Athletes as role models
Sports in today's world have a major role in American culture. They areused to escape daily routine, as entertainment, as a part of a healthylifestyle, and as a tool to teach fundamental teamwork. More importantly,however, the people who play sports on a state, national, or internationallevel, are seen as role models to the youth and adult populations. Whilethe influence of those role models can be extremely positive, there arealso negative effects that can be equally detrimental. According to a 1999 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 88% ofAmerican kids ages 10 to 17 believe that athletes teach children goodbehaviors. The children rank athletes second only to parents and equallywith their teachers as the people they admire and look up to. More thanhalf of the 1,500 children surveyed, 54 %, reported that they strive towork harder at a sport because of an athlete they look up to (Kaiser, One question this brings about is whether or not the reasons we chooseathletes as role models are valid. Many people hold unrealistic views ofthe athlete's traits that make them a role model, and have unnaturally highexpectations for those role models. They are often perceived as obviou
In addition, many perceive them as having strong family values, as generouswith both their time and money, and as being co-operative and law-abidingcitizens (Baker, 2002. In addition, one in three teens of this age group alsoidentifies parties and unprotected sex as common problems of professionalathletes (Kaiser, 1999). One in three parents surveyed have attempted todiscourage using an athlete as a role model for their children (Kaiser,1999). Children are not naive enough to not notice the perks that are associatedwith famous athletes. " Vince Carter, for example, an all-star guard with the TorontoRaptors, founded the Embassy of Hope Foundation. In addition, less than three percent of college seniorswill play one year in professional basketball. However, in 2002, Nike ran another ad in which Marion Jones, a track star,counter pointed the Barkley ad by stating that simply because you don'tfeel like a role model, doesn't mean you aren't a role model. Nearly one in two 10 to 12 year olds say famous athletes are less likely to"break the law (53%), use hard drugs (52%), drink too much (47%), andengage in promiscuous sex (45%)" (Kaiser, 1999). Professional athletes have a more flawed image among people ages 13 to 17. However, there are some sports figures worthy of the term "rolemodel. Endorsement by a winning athlete is a non-beatableway to sell the item (Kaiser, 1999). As adults, the view of athletes becomes even worse. This in turn is transmittedto children's beliefs about their heroes. Nike, forexample, in the early 1990's ran an ad in which Charles Barkley stated thatthe role model was the job of the parents, not professional athletes. Many parents report that they have been forced to discuss sensitivesubjects earlier than planned because of something in the news about afamous athlete.
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Acceptance Essays
