The article “Youth sports programs: An avenue to foster positive youth development."
Over the years, the increase in drug use and delinquency among the youths has triggered the need to establish ways of promoting positive developments and increased after-school programs. According to the article, the establishment of youth sports is essential since it has resulted in positive outcomes when positive designs and supportive relationships are established (Fraser-Thomas 19). Several organizations have created voluntary platforms for the youths where they engage in activities such as hobbies, arts, sports, music among other initiatives aimed at obtaining positive developments. The voluntary organizations and activities allow the youths to become motivated, challenged and put more effort to improve their skills. Teachers or coaches in the sporting and other recreation activities act as role models among the youths thereby imparting good behavior among the trainees (Fraser-Thomas 25).
According to the article, the teachers monitor the youth’s motivation by focusing on attendance as well as school performance through comparing current and previous performance. The sports are inclusive and offered freely to youths from various social status and backgrounds thereby promoting good relationship and confidence among the people. Therefore, it can be termed as a platform for promoting national cohesion and coexistence of all youths. The sporting activities today have changed from those in the past since they are aimed at promoting positive youth developments. They have helped in eliminating discrimination due to race and social status since they allow all youths to participate and interact with others. Additionally, they have assisted youths in developing skills and values that help them to participate in local and international sports. The primary values acquired through sports include good behavior, confidence, and compassion for others as well as connection and relationships (Fraser-Thomas 38). Unlike in the past where sports were mainly for leisure today, they are used to shape characters, improve skills among other aspects of positive developments. As such, sports helps the youths to invest the available time with positive activities compared to the time spent in negative activities.
The article “Enhancing youth development through sport."
According to the article, sporting activities have created an avenue where children and youths obtain values and skills that help them to prepare for their adult lives (Danish et al. 38). However, in most cases, the youth initiatives are not properly designed and implemented that result in failure. Various youth sporting activities such as hockey, beach volleyball, and football among others have emerged. The activities are funded by non-governmental organizations, federal government among other youth empowerment organizations (Danish et al. 39). The aim of the sports is to ensure that the youths are positively engaged thereby eliminating drug use and promoting motivations. It also helps in the establishment of good character in addition to leadership skills among the youths, which are learned from the coaches and other practitioners. The youth programs are aimed at building competencies, abilities and creating opportunities where the youths may obtain broad experiences.
The youths are considered as a vulnerable population due to financial insecure families, special needs among other factors that limit their free existence (Danish et al. 40). As such, the leisure and sporting activities create a platform that supports diversity, self-identity, and support for all youths to ensure that they have equal opportunities for success. It fosters relationships, hard work, and cooperation among the young adults, which in turn helps in national cohesion. There is a change in the traditional and modern sporting programs where sports were built on neoliberal ideologies previously (Danish et al. 45). On the other hand, the modern sports are built with an aim of developing the community; dealing with social problems as well as improving life outcomes for citizens. As such, the new models are essential since they offer a platform for social inclusions and construction of a positive social capital among the disadvantaged members of the community.
Works Cited
Danish, Steven, et al. "Enhancing youth development through sport." World leisure journal 46.3 (2004): 38-49.
Fraser-Thomas, Jessica L., Jean Côté, and Janice Deakin. "Youth sports programs: An avenue to foster positive youth development." Physical Education & Sports Pedagogy 10.1 (2005): 19-40.
