Annotated Bibliography V
Andrew Quash
UNIV 112
03 November 2015
Research Question: How does participation in sports impact young athletes, and what
can the adults who are involved within these experiences do to optimize benefit and
ultimately change the future of youth sports?
MLA Citation: Merkel DL. "Youth Sport: Positive and Negative Impact on Young
Athletes." Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine 2013.Default (2013): 151-60. Print.
Background: Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine published this article in May of
2013. It is a journal that is an international, peer-reviewed, open access, online
journal, publishing original research, reports, reviews and commentaries on all
areas of sports medicine. The author, D. L. Merkel, is a physician at Bryn Mawr
Rehabilitation Hospital, Main Line Health System, Exton, Pennsylvania, USA. Her
paper examines the positive and negative aspects of youth sports in the US.
Controversial topics, such as early specialization, identification of elite players,
influence of trained and untrained coaches, increasing injury rates, and moral issues
of character and sportsmanship are discussed.
Main Claim: Promoting a better, safer, and healthier future for all children athletes goes
hand in hand with the adults involved within these sports.
Sub Claims:
1. Organized youth sports is widely popular amongst the youth and their families,
but a lot of children quit upon reaching the age of 15 due to outside factors that
come with adolescence.
2. In order for a young athlete to ultimately stick with a sport, their sports readiness
and skill development must match.
3. There are multiple realms through which children develop by participating in
sports one of which, and probably the most well-known, is the fight against
obesity.
4. Children who play sports have a tendency to avoid high-risk health factors.
5. Children that participate in team sports are happier, have increased self-esteem,
and are less anxious, with a decreased risk of suicidal behavior
6. There are also multiple realms through which children are hindered due to
participation in sport one of which, and probably the most infamous, is the
heightened injury risk.
7. The problem with early specialization is that the multiple rewards that sports
promises in the future is obtainable by a small amount of these children athletes,
but pursued by most.
8. There is an evident disconnect between adults and young athletes in regards to
parental perception of their child’s reason for participation and the actual reason
children get involved in sports.
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9. One could lower the attrition rates by simply ensuring that the coaches are
educated and trained in how to manage the child athletes.
Evidence:
1. Merkel states that thirty-five percent of children quit sports each year, but sport
attrition rates are higher when children reach adolescence. Seventy to eighty
percent of children athletes quit sports upon reaching the age of 15. Upon
evaluation of these cases, one will see that the adults involved within these sports
programs impact these children athletes a great deal.
2. According to physical, psychological, and cognitive development, a child should
be at least 6 years of age before participating in team youth sports, such as soccer
and basketball. In correlation to this, an accurate assessment of each child’s
individual sports readiness should be evaluated in order to assist in determining if
a child is prepared to register and at which level of competition the child can
participate successfully. This will ensure that the child is in the less stressful
situation possible.
3. In 1999, the Centers for Disease Control reported that only fifty percent of youth
engaged in regular exercise, illustrating the need for school and community
organizations to promote and facilitate physical activity. Research has also shown
that childhood obesity usually transcends into adulthood. The fact that we as a
nation have increased that number by thirty percent shows we are doing pretty
well with attempting to decrease obesity.
4. According to a 2000 study that investigated the relationship between participation
in sports and health-related behaviors in US youth, children athletes were more
likely to eat fruit and vegetables, and less likely to engage in smoking and illicit
drug-taking. One could argue that youth participation in sports programs give
them a reason for not partaking in many health-risking behaviors that they are
faced with. Their reason for not putting their bodies in harm is most likely to keep
their bodies in best condition possible to compete most effectively in whatever
sport they are involved in.
5. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that suicide is the third leading
cause of death in adolescents. The CDC also emphasizes and advocates the
psychological benefits that result from participation in sports.
6. Some key components to injury reduction include sports readiness, aerobic and
anaerobic fitness, strength training, flexibility, proper rest, proper hydration, and
proper nutrition. When it comes to sports readiness, strength conditioning, fitness,
and flexibility, parents and law makers need to make sure the child has the
appropriate fitting clothes and shoes as well as enforce safety rules and adjust to
environment conditions. Furthermore, they should ensure that the coaches are
appropriately trained and educated. When this is done, coaches can employ the
proper forms and techniques needed, provide warm-ups and stretches as well as
strength and conditioning training, and use the appropriate training intensity,
frequency, and duration when in practice.
7. According to Merkel, influence to maximize athletic skills for future social,
financial, and educational rewards is generated by parents, coaches, neighbors,
society, and colleges. Despite the optimism shown by these adults who influence
Annotated Bibliography V
children to specialize in a sport early, only 98% of the children involved in youth
sports will make it to the big leagues.
8. Possibly, the adult interpretation of “little league” or “pee wee” sports as a smaller
form of adult sports competition has consequently caused those who lay the rules
and regulations of youth sports in the wrong direction. When children are taught
that winning overrides the fundamentals of youth sports, children are robbed from
learning the other great points to which youth sports extend. According to Merkel
implementation of some of the coaching tactics that were created for college and
professional athletes, such as “hard physical practices for punishment”, “only the
best get to play”, “running up the score”, and “overplaying celebratory wins” has
contributed to a negative atmosphere in youth sports.
9. According to Merkel, less than twenty percent of the two-four million little league
coaches and less than eight percent of the high school coaches have received
formal training. It’s not fair that a child gets involved in a sport only to have their
experience soiled by a bad coach. According to a study on youth sports, other
negative coaching behaviors observed by athletes included cheating and fighting
with parents, referees, and other coaches. Some of the children athletes also felt
pressured to play while injured which is a really bothersome fact.
Quotations & Responses:
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According to D. L Merkel, “The popularity of youth sports continues to rise, with
an estimated 45 million child and adolescent participants in the US. Seventy-five
percent of US families with school-aged children have at least one child who
participates in organized sports” (Merkel). What Merkel means is that organized
youth sports is widely popular amongst the youth and their families, but a lot of
children quit upon reaching the age of 15 due to outside factors that come with
adolescence. Merkel states that thirty-five percent of children quit sports each
year, but sport attrition rates are higher when children reach adolescence. Seventy
to eighty percent of children athletes quit sports upon reaching the age of 15.
Upon evaluation of these cases, one will see that the adults involved within these
sports programs impact these children athletes a great deal
“A mismatch in sports readiness and skill development can lead to anxiety, stress,
and ultimately attrition for the young athlete” (Merkel). Merkel is simply stating
that in order for a young athlete to ultimately stick with a sport, their sports
readiness and skill development must match. According to physical,
psychological, and cognitive development, a child should be at least 6 years of
age before participating in team youth sports, such as soccer and basketball. In
correlation to this, an accurate assessment of each child’s individual sports
readiness should be evaluated in order to assist in determining if a child is
prepared to register and at which level of competition the child can participate
successfully.
“The perceived and objective benefits of participation in sports for children and
adolescents are numerous and span multiple domains, including physical,
physiological, and social development. First and foremost, participation in sports
fosters vigorous physical activity and energy expenditure. ” (Merkel). Merkel
points out here that there are multiple realms through which children develop by
Annotated Bibliography V



participating in sports one of which, and probably the most well-known, is the
fight against obesity. In 1999, the Centers for Disease Control reported that only
fifty percent of youth engaged in regular exercise, illustrating the need for school
and community organizations to promote and facilitate physical activity. Research
has also shown that childhood obesity usually transcends into adulthood. The fact
that we as a nation have increased that number by thirty percent shows we are
doing pretty well with attempting to decrease obesity.
Merkel pointed out, “In addition to influencing physical health and warding off
the negative consequences of obesity, youth participation in sports can also
impact other high-risk health-related behaviors for boys and girls,” (Merkel). This
is important because it shows how the children who play sports have a tendency
to avoid high-risk health factors. According to a 2000 study that investigated the
relationship between participation in sports and health-related behaviors in US
youth, children athletes were more likely to eat fruit and vegetables, and less
likely to engage in smoking and illicit drug-taking. One could argue that youth
participation in sports programs give them a reason for not partaking in many
health-risking behaviors that they are faced with. Their reason for not putting their
bodies in harm is most likely to keep their bodies in best condition possible to
compete most effectively in whatever sport they are involved in.
“A reduction in suicidal thoughts and tendencies has been demonstrated for both
teenage boys and girls who engage in sport.” (Merkel). Furthermore, children that
participate in team sports are happier, have increased self-esteem, and are less
anxious, with a decreased risk of suicidal behavior. The Center for Disease
Control (CDC) reports that suicide is the third leading cause of death in
adolescents. The CDC also emphasizes and advocates the psychological benefits
that result from participation in sports. According to 3 different studies done in
2013, Successful psychological outcomes only result when youth sports coaches
were instructed in coach effectiveness training, an enhanced sporting experience
was reported by most athletes. These coaches improved player satisfaction,
motivation, self-esteem, compliance, and attrition rates through positive
reinforcement and teaching.
There are also multiple realms through which children are hindered due to
participation in sport one of which, and probably the most infamous, is the
heightened injury risk. “Although not all injuries can be prevented, it appears that
the youth sport culture is falling short in minimizing both traumatic and overuse
injuries in children. Parents, coaches, sports medicine professionals, and
organizers are all culpable.” (Merkel). Here, Merkel points out that the adults
involved with the children’s experiences through sport can each do their part
when it comes to reducing the injury rate. Some key components to injury
reduction include sports readiness, aerobic and anaerobic fitness, strength
training, flexibility, proper rest, proper hydration, and proper nutrition. When it
comes to sports readiness, strength conditioning, fitness, and flexibility, parents
and law makers need to make sure the child has the appropriate fitting clothes and
shoes as well as enforce safety rules and adjust to environment conditions.
Furthermore, they should ensure that the coaches are appropriately trained and
educated. When this is done, coaches can employ the proper forms and techniques
Annotated Bibliography V



needed, provide warm-ups and stretches as well as strength and conditioning
training, and use the appropriate training intensity, frequency, and duration when
in practice.
“Over the last two decades, a notable rise in specialization has occurred in youth
sports. More young athletes are choosing a single sport to participate in all year
round at younger ages, with infrequent breaks and rest.” (Merkel). This is
important because early specialization in a sport is the child’s choice but could be
a result of adult influence. According to Merkel, influence to maximize athletic
skills for future social, financial, and educational rewards is generated by parents,
coaches, neighbors, society, and colleges. Despite the optimism shown by these
adults who influence children to specialize in a sport early, 98% of the children
involved in youth sports will not make it to the big leagues. This also causes an
impact on the parents of these athletes that spend large amounts of money in
hopes of a pay day later in the child’s life.
“Sports satisfaction surveys reveal that ‘having fun’ is the main reason that most
children like to participate in sports; however, the parent’s perception of why their
children like to play sports is to “win”. The Institution for the Study of Youth
Sports looked at the importance of winning from the child’s perspective, and
found that it varied with gender and age, but for the majority of younger children,
fairness, participation, and development of skills ranked above winning”
(Merkel). Merkel is stating that there is an evident disconnect between adults and
young athletes in regards to parental perception of the child’s reason for
participation and the actual reason children get involved in sports. Possibly, the
adult interpretation of “little league” or “pee wee” sports as a smaller form of
adult sports competition has consequently caused those who lay the rules and
regulations of youth sports in the wrong direction. When children are taught that
winning overrides the fundamentals of youth sports, children are robbed from
learning the other great points to which youth sports extend. According to Merkel
implementation of some of the coaching tactics that were created for college and
professional athletes, such as “hard physical practices for punishment”, “only the
best get to play”, “running up the score”, and “overplaying celebratory wins” has
contributed to a negative atmosphere in youth sports.
According to Merkel, “Other reasons cited for sports attrition linked to coaching
behavior included favoritism, poor teaching skills, and increased pressure to win,
all of which created a negative atmosphere and decreased the fun of playing
sport” (Merkel). This is important because with the attrition rate being seventyeighty percent currently, one could lower these rates by simply ensuring that the
coaches are educated and trained in how to manage the child athletes. It’s not fair
that a child gets involved in a sport only to have their experience soiled by a bad
coach. According to a study on youth sports, other negative coaching behaviors
observed by athletes included cheating and fighting with parents, referees, and
other coaches. Some of the children athletes also felt pressured to play while
injured which is a really bothersome fact.
Annotated Bibliography V
Questions & Conclusions: After analyzing this source I realize that it touches on the
impact that adults have on youth sports in a profound way. It gives me the pros and cons
that come with youth participation in sports. These children endure a lot when they
participate in sports however, promoting a better, safer, and healthier future for all
children athletes goes hand in hand with the adults involved within these sports. In
regards to the negatives that come with participation in sports, one can see that they all
can be minimized by effective health practicing, coaching, parenting, and even
governing. This will likely come at the end of my paper to emphasize the fact that some
adults can make some alterations to their involvement to create an overall better
experience for children who play sports.