Athletes For Kids Essay

Every young boy grows up dreaming to be a NFL player, David Wilson was no different, but spinal stenosis his football career was ended. Wilson was a second-year running back for the New York Giants the last time he was seen by most of the public, and he gave one of the wisest, remarkable retirement speech with a lot of grace. Despite a neck surgery to try and counteract his condition, Wilson didn’t break down crying about leaving. Instead he smiled and cried saying, “But don’t for a second do you all think that I'm pitying myself. I got to live my dream. I’ll set another dream, and I’ll be great at that because I always look at trying to be great at whatever I do.” His new dream is to qualify for U.S. Nationals, and ultimately to be part of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

With a little fear in her eyes, Briana looked afraid of the first ball she would ever catch. Briana was a student of mine that I worked with through an Adapted Physical Education program taught by UNT’s Kinesiology Majors. Briana was diagnosed with cerebral palsy after birth and was hit by a drunk driver at the age of 5. Due to her previous condition and the accident, she obtained speech impairment and partially paralyzed right arm, and poor motor control. Although she enjoyed being active, she was very limited on what she could do physically, mentally, and financially. After a few weeks into the program, she proved to me that she had potential to progress physically and cognitively, but she lacked the resources and help she needed to continue. It was the hope and excitement Briana had when she learned to throw, catch, and kick a ball that made me eager to teach her everything I could in the span of 10 weeks. Throughout my time with Briana, I realized the passion I have for bringing hope, possibility, and opportunity into one’s life. In fact, three months later I was able to use that same passion and apply it to my job as a PT Technician. Becoming a technician gave me an insight to the field of Physical Therapy and a drive to further educate and succeed academically for my patient’s success. Being able to see the connection between my education and my clinical experience has helped me further understand the treatment my patients undergo and has increased my want to give more

While working with them it is my desire to mentor and encourage them to strive for greatness in all areas of life, not just in their sport alone. It is my belief that athletics can easily become a student’s identity and when injuries occur many athletes are faced with the question of who they are and where they fit in. In these cases, I believe that I will be able to help them overcome their physical injuries through rehabilitation exercises and therapeutic modalities but I hope to support them through those struggles that are so common among student athletes. All in all, this is my life’s purpose and I hold strongly to the fact that I will begin to see it unfold as I start my graduate studies at Tarleton State University in the fall of

As a human with no physical or learning disabilities, the culture and lifestyle of those with disabilities is still new to me. After watching Murderball, a documentary that focuses on the U.S. quadriplegic rugby team, I was happy to find out that there are still many opportunities for disabled individuals to participate in sports. Through dedication and training, it seemed that anything was possible for these athletes. Unfortunately, it appears that those with mental/learning disabilities are not presented with as equal opportunities for success in sports. Lauren McKeon’s “Why Won’t You Let Me Play?” focuses on the discrimination that takes place within the Special Olympics. After looking at the Paralympics and Special Olympics through the lenses of Murderball and “Why Won’t You Let Me Play”, it has become clear that people with disabilities do not have equal opportunities in sports, but this issue is not only prevalent in sports. Special Olympic athletes seem to face far greater exclusion compared to Paralympic athletes in athletics, daily life, and American culture.

America’s baseball diamonds, soccer fields, hockey rinks, and basketball courts have never been so busy with children. The number of kids involved in an organized sport is not what is so groundbreaking. It’s the way in which children are playing or how their parents are arranging for them to play that may be cause for concern (Ferguson). Much controversy surrounds youth sports with the biggest disagreements coming over parental involvement and the intensity of play. Although there are many benefits for team participation, there is a growing fear that the negatives are starting to outweigh the positives.

“4,532,339 athletes were served worldwide in 2014,” (Reach Report.) These disabled competitors were surrounded by an accepting and understanding audience. Families support, love, and care for all the Special Olympics athletes they cheer on. Coaches and trainers inspire those around them by being examples and establishing individuality in others. The global community knows how to include others. Athletes can make new friends who welcome them and understand them. One of the best ways to ensure that the athletes are doing their best and having fun is by surrounding them with people who see the greatness within

A lot of parents think that sports are too hard and too physical for teens and children, but sports are,actually, the best thing that will happen to these minors. Sports are a huge influence on children and teenagers, because participating in sports can actually influence the future of young men and women of today's generation. For the children and teenagers that start to play at a young age, sports can help children develop physical skills and learn how to work as a part of a team.

Children who participate in sports are developing rapidly in sports skills, sportsmanship, and psychologically, but does this come from organized sports are just nature’s process. Children develop emotional and social benefits from participating in sports. Children experience character and leadership development through peer relations leading to an increase in self-esteem and a decrease in anxiety levels. Children will get opportunities to experience positive and negative emotions throughout their practice and games trials. It is important for the coach to understand the “psychology of youth sports and physical activity participation” (Weinberg & Gould, 2011 p.516).

James plays for the number 2 boys and girls club in Washington DC. James plays for the 10 and under team. He is the teams point guard. James and the team played number 10 boys and girls club on January 30, 2016. James was a key player in the team’s success that game. The parents made him seem like he was already in high school. They would cheer and slap hands with everyone around them win he made a shot. They would yell to the coach, to make sure their son had the ball in his hands if they wanted to win the game. The father would yell when has son missed a layup “you owe me some push-ups after the game”.

I saw in his eyes sheer delight and the joy of accomplishment. He had successfully faced a pitcher older and bigger and had fought off pitch after pitch before knocking a single into left field. His base hit drove in a run, continued an inning and fueled a rally which brought the team a victory from what looked like a certain defeat. He was willing to be taught and was willing to try. Success was secondary to the life skills he was mastering. Character traits will certainly be developed as one participates in team sports, but to attain positive character traits will require deliberate efforts by parents, adults, teammates and even leaders of the organization itself.

True role models are those who possess the qualities that we would like to have. Role models are those who have affected us in ways that influence us to be better people. They are people who others imitate, emulate or look to for guidance. There are good role models who inspire greatness in others and bad role models who are bad influences. There are even anti-role models, pegged by the media as "bad girls" or "bad boys" who serve as good examples of what not to do if you want to become a successful, respected person. With the majority of my time spent as an athlete throughout high school and college, I believe athletes should pose as role models.

Have you ever been put in a life or death situation? Hopefully not! However, some things you do may feel like “life or death” situations at the time, especially for young children. Competitive sports can help with conquering those fears. There will be times when you feel pressure; as if you’re under a spotlight. Moments when it seems like people are almost daring you to fail. By participating in competitive sports, children are prepared for these moments. These are the times where you go back to what you have learned, all the hours you put in to learn a skill. These are the times worth living for because by putting in the work, you have trained yourself to expect success. Competitive sports have a positive impact on children and teach

This knee nightmare resulted in knee surgery that would have sidelined me from soccer for eight months if the doctor hadn’t screwed up. This donated knee cartilage from the second knee operation performed is still working in my body to this day. Life on crutches for a year had made the world slow down for me. I began to realize the bubble in which I lived in. The “core-five” became a “core-one” as I learned that the only person I could trust was myself. The happy go-lucky kid I once knew at age twelve became a curious and skeptical teen at thirteen. The real world hit me hard and it still does today.

Athletes are being diagnosed with one or more diseases that are coming from all the brain injuries involved that are leading to most of their deaths due to all their muscles weakening. A disease associated with athletes is Amyotrophic Lateral sclerosis (ALS) which is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, it is a disorder in the nervous system that causes the death of nerve cells and destroys Motor neurons. Another disease associated with many athletes is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) which is an irreversible brain disease caused by multiple hits to the head triggering tissue degeneration. ALS disease usually develops between the ages of 55-75 for non athletes and in their 30s for athletes. It is more common for men to develop ALS

Raising children in today’s society is not for the faint of heart. Raising children has never been easy, but it is especially difficult in youth sports today. Coaches and parents are putting a lot of pressure on our young sons and daughters. The pressure to succeed in sports at