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This study assessed the frequency of good and poor sport behaviors as perceived by young athletes, parents, and coaches. A secondary goal was to examine related sportspersonship attitudes. A total of 803 young athletes in the fifth through eighth grades, representing 10 different sports, completed a behavioral and attitudinal survey, as did 189 of their parents and 61 of their coaches. The sample was drawn from three regions of the United States. Specific behavioral and attitudinal frequency data suggest that there are significant ethical problems occurring in many youth sport programs. Results are discussed in relation to the concepts of collective norms and moral atmosphere.
Like Rorschach's ink blots, the world of youth sports is open to multiple interpretations. Some see in youth sports a system rife with rampant problems, such as cheating and aggression. They point to abusing adults and disrespectful kids. They see a youth sport world populated by children who cheat, fight, and disrespect opponents and officials, by coaches who encourage such behaviors, and by parents and fans who scream vulgarities at players, coaches, and officials. Others think these perceptions are based only on rare, but highly publicized incidents. They see the vast majority of children having fun and joyfully learning new skills under the watchful eye of caring mentors. Most likely, there is an element of truth in both perceptions. The playing fields of youth sports are populated neither by angels nor devils, but human beings who often act well, but who sometimes do not.
The extent of ethically-relevant problems in youth sports is a question of considerable cultural and educational interest. Sports are a growing and prominent part of society, with approximately 47 million youth participating in organized sport programs (Ewing & Seefeldt, 2002). According to a recent Monitoring the Future survey, among eighth graders, 71% of males and 68% of females participate in school athletics (Bachman, Johnston, & O'Malley, 2003). But what kind of experience are they having? For these youth, is sport a den of iniquity or a land of promise, as Martens (1976) once queried?
Unlike perceptions of Rorschach's ink blots, the veracity of the different perceptions of the ethical status of youth sports lends itself to empirical investigation. A study by the Minnesota Amateur...