True-Sport-Report
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to say “no” to a sport culture that is more<br />
concerned about winning than their<br />
child’s healthy development.<br />
Research shows that there is little<br />
relationship between specialization and<br />
later achievement and that specialized<br />
sport perversely can lead to adverse<br />
psychosocial and emotional consequences.<br />
Conversely, a landscape of opportunity<br />
can foster a richness of invaluable life<br />
experiences that transcend sport and<br />
competition and provide exposure to<br />
myriad choices for personal achievement<br />
and fulfillment. Exposing children to<br />
many activities promotes balance.<br />
For those young athletes who live<br />
under the high pressure of specialization,<br />
the concern is that they might fall prey<br />
to the justification or rationalization that<br />
anything goes in the race to win at any<br />
cost—even including taking performingenhancing<br />
drugs.<br />
We need to treat sport as we treat<br />
education—we want our students to be<br />
well rounded and to learn more than any<br />
one subject and at a pace that is appropriate<br />
to their skill levels. This means having<br />
courses for beginners, advanced, and even<br />
gifted students. We do not reward only<br />
the gifted; we recognize that everyone<br />
has something to offer and everyone can<br />
benefit.<br />
5. Model the way.<br />
Professional athletes are not the only<br />
role models in sport. In fact, the <strong>Sport</strong> in<br />
America survey found that coaches and<br />
parents are more important role models<br />
than anyone else. As adults, it is our<br />
responsibility to embrace and model true<br />
sport values.<br />
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