Youth Sports Helping or Hindering Youth Jeremiah Johnson Shepherd University Spring 2014

Abstract In the research conducted, an issue concerning childhood obesity and lack of physical activity was addressed. The end result wanted was a liable solution to counter these issues. The study was designed to answer questions and find data on the pros and cons of sports and the amount of people who are active and healthy in correlation to playing sports. To do this a Likert style survey was made and passed out on a college campus to a diverse and random group of students and faculty. The data can be used to help prove that youth athletics is a effective and healthy solution to the problems mentioned above. Key words – Obesity - It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height. – Adolescent – A stage where physical and psychological human development begins – Physical activity - enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness – Hinder – To harm or damage

Table of Contents Chapter One- Background and purpose of Study Chapter Two- Review of Literature Chapter Three- The Research Study Chapter Four- Summary

Chapter One Background of Study – Today’s youth has a notable and evident problem with obesity. In fact, in the past thirty years the childhood obesity rate has doubled and tripled in that of the adolescents. Statement of Problem – sports would allow them to learn societal values and get into shape. – The issue here is that with youth and teens are growing and their bodies aren’t fully developed and putting all of this physical strain and damage on their bodies is dangerous.

Purpose of the Study - bring awareness to the problems of obesity and find a solution for our youth so that the future isn’t over before it starts. Research Questions - RQ 1. Is there correlation between childhood obesity and lack of youth athletics? RQ 2. Are the benefits greater or less than the losses that transpire from sports?

Chapter Two Review of Literature Benefits of Sports- Sports provide many means of health and fitness to help children to grow into strong and healthy individuals. Adolescents participating in sports develop agility, coordination, endurance, flexibility, speed, and strength. Even more so they develop; Boosted functioning of cardiorespiratory and muscular systems, improved flexibility, mobility, metabolism and coordination. (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP] Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness [COSMF], 2001; Beets & Pitetti, 2005).

Disadvantages - Though the number of risks and negatives isn’t as great, the severity of such may be worse. Similar to the pros, the cons have mental, social and physical hindrances

Chapter Three Research Study The quantifiable research is designed to be a study to answer questions and find data on the pros and cons of sports and the amount of people who are active and healthy in correlation to playing sports A Likert Style survey was created to give to SU Students. (The Sport and Health History Survey (Johnson, 2014)) The data would be collected and analyzed to answer RQ’s.

Chapter Four Summary The conclusions that were drawn from the study have allowed a few understandings of youth athletics. First of all, there are consequences,injuries can occur during a time as an athlete and these injuries very may stick with a person for their entire life. Then there are the positive aspects, these include but are not limited to; Leadership qualities, healthier long-term lifestyle, better academics, more social personalities, etc. The pros on such topic greatly compensate for the cons. Risk are assumed and possible in any thing you do especially when involving physical activity. Ultimately it has much to do with personal opinion but the research has evidently shown that youth sports are a great solution to battle childhood obesity and this lack of physicality.

Work Cited American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. (2014, January 3). Overuse injuries, burnout in youth sports can have long-term effects. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 24, 2014 from Health, N. I. (2013, June 25). Retrieved from NIH: Health, N. I. (2013). Only half of U.S. youth meet physical activity standards, NIH study shows. Turning Discovert into Health. Pitetti, B. &. (2005). American Academy of Pediatrics. COSMF. Russell-Mayhew. (2013). Maximizing the Benefits of Youth Sports. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. DataLYSCenter (2014). Sports Prevent Childhood Obesity, content/uploads/2013/06/Sports-Participation-Prevent-Obesity.pdf, 2014 The Performance Institute (2014) Use Our Program and Your Sport to Teach Your Youth Leadership and Character, &preview=&bhcp=1 (2014)