The Youth Sports Crisis - Out-of-Control Adults, Helpless Kids (Hardcover)

This provocative critique of the youth sports movement examines the various issues surrounding children in sports and provides a plan for reform based on a change in philosophy and practice. Many American children spend more than 20 hours a week in organized sports, forgoing free time and unstructured recreational activities for the rigors of training and competition. This book offers a comprehensive critique of the youth sports movement, pitting the reality of adult-run sports programs against the needs and interests of children. It examines whether the tradeoff of "normal play time" for structured sports activities teaches discipline and leads to stronger character development, or if the pressures of the game, the physical strain of practicing, and the general overscheduling of children's lives have eroded the benefits associated with playing sports. Educator and former coach Steven J. Overman contends that youth-based sports programs require a radical change for the well-being of the young participants. The book explores the various problems in organized sports, including stress on the family, physical health hazards, violence, emotional duress, elitism, and hyper-competitiveness. Incorporating the perspectives of coaches, athletes, parents, physicians, and social scientists, the narrative scrutinizes the role of adults as promoters and coaches and concludes with a discussion of current and needed reforms. Contains a separate chapter on youth football that highlights the toxic elements of the sport Features a comprehensive bibliography of some 275 sources containing scholarly and popular books, periodicals, conference papers, and online resources Offers a comprehensive view on the topic, including the expenses, injuries, and exploitation by coaches Explores the damaging culture of hypermasculinity inherent in boys sports

General

Imprint:	Praeger Publishers Inc
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	October 2014
First published:	October 2014
Authors:	Steven J Overman
Dimensions:	236 x 155 x 25mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover
Pages:	249
ISBN-13:	978-1-4408-3138-6
Categories:	Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social institutions > Leisure Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social groups & communities > Age groups > Adolescents Promotions
LSN:	1-4408-3138-6
Barcode:	9781440831386

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!