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Why Do Athletes Make Good Role Models?Last Updated: Aug 17, 2013 | By Laura Williams 018034000Athletes demonstrate the benefits of physical activity. Photo Credit Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images As many as 59 percent of adolescents can identify a role model in their lives, according to research published in the January 2011 issue of the "Journal of Adolescent Health." Of the adolescents with role models, those that looked to athletes were more likely to make positive health-related decisions. The fact is, not all athletes are positive role models. Unfortunately some athletes engage in negative behavior, but overall, the athletic lifestyle lends itself to a position of positive role modeling for adolescents.Engaging in Physical ActivityTo stay on top of their game, athletes have to engage in regular, vigorous activity. In a relatively sedentary culture where much of life revolves around TV shows and video games, athletes model the benefits of physical activity to children and adolescents in a very real way. Athletes make a living from being fit, healthy and strong. Just by hitting the field or the court, athletes give children the opportunity to see that physical activity has the ability to pay off.ConfidenceOne of the reasons girls should play sports is for the boost in confidence they receive, according to the TeensHealth website. You can see this confidence in action when watching professional athletes. On the field and off the field, athletes embody a sense of confidence in themselves and their team. This sense of confidence is one of the reasons that athletes make good role models -- they show youth how important it is to believe in themselves and those around them.Work EthicAthletes have to work hard to stay on top of their game. The time baseball players dedicate to the sport goes well beyond the two or three hour daily practice. They spend time stretching, watching tape and working on their swing. Then they hit the gym and lift weights or hit the field to work on their speed. They may spend six-to-eight hours a day just on baseball, plus the time traveling on buses and playing in doubleheaders on the weekends. Adolescents who see athletes as role models learn to mimic the work ethic that it takes to become a top athlete.EducationAthletes learn early that if they want to play the game, they have to make the grades. Even as early as middle school athletics, a failing grade will prevent an athlete from being allowed to play. When youth look to high school, college or professional athletes as role models, they understand that those athletes had to make a commitment both on and off the field to excellence. High school athletes won't play if they don't make the grades. Colleges will only recruit athletes that can get accepted into their school, then athletes can only play if they pass their classes. And while some professional athletes get drafted straight out of high school, most still have to prove themselves as college athletes to get a look. It's a chain that requires at least some dedication to academics to succeed as a money-making athlete.News Internet VenturesBy YES! Staff?? Feb. 27, 2013 09:02The problems with athletes as role modelsBy Alex Ashe In 1993, Nike released a nowiconic advertisement which featured then-pro basketball player Charles Barkley declaring, “I am not a role model.” The ad is so relevant today that its tagline could probably replace the increasingly ambiguous “Just Do It” as Nike’s slogan.Nike cut ties with cyclist Lance Armstrong immediately after it became clear that he was using performance enhancing drugs during the prime of his career. It proved to be a smart move, as his lying, wrongful-defamation suits and attempted justification of the doping have overshadowed his cheating. Along with his titles, sponsorships and dignity, Armstrong lost the support of millions of Americans, many of whom were wearing his Livestrong bracelets just a few months ago.One of the most inspirational stories of 2012, sprinter Oscar Pistorius made history by becoming the first double-amputee to compete in the Olympics last August. Just six months later, he has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The investigation is ongoing as Pistorius awaits his trial but nonetheless, a very dark cloud surrounds the inspirational “blade runner.” Nike certainly regrets marketing Pistorius as “the bullet in the chamber,” recently pulling the ads and suspending its contract with the sprinter.Tiger Woods’ fall from grace is a frontrunner for the biggest sports story of the young millennium. The revelations of the golfer’s many extramarital affairs turned his world upside down in an instant. By destroying his family life, Woods immediately went from the being one of the most marketable athletes of all-time to a pariah. The most shocking part about the scandal was that, apart from the occasional angry club slam, Woods had cultivated an immaculate reputation since his breakthrough in the ’90s. He was responsible for popularizing golf for both the African-American community and an entire generation of young people worldwide. Woods has been a mere mortal on the golf course since the scandal, with the legend of his descent growing with every major that he fails to win. The list of accomplished athletes with tarnished pasts can go on and on, from Super Bowl champion Ray Lewis to home-run king Barry Bonds to 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.It’s perfectly fine to look up to star athletes for their performances on the field, but we need to readjust our expectations of how athletes should act once the final whistle is blown.By casting pro athletes as role models, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment, as there seems to be an increasing trend of inspirational sports stories being revealed as too good to be true.Ever since the emergence of decade-long contracts and lucrative endorsement deals (worth amounts many people can’t even comprehend), pro athletes have never been less relatable to the average citizen.Many athletes have gotten to where they are with little to no emphasis on academics. Many MLB and NBA players have forgone higher education. With the NBA now requiring players to spend a minimum of one year in college, academics are just a front for some players. During the recent Duke-UNC showdown, commentator Dick Vitale described the rule as “a mockery of the academic system.”By living lives rooted in both privilege and stress, it’s difficult for professional athletes to maintain squeaky-clean images. With the non-stop media coverage, it’s even harder for them to get away with their mistakes. Who, then, should kids view as role models?It’s extremely ironic that so many sports stars turn out to be false idols when perhaps the most genuine and charitable athlete comes from a business often dismissed as “fake.”Pro wrestling is practically a soap opera starring live-action superheroes and super-villains. Characters, storylines and matches are presented with great amounts of silliness, melodrama and hyperbole. In rare instances, however, pro wrestling writers incorporate bits of truth and reality into the product, as is the case with the WWE’s John Cena, who by all accounts, is a superhero outside of the ring.The Make-A-Wish Foundation’s alltime leader in wishes granted, Cena has granted more than 300 wishes, and hopes to eventually make it to 1,000. As the foundation’s most requested wishgranter, Cena has been placed in the role model position for numerous American children. What’s refreshing is that he’s actually suited for the responsibility of being a positive influence. In an industry infamous for steroids, steel-chair shots and stunts gone awry, Cena is a beacon of positivity. A champion of “hustle, loyalty and respect,” he’s served as the face of WWE during its transformation into family-friendly entertainment. Since his 2002 debut, Cena has never played the role of the antagonist, meaning that he is often written to overcome adversity, corruption and unlawfulness, all to show that good things happen to good people.It’s for these exact reasons that Cena draws ire from the more seasoned wrestling fans, but instead of a squeaky-clean role model, they tend to look for an heir apparent to edgy characters like Stone Cold Steve Austin or the Rock. But then again, there’s a reason why we don’t rely on bloodthirsty wrestling fans to determine our role models.If kids are going to have role models in sports settings, they should be their coaches or someone close who can directly teach them the difference between right and wrong.Perhaps Sir Charles said it best back in 1993.“Parents should be role models.”Athletes Are Not Supposed To Be Role ModelsBy John SteadmanBaltimore Evening SunAthletes shouldn't have to shoulder the responsibility of being role models for little boys and girls they don't even known. That's the requirement of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and other members of the family. Parents who want their children to grow up to be like Stan Musial, Brooks Robinson, Lydell Mitchell, Roger Staubach, Nancy Lopez or Chris Everett are dreamers who have lost touch with reality.Actors, musicians, mechanics, truck drivers, teachers, police officers, doctors, firefighters, politicians, hod carriers, berry pickers, oyster shuckers, farmers and sports writers aren't asked to be something they aren't so why should athletes be placed in a separate category?Of course, they are to be commended if they follow the straight 'n' narrow, don't turn into fallen-down drunks, stay out of jail and help little old ladies to cross busy intersections. But too few of them are going to be that way in the world outside of fantasyland and it imposes a demand on the athletesthey shouldn't have to accept.Certainly, some first baseman or halfback may be looked on as a hero to a child who is enamored with the performer, the way we were growing up with Hank Greenberg and Larry Kelly so many yesteryears ago. Let the kid copy his mannerisms on the field but that should end it. There's no reason to emulate what goes on in a hero's ``other life''.Being a public figure - the same as it applies to all citizens - requires only that the athlete obey the laws of the land. He doesn't have to be another St. Francis of Assisi, although it would be an exceptional achievement for the world if he or she could be.The athletes are being paid to perform their specialties, whatever the game of their choice might be, regardless of whether it involves hitting a baseball, running with a football, shooting a basketball, controlling a hockey puck or stroking a backhand.Asking some athlete you view from a grandstand seat to serve as a surrogate father is exceeedinly unfair. That's not part of the ticket price. The performers on the field aren't being paid for that, which makes all this role model business a tired old tirade that never did make much sense . . . yet it is perpetuated from one generation to another.Every time some athlete is arrested, gets in a saloon fight, is convicted of drug possession or in a counterfeit money scheme, the do-good tongue-waggers of the world say he has let down the youth of America. That's wrong. He has failed himself; no one else.The public enjoys the illusion of believing their favorite athlete has the exemplary habits of a Boy Scout or Girl Scout and they cheer them to the heights. Then comes a shocking fall from grace and the warm and tender worship turns to frigid disdain. It's wrong, of course, for the athlete to tumble off the bandwagon into a cesspool of disgrace but, stop to consider this: He never should have been lifted to such heights in the first place.Ty Cobb deliberately tried to cut the legs out from under infielders yet fathers wanted their sons to grow up to be like him. But they meant in a baseball way, not personally. The role model schtick continues to endure for reasons that are totally naive.We can remember a gentleman third baseman named Frank ``Home Run'' Baker, who followed Cobb to the Hall of Fame after being involved with him in a controversial sliding incident. Baker lived in Trappe, Md., and at age 76, had a stroke. We visited with him and as he reclined in a lounge chair, squeezing a rubber ball to regain strength in a partially paralyzed arm, he said, ``I hope I never do anything to hurt baseball.'' As if he ever could.Here was a man admired by friends, neighbors, teammates and opponents wondering, as the sands of time ran out, that he not damage the game he loved and played so proficiently. But, admittedly, not every player who wears the uniform can be a Frank ``Home Run'' Baker.It was Robin Roberts, a pitcher who left his mark on baseball and also made it to the Hall of Fame, who once put this identical matter in perspective. ``Most men who want their sons to be like some athlete are probably too lazy to set the proper example,'' he said. ``They want some ballplayer he has read about, but doesn't even know, to do it. How ridiculous.''The sooner America's sporting enthusiasts grow up to realize the athletes playing the games aren't any different than the rest of society, except they are endowed with good coordination and fast reflexes, the easier it will be to accept the clay feet of their heroes.Copyright (c) 1990 Seattle Times Company, All Rights Reserved.PERSUASIVE RUBRIC: 100 POINTSName: ________________________Period: _______________________Focus (20 points)_____ Reasons support thesis_____ Details support reasonsContent (20 points)______Well-developed introduction includes a hook and clearly-stated thesis_____ Reasons are supported by your own ideas and properly cited ideas from articles_____ Opposing viewpoint is refuted using own ideas and properly cited ideas from articles_____ Conclusion demonstrates ability to summarize and synthesize ideas presented in the anization (20 points)_____ Persuasive transition words _____ Transitions are complete and varied_____ Details are in the appropriate paragraph and in logical order_____ Five indented paragraphsStyle (20 points)______ Sentences are well-developed and constructed______Word choice is varied and appropriate______Expression is clear and concise (No confusing pronoun usage)______Expression is formal (don’t write as you talk!)Conventions (20 points)_____ Proper heading: name, period and date in upper left hand corner______Paper has a title______Complete sentences_____ Correct spelling_____ Appropriate punctuation_____ Capitalization_____ Double-spacedPersuasive Essay Sample: NamePeriodDateSchool’s Out!School’s Out! Or at least it should be! Do you sometimes feel like you see your teachers more than your friends and family? Do you wish you just have more time to yourself? Do you have personal goals that you can’t ever get to because you’re in school all day? I say we shorten the school week from five to three days. Kids need more time to rest and relieve stress. They also need more time with family and friends. A three-day week would be a positive change from an academic, social and emotional standpoint. One reason I think we need a shorter school week is the rising stress levels among kids. We currently spend over half our waking lives in school and this leads to stress. Stress can cause illness, and many kids suffer from anxiety-related stomachaches and headaches. These illnesses make it difficult for students to make the most of their class time because they are not feeling well. Stress also leads to fatigue, and tired students cannot concentrate and get work done. A calm, well-rested student would perform better in school and get more done in three days than they currently get done in five days. Also, a shorter school week would provide more time with family and friends. Good relationships with family and friends build self-esteem and kids need this more than ever. It is becoming more difficult for working parents to spend time with their children. Divorce is another problem. Over half of all children have divorced parents, so they have to split their time between homes. Some kids don’t have social success in school, but they make friends through other activities such as sports and drama and church. These friendships are a very positive thing, so time should be made for them. The opposing view is that kids will not learn enough in three days, and that students will be lonely and bored with so much free time. Also, some students may even get into trouble with so much free time. I strongly disagree with these views. If teachers plan and organize well, they should be able to accomplish in three days what we now do in five days of school. Also, there are other things to be learned outside of school from family, friends and other activities such as sports, music and art. And while some kids may get into trouble with more free time, it is not fair to punish everyone for the actions of a few.Therefore, I say yes to a three-day school week. It would reduce stress and fatigue, and this may even lead to better achievement in school. Also, students will have much needed time with family and friends. Those who oppose this change haven’t really considered all the social and emotional benefits. A shorter school week would be a good choice for all! ******place citation here!******Don’t forget to use complete transitional phrases as you move from one idea to another. A list is below:firstone reasonalsothereforesecondin particularthirdin factbesidesneverthelesslastlyhoweveras a resultfurthermoreabove allin additionfinallymore importantlyalthoughbecauseRevision Checklist:_____Do you begin with a powerful attention grabber?_____Did you clearly state your thesis or opinion?_____Do all your details support your reasons? _____Do you have five INDENTED paragraphs?_____Did you start each paragraph with a COMPLETE transition?_____Do you have five sentences in each paragraph?_____Are they developed sentences? Or are they short and choppy?_____Did you begin each sentence with a different word? Is the language varied?_____Is your language formal and concise?_____Did you SUMMARIZE and DISCREDIT three points of the opposing view?----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Editing Checklist:_____Do you have any misspelled words?_____Did you spell out all numbers 1 through 10?_____Have you checked end punctuation?_____Do you have the necessary commas and semicolons?_____Do all of your possessive words and contractions have apostrophes?_____Did you capitalize proper nouns, the beginning word of each sentence and the pronoun “I”?_____Did you DOUBLE-SPACE your work? ................
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