Youth Training, Part III: Pressure
Societal Pressure to Participate
Based on what I have experienced so far, and in talking with parents, seasonal sports conflicts are a major portion of why the youth have not become consistent members here at ONDEG. I suspect it's possible for a child to never be in an "off-season" due to the number of sports leagues available throughout the year. I know a number of parents who spend many, many hours traveling with their children around the state, and out of state, to participate in sporting events year-round. I can't say this is good or bad, but I will give you my perspective. (You kind of expected that didn't you?) And, as I said before, I'd like your perspectives on this so please post a comment, send me an email or talk with me in person, telling me where I am on or off base with this subject.
I believe that societal pressure drives children (and parents) to participate in sports before first becoming athletes. According to one online dictionary, an athlete is "a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill".
Taking it a bit further, the same source states that a sport is "an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature". Can that be read that a person must be an athlete first, then participate in sports (i.e. then a "sportsman"). If a sportsman must first be an athlete, why is the priority on sports before athletics? I surmise that an individual must be an athlete first, then a sportsman (or sportswoman, as the case may be). The old "chicken or egg" conundrum? Not really. It is difficult to argue with the common sense view of athletics in relation to sport according to Greg Glassman's hierarchy of athletic development (as found here on page 8) .
Next up: What's a Parent to Do?
Based on what I have experienced so far, and in talking with parents, seasonal sports conflicts are a major portion of why the youth have not become consistent members here at ONDEG. I suspect it's possible for a child to never be in an "off-season" due to the number of sports leagues available throughout the year. I know a number of parents who spend many, many hours traveling with their children around the state, and out of state, to participate in sporting events year-round. I can't say this is good or bad, but I will give you my perspective. (You kind of expected that didn't you?) And, as I said before, I'd like your perspectives on this so please post a comment, send me an email or talk with me in person, telling me where I am on or off base with this subject.
I believe that societal pressure drives children (and parents) to participate in sports before first becoming athletes. According to one online dictionary, an athlete is "a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill".
Taking it a bit further, the same source states that a sport is "an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature". Can that be read that a person must be an athlete first, then participate in sports (i.e. then a "sportsman"). If a sportsman must first be an athlete, why is the priority on sports before athletics? I surmise that an individual must be an athlete first, then a sportsman (or sportswoman, as the case may be). The old "chicken or egg" conundrum? Not really. It is difficult to argue with the common sense view of athletics in relation to sport according to Greg Glassman's hierarchy of athletic development (as found here on page 8) .
A Theoretical Hierarchy of Athletic Development
A theoretical hierarchy exists for the development of an athlete. It starts with nutrition and moves to metabolic conditioning, gymnastics, weightlifting, and finally sport.
This hierarchy largely reflects foundational dependence, skill, and to some degree, time ordering of development. The logical flow is from molecular foundations, cardiovascular sufficiency, body control, external object control, and ultimately mastery and application. This model has greatest utility in analyzing athletes’ shortcomings or difficulties.We don’t deliberately order these components but nature will. If you have a deficiency at any level of “the pyramid” the components above will suffer.
Text and image courtesy CrossFit and CrossFit Alpha
Comments