s participation in athletics is that it contributes to their physical well-being. Dodgeball may not be everyone’s idea of a character-building sport, but any sport that gets kids outdoors and away from their sedentary pursuits is good for them. In an age when child obesity is emerging as a major public health concern, athletic activity is assuming an importance that goes beyond the playing field. But the advantages of athletics in combating obesity are only a small part of their contribution to physical health. No matter why a person engages in regular physical activity, he or she gains positive physical benefits. One major study has confirmed that regular exercise in childhood leads to healthier living as an adult and that there is a risk of premature mortality if there is a long period of inactivity after childhood. Although the reasons are not fully understood, sports help to improve bone density, muscle tone, muscular strength, and physical fitness as well as maintain a healthy weight. Participating in sports confers physical benefits as well as emotional and psychological ones. Research has shown that girls who play sports have increased lung volume and better blood circulation. Beyond the physical health benefits of playing games involving aerobic activity, participation helps children develop psychomotor skills unique to specific sports. Optimal practice periods for developing visual-spatial skills occur from six to twelve years, for fine motor skills from six to nine years, and for gross motor skills from six to ten years. Getting children involved in sports can assist in the development of these important physical-perceptual-motor skills. Physical activities such as playing hopscotch, swimming, running, and bicycling are useful in the development of balance and equilibrium. The risk of injury is real, and parents should think of the benefits as more than offsetting the risks, even though the occasional casualty might seem catastrophic.
3.2. Mental Health
The relationship between sports and mental health is comparatively straightforward. It is clear from the research that engaging in regular physical activity is positively associated with mental health across the lifespan, and that vulnerable populations in particular, such as individuals struggling with low self-esteem, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression, may stand to benefit from it the most. However, there is no research indicating that participating in sports offers mental health benefits that demonstrate personal growth or civic virtues. In fact, competitive sports can have negative impacts on the mental health of young people. The research indicates that the pressure to win, practice, or please parents, coaches, teammates, or scouts can have negative impacts on mental health. In general, it appears that mental health is most likely to experience positive benefits rather than harm when the sports being played are intrinsically motivating to the individual.
3.3. Social Skills
There is clear evidence to suggest an association between team sport involvement and good social skills. It is argued that socially responsible behavior emerges through learning socialization rules, understanding how to cope with aggression, and how to get along with others without having to be monitored or coerced. Team sports provide a strong social environment for sharing these social experiences and learning the value of cooperation and mutual respect. These social experiences are said to transfer to good social skill development, which in turn transfers directly to behavior and academic success. Researchers frequently link youth sports participation to social status and social prestige. It is suggested that increased social acceptance by peers and the impact on self-esteem and popularity are all dyadic outcomes of continued participation in youth sport. These outcomes suggest that participation in youth sport contributes to increasing a child’s positive social status and prestige as well as serving the purpose of team cohesion. In addition, yet another important function of sports is in providing a venue of social support for children and youth. The involvement of friends, peers, and significant others in the sport setting provides a means of social interaction, which in turn provides a significant way in which individuals meet important social needs.
4. Character Development Through Youth Sports
Character development is one of the primary goals of youth sport participation. In fact, youth sport is ideally suited for character formation because it is a structured environment that teaches moral principles such as commitment, perseverance, patience, self-sacrifice, respect for others, obedience to authority, and ownership of one’s actions. The stakes in youth sport are low relative to society’s standard of behavior, and hence these competitions are ripe for nurturing proper character development. It is through youth sports that children and adolescents prepare for their part in the great play of life. They apply, practice, and develop their moral muscle in an environment that offers the opportunity for immediate reinforcement and correction. They have poised role models who can act as masters in the practice of virtues and also as mentors who instruct in proper behavior. Parents, too, play an instrumental role in nurturing the virtues and moral development of their children, through encouragement, praise, and discipline, as well as through their own behavior. Through scores of stories, myths, and parables, society has learned its lessons. The Greek myths and Homeric tales stress notions of heroism, virtue, and honor. The Bible and other religions’ laws and parables teach moral principles and obligations. The fables and allegories of many other cultures show examples of right and wrong, good and evil. Through these stories, societies have always stressed the importance of virtue and moral character. In trying to nourish these characteristics, parents, ministers, rabbis, priests, teachers, coaches, politicians, and philosophers, and many others have all had a hand in shaping, reinforcing, and telling these stories. Character offers standards for judgment of right and wrong conduct and for evaluating individuals who are said to embody or lack moral excellence. Participating in sports, through a system of rules and values, offers children and adolescents the challenge and opportunity to take part in and to deepen their varied experiences, to express their characters in a way that goes beyond their physical and social selves.
4.1. Leadership Skills
Sports are a natural setting for the development of leadership skills. As players grow more proficient through practice, they take on more responsibility for their own behavior and effort. The better the individual players, the better the whole team can perform. This is an important first step in learning the connection between individual accomplishment and group success. Over time, a natural leader usually emerges among the older children in a youth team. Even at earlier stages, children may be asked to “take one for the team” by playing a challenging role. Feedback is vital at this stage. A child playing the role of “last back” is eager to know how much he or she is contributing to the team’s success. On good teams, dads and coaches take time to praise or even pay for a donut for a child who stays back, learns to anticipate the ball, and then directs it to a teammate. Players are very responsive to instruction when they understand the benefit to the team. The more repetitive the coaching sessions, the faster the children will learn and the quicker the adults can get a cup of coffee.
4.2. Resilience and Perseverance
Resilience to Inside and Outside Challenges Youth are rarely given the opportunity in a controlled setting to fail. Sports are one of the few places in this society where failure is an everyday part of the curriculum. Through physical training, youth learn the benefits of endurance and persistence, and thus learn about themselves by learning both the limitations and power of our own physical bodies. Part of the athletic experience is learning one’s thresholds of pain and endurance. Part of what makes sports rewarding for athletes is testing and surpassing those thresholds. Athletics require dedication and follow-through, both of which are learned skills. Youth learn that success demands the ability to work hard and to continue working hard through failure and challenges. Many, if not most, of the problems our students face are not unique to sports. These are the kinds of problems that every young person faces, and the same personal strength, self-worth, and initiative that empower a young person to succeed in sports also apply to life more generally. In sports, young people must deal with the emotional pain that often accompanies forceful blows, hard contact, and physical fatigue. This causes student athletes to develop greater resilience in other areas of life, as they are taught to either help or be helped by teammates, despite the pain they may be suffering. Educational leaders have the responsibility for preparing children to do more than just misunderstand and prepare to ‘survive’ in this world; we must prepare and inspire them to truly thrive.
5. Conclusion
To conclude, the role of youth sports for character formation is highly contingent: getting involved in sports offers opportunities to develop characters, but it is by no means a guarantee. For the young person, it is a matter of seizing these moral opportunities and of receiving appropriate guidance and support. Meanwhile, for the adults responsible for youth sports, supporting children in their character development awakens responsibilities that go beyond winning, or even the fear of harm or corruption. It includes active and non-subordinating forms of assistance in the self-construction of young people by providing the best possible moral conditions under which children and adults can pursue valuable youth sports practices. Moreover, for more responsible adult support for children in sports, all adults involved in youth sports (coaches, sports professionals, sports organizations) need to deal with their many expressions of self-interest and with their lack of expertise when it comes to moral questions. Not always for the sake of the children, but for their sake, coaches – who are still the primary figures involved in teaching youth sports – should not be abandoned to their fate. The model of children’s vulnerability has a huge impact if used in education for responsible behavior in sports, because each individual child is the starting point for respected human dignity.
5.1. Summary of Key Findings
The past twenty years have witnessed a growing interest in youth sports as a context for character development. Indeed, there is now a growing literature on the developmental outcomes of youth sport participation. Despite this burgeoning interest, however, the question of exactly what it is about sports that promotes the development of good character remains unclear. The multifaceted and complex nature of youth sports often makes it difficult to unravel the precise ways in which character may be shaped through sport, although, as we have seen in this volume, sport plays an important role in helping young people cultivate the attitudes, values, motives, and practical skills that constitute good moral character. Based on the findings from the three other chapters in this volume, as well as the vast literature from anthropology, sociology, philosophy, psychology, and sport science, we summarize the key findings and suggest some important directions for future research. The goal of our volume has been to identify the various ways in which youth sports can help children develop good character. In sum, our research has found that youth sports can provide a number of important opportunities for building moral character. Specifically, sports teams provide youth the opportunity to develop a range of moral characteristics such as perseverance, teamwork, leadership, and discipline. Moreover, sports can build such character traits through a combination of mechanisms that both foster direct moral learning and provide props and settings that allow such learning to occur in the first place. Importantly, we did not focus on organized, competitive, or adult-directed sports, but on sports as they typically are played by youth, on teams in which the common goal is to win each and every game – though doing so can happen only through moral means. Our research casts doubt on the common lament that youth sports do not build character but instead foster a sense of entitlement and a win-at-all-costs attitude.
5.2. Implications for Future Research and Practice
From what we know so far, youth sports seem to offer more promise as a vehicle for promoting secondary character than for instilling primary moral character. More research is needed to confirm these patterns and to delve more deeply into some of the remaining questions and gaps. For example, it is important to understand better why the observed relationship between youth sports involvement and moral values is apparently weaker than the relationship between youth sports and secondary character. It also is important to clarify whether and how certain features of youth sports, such as volunteer coaches, the winning ethic, or over-involvement of parents, work, as well as what other conditions may be more conducive to positive character development for children and youth in this valued learning environment. Efforts to encourage positive youth development in and through sports can be undertaken by the various stakeholders involved – program providers, parents, young athletes themselves, positive youth development researchers, philosophers at Pine School secondary schools, colleges, and local communities. We should seize this opportunity, especially in light of the current large-scale involvement in organized youth sports. The development of character through sports ideally should begin at the foundation phase, as children begin to understand the principles of respect for themselves and others, self-management and self-discipline, and the appreciation of strengths. Information on work in this area by the VIA Institute on Character and other organizations provides evidence that character strength, when taught, leads to improved academic achievement. The Wolf Corporation Educational study, working with over 15,000 children from 500 middle and high schools, showed a 13% increase in academic test grade when a focus on character, and the character strengths of hope, self-regulation, and social intelligence were learned and applied in a school setting. Furthermore, the VIA Institute on Character has shown evidence that character strength education encourages a strength-based learning environment in which the seven core strengths of hope, zest, gratitude, curiosity, self-regulation, love, and appreciation of beauty become the compass that charts a strong moral course.
FAQS
**1. How does participating in youth sports contribute to character development?**
Participating in youth sports fosters essential life skills such as teamwork, discipline, resilience, and leadership, all of which are crucial for character formation.
**2. What specific values can children learn from team sports?**
Children can learn collaboration, respect for others, accountability, and the importance of dedication through their experiences in team sports.
**3. Can individual sports also promote character building?**
Yes! Individual sports teach self-discipline, personal responsibility, and goal-setting while enhancing self-esteem and perseverance.
**4. At what age should children start participating in organized sports?**
While it varies by child readiness, many programs offer opportunities for kids as young as 4 or 5 to begin engaging in structured play that emphasizes fun over competition.
**5. How can parents ensure a positive experience in youth sports?**
Parents can support a positive experience by encouraging a focus on effort and enjoyment rather than just winning, fostering open communication with coaches, and emphasizing the value of participation.
**6. What role do coaches play in character formation through sports?**
Coaches are vital mentors who not only teach athletic skills but also instill values like perseverance and integrity while modeling positive behavior themselves.
**7. Are there any negative impacts associated with youth sports participation?**
Potential negatives include pressure to perform or win at all costs, which can lead to burnout or stress; it’s important to maintain a balanced approach that prioritizes well-being above competition.
**8. How can community involvement enhance a child’s experience in youth sports?**
Community involvement enriches the experience by providing resources such as coaching clinics and volunteer opportunities that reinforce social bonds and shared values among participants.
