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Rose Colored Glasses
The Problem Areas
    Out Of Control Parents
    Child Exploitation
    Youth Sports Dropouts
    Endangering Young Athletes’ Health
    Sexual Abuse Of Young Athletes
    Youth Sports Violence
Meeting The Needs Of Kids And Adults

Sexual Abuse Of Young Athletes

One of the worst violations of trust we place in the youth sports system is when young athletes are sexually abused. Coaching youth athletes is an important responsibility precisely because coaches are in a position of power in their relationships with children and adolescents. Coaches who abuse that power and have sex with young athletes are a very small minority (although, due in part to the shame and secrecy associated with such abuses of power, it is hard to know how extensive the problem is). Their existence requires that parents keep a watchful eye on their children. Parents who shirk their responsibilities for their child and allow the young athlete to live with, or be in the care of, a top coach may be making a much more serious mistake than the overinvolved parent.

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Violence In Youth Sports

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Here are just three examples of the kind of youth sports violence that fills our newspapers on an almost daily basis:

• Unhappy about the unfair treatment his son received in the previous week's game, a father sharpened the buckle on his son's football helmet like a razor, gashing five players, one injured serious enough to require five stitches.
  
  

• A youth baseball coach, feeling that the umpire had been unfair in his decisions, stayed behind after the game was over to physically harass the umpire. He was just sixteen years old.
  
  

• After verbally abusing a basketball official, a female assistant basketball coach, whose sister was in the game, attacked the official as he was starting to leave, jumping on his back and hitting him. The reason? She was upset because she did not agree with some calls he had made!

Apologists for this sort of behavior point out that professional sports on television are often violent, such as some the big hits we see in hockey and football. But this argument really has nothing to do with the violence associated with youth sports. The parents just mentioned are not imitating the pro athletes they see on television - that violence takes place within the game. What is disturbing about the violent behavior we see on the sidelines and in the stands is that it takes place outside the game. Once again, these parents are out of control, behaving in blind response to feelings of anger and frustration generated by watching youth sports.

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Despite these problems, I still believe that youth sports programs can do a great deal of good for children and for families. There are many positive aspects of organized sports for children.

But if we are to improve the programs we offer to our children, we need to acknowledge and confront the problems. Not only do we need to understand that youth sports are not just "games for kids," but we also need to understand the important roles they play in our society and the powerful psychological pressures they exert on children, families, and communities. We need to realize that youth sports programs are for adults as much as children - perhaps more so. Until we recognize this fact, we will not be able to organize programs that meet the needs of these involved adults and best meet the children's needs.

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Article Updated: August 25, 2007

When Is Your Child Old Enough for You to Get Involved in Youth Sports?
Five Ways For Sport Parents To Set A Good Example
Escaping The Parent Trap
Successful Development Of the Young Athlete: Guidelines For Parents
Youth Sports Motivation Questionnaire (Parents Version)
Youth Sports Motivation Questionnaire (Youth Athlete Version)

Rethinking Youth Sports: The MomsTeam Approach
Pulling A Child Off A Sports Team For Poor Grades Sends The Wrong Message
Abuse, Harassment, And Neglect: The Pain Of Emotional Injuries
Does Your Child's Program Use The "Games Based Approach" To Teaching Sports?
Equal Playing Time: Should It Be The Rule, Not The Exception?

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