Athletes have been looked up to as role models for as long as sports have existed. There is so much attraction and admiration about being a professional athlete. Sports can have a great impact on people and society. Professional Athletes should be held as role models for the youth because they are at the center stage of attention in this world. The term role model is defined as a person whose behavior, example, or success is or can be emulated by others, especially the younger generation. Setting good examples and showing personal integrity allows guidance for the youth.
Athletes being pressured to win at any cost allow them to feel that they are above the law. Although some professional athletes are held to high standards, they tend to fail at setting good examples for the younger individuals that look up to them. Professional athletes should show an act of responsibility for actions. “Former NBA superstar and current television analyst Charles Barkley is clear that the answer is a resounding No. He believes that athletes are not the figures that children should be emulating. He feels that it is parents who have the obligation and responsibility to be role models” (Steinberg 1).
Athletes are constantly on the center stage of attention. Millions are watching everything they do on and off of the playing ground which forces them to be as role models because of children admiring them. Athletes are mostly seen on the playing field rather than outside the sports organization. Athletes can show great characteristics on the playing field setting great examples for the youth by showing sportsmanship, teamwork, and hard work. Teamwork is displayed in sports such as football, baseball, and basketball. Teamwork is when all players work together and are all striving to reach the same goal.
Working together as a team is very beneficial and teaches young children a lot about working together and how it’s never a one-man show. Having Sportsmanship is probably the biggest characteristic an athlete can show by not taunting, helping the other team out, and also congratulating a team on a win. Professional athletes demonstrate their love for the game by playing hard. Athletes that play hard every game can teach kids at a young age to always try there best at anything they do. Children admire certain professional athletes that they see on television so of course imitation is going to occur.
It is statistically proven that children who are active in sports are less likely to become involved in drugs because they know the downside of getting hooked on drugs. “The mentality and behavior of drug addicts is wholly irrational until you understand that they are completely powerless over their addiction and unless they have structured help, they have no hope. ” (Steinberg 1) Obesity is another growing problem in today’s world and professional athletes promotes better eating habits and staying healthy in order to perform at a higher level.
The positive influences of athletes can also be seen off of the playing field. Professional athletes are well known for going out and helping and starting charities. Many famous athletes such as Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong have provided charities in order to give back to their community and help younger individuals achieve. Some athletes will even take time out during the summer to go and visit high schools and elementary schools to encourage the students to stay in school and to promote drug awareness. Another quality that athletes can demonstrate to the youth off of the playing field is commitment.
Professional athletes have to hold there heads up during hard games or even just frustrated times although an athlete may not want to continue on with the game, they stick with it, and stay committed. Many children have a tendency to want to quit something if they feel that it’s to hard or they’re just not good enough. For athletes to show their flaws or just there frustration in public it can help younger athletes cope with similar situations. Athletes continuing to play hard it can motivate younger athletes to not give up and continue to keep working hard.
Although athletes practice having a positive manners and attitudes they are still human beings and they do make mistakes. Some athletes can get carried away during a game and become very rude and disrespectful towards other teams and even fans. While on the playing field many players and even coaches often get very angry when things do not go their way. Players can end up arguing and fighting when things are going bad during a game. When referring to the boxing match in 1997 between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson. Tyson was very frustrated during the fight that he bit a part of Holyfield’s ear.
For children to see this they can lose respect for the person or even sometimes end up making the same mistake some point in their life. Athletes display bad conduct by throwing equipment and acting out over a game. If a child were to copy this sort of behavior there parent will punish them for being such a sore loser. If a child caught their favorite athlete cheating then he or she might try to cheat in school because it appears to be acceptable when they are looking up to there role model. Just as children can mimic the good examples, the bad examples can unfortunately be mimicked as well.
Role models tend to set positive and negative effects on young athletes. One of the greatest problems among athletes is addiction. Examples of drug addictions, alcohol addictions, and even gambling addictions can lead younger athletes in the same predicament. Although there is a drug policy for professional sports, athletes can find ways to get through the system in order to have an edge over their opponents. Various professional athletes came forward and spoke about the wide use of drugs and how it can tear down their career and reputation. Drug use among young people in today’s society is severely high.
Young children hearing their role models drug abuse addiction can result them in following their same footsteps in order to become a professional just as them. Athletes have to realize that they are looked up to and cannot set bad examples for the youth because they feel that it’s right because their favorite athlete did it therefore they believe they can do it also. “Lance Armstrong, the all-American cancer survivor who set the record in cycling for most Tour De France championship admitted in an Oprah Winfrey interview that he achieved his victories by doping” (Steinberg 1).
Gambling is also a major problem with athletes. Many Athletes with there high paid salaries feel that nothing is wrong with gambling but truly there is; they are not setting good examples for the incoming athletes that aren’t being paid as much causing some athletes to become in debt. Sometimes the gambling can even go as far as turning into cheating by teams purposely losing games for money. Some players or even whole teams will take money as a bribe to purposely lose a game. For example in 1919, the Chicago White Sox received money from someone and agreed to wreck the World Series.
Another major problem that affects children is watching athletes skip college to pursue a career in sports. In todays society it is nearly impossible to find a job without a college degree and the odds of becoming a professional athlete are a million to one. Playing a professional sport is rare and most kids’ dreams are to become a professional athlete. But if professional athletes can encourage young kids to chase there dreams and stay focused on there education it can be very beneficial in allowing them to not become drop outs and or uneducated individuals.
