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Violence in sports has become an epidemic in today’s society. A growing concern about concussions in sports is bringing to light more violence and violent acts in all sports. The issue of violence in sports can be seen as early as in youth sports through professional sports. This issue can often be illustrated in spectators, as well as, on the playing fields in various forms. Violence in youth sports is usually due to the athlete emulating professional athletes or to please a coach or parent.
Violence in professional sports is done for numerous reasons. One example could be to gain an advantage mentally and or physically over their opponent. Intense competition could also be a cause to evoke violence amongst spectators. Whatever the reason may be, violence in sport is a concerning issue which calls for immediate attention. Sportsmanship seems to be a lesson of the ages, while winning at all cost, has taken its center stage. Sports violence can be defined as behavior which causes harm and occurs outside the rules of the sport and is unrelated to the competitive objective of the sport.
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Sports violence usually occurs in contact sports such as American football, ice hockey, rugby, soccer, boxing, and wrestling but is not limited to just these sports. Violence tends to occur in all sports throughout the culture of today. Depictions of such could be spectators heckling athletes, athletes speaking inappropriately or disrespectfully to opponents, or athletes trying to push the limits and see how far they can bend or break rules until consequenced.
This also includes intentional attempts to injure a player by another player or coach, threats of physical harm or actual physical harm sustained by players or coaches by those engaged in the sporting event.
Explanations of violence in sport can be categorized into three theories; biological theory, psychological theory, and social learning theory. The psychological theory states that violence and aggression is shown through frustration. Frustration is the result of one’s end result not coming to fruition. This causes the athlete to become upset with himself or his teammates forcing him to go outside the rules of the game to get the desired outcome. This can be instigated by a unreliable officiating, one’s failure to accomplish a task due to poor play or taunting/bating from spectators or opponents.
Social learning theory states that violent or aggressive behavior is learned through modeling and reinforcement either by reward or punishment. Young athletes look up to professional athletes as role models and model there game after their favorite pro athlete. They will also model their behavior from watching and emulating these athletes. Lastly, the biological theory sees aggression as a basic human inherent characteristic. This is seen as a socially acceptable way for one to release built up aggression.
As stated previously, violence at youth events appears to be happening on the fields as well as in the crowds. There seems to be a rise in injuries occurring in youth sports and this is being directly correlated to a rise in violence discussed. There may be many factors that are adding to this rise in violence. First, the “win at all cost” attitudes that parents and coaches are placing on kids are putting added pressures on young athletes to push the limits. Next, the need or desire of young athletes to please a parent or coach is overwhelming. One could also question the added pressure parents are putting on their children to help them financially by obtaining a scholarship to play a sport in college making them be more competitive at young age. According to recent statistics done by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), about two (2) percent of high school athletes are awarded athletic scholarships to compete in college.
Another reason why we may be seeing more violence in sports at a young age could be the kids are now bigger, faster and stronger than they were in the past. Athletes today are increasing their physical preparations to participate in athletics. More and more young children are weight training and increasing muscle mass within their bodies. There are weight rooms in almost every high school or middle schools where young children can build mass. The increased size of young athletes certainly leads to being more physical in sport.
Lastly, attributing to the cause of violence in sports at the youth level are parents themselves. Parents become overly aggressive on the sidelines and stands. The athletes are taking cues from the coaches and parents on the sidelines and stands. The positive reinforcement athletes get from coaches and parents for excessive hits or trying to get away with breaking the rules of the game will lead the athlete to believe that it is accepted and continue to exhibit this behavior. A study done by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill showed that may high school athletes in North Carolina assume that intimidation of your opponent and on field violence was accepted and apart of the game. Another study done by Edgar Shields, a professor of exercise and sport science, stated that eighty point seven percent (80.7%) accepted intimidation as part of the game, forty four point nine percent (44.9%) accepted on field violence as part of the game. The study also showed that fifty six point four (56.4%) believed physical, verbal or forms of intimidation was showing bad sportsmanship.
There are a number of things that can be done to help rectify the problem of violence in sports at the youth level. Sports must be put into perspective at this level by coaches as well as parents. Things that should be emphasized are sportsmanship and enjoyment of participating in the sport, not winning at all cost. This behavior by athletes at the youth level needs to be addressed and corrected. The questions are by who and how? Sportsmanship should not be ignored at any level, rather be taught at the youth level by the proper role models in a young adults life.
Contemporary Issues in Sports: Violence. (2024, Feb 04). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/contemporary-issues-in-sports-violence-essay
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