SEDL / STP / STP1446-EB / STP11614S

Rediscovering Youth Sportsmanship

Mariconda, J
Health & Physical Education TeacherUSA Hockey Director, USA Hockey Safety & Protective Equipment Committee, Paterson, NJ

Mariconda, A
Science TeacherUSA Hockey Atlantic District Referee-in-Chief, USA Hockey Safety & Protective Equipment Committee, Emerson, NJ

Pages: 4    Published: Jan 2004

Download this paper for $25 PDF (68K)          View License Agreement
Abstract

There is a growing concern about the misbehavior of parents at youth sporting events. To address this issue, the Rediscovering Youth Sportsmanship Program has been produced by the St. Barnabas Health Care System in New Jersey. The program offers parents a better understanding of the developmental needs of young athletes so that the parents can provide proper support while avoiding the pitfalls of player burnout and forcing their youngsters into injury-potential situations. Rediscovering Youth Sportsmanship builds awareness of the negative effects of poor sportsmanship by adults on young athletes, offers parents behavioral strategies for maintaining good sportsmanship, helps leagues set rules and guidelines for parental behavior and informs parents of sanctions for parental misbehavior.