Psychology of Sport

Last Sunday, I took my three-year-old son to a Red Sox game. Given his fascination with Red Sox hats and T-shirts as well as baseball players in general, I was certain this was going to be a big occasion for him.

Did anyone read Robert Lypsyte's article, "'Jock Culture' permeates life'" in USA Today last Thursday? His central point is: "A ‘winning is everything' notion starts in the littlest of leagues. Lessons of hard work and fair play give way to ‘gain the edge at any cost.' But what happens when this type of thinking is adapted by CEOs, police officers, or politicians?" (USA Today, Thursday April 10th, 2008, pg 11A). Is the desire for immediate gratification permeating all aspects of our culture? Are the some of the negative lessons of sports stronger than the values of families and schools?

What if playing sports had absolutely no influence on college acceptance? What if playing for THE elite travel team meant only that our children were playing more games at a higher level with no free time for weekend relaxation? Would playing youth sports hold the same importance it does in present day culture?

Playing youth sports has drastically changed in the last twenty years. When I was young, we played pickup games in my neighborhood. Basketball, wiffleball, and touch football - without the involvement and supervision of adults - were our games until dark.