Interscholastic Sports: Convenient & Inconvenient Truths

Presented by Dr. Eric ForsythBemidji State University

SMAANZ Annual ConferenceWaiheke Island ResortNov / Dec 2007

Conducting the Study

Six Phases:

1. Created a panel of experts; MSHSL executive board (20)

2. Board members identified contemporary issues (95)

3. Categorized issues utilizing a 5-point Likert scale (12)

4. Survey completed at the NIAAA conference (N=297)

5. Survey completed at the MnIAAA conference (N=131)

6. Panel properly defined contemporary issues

Note: Process took 14 months to complete

Survey Categories

Administrative Coaches Dark Side Finance Scheduling Officials

Parents Participation Specialization Sportsmanship Title IX & Equity Other

Survey Benchmarks:5-Point Likert Scale

Criteria on Importance Extremely Important (5-4.5)

Very Important (4.4-3.5)

Important (3.4-2.5)

Somewhat Important (2.4-1.5)

Very Little Important (1.4-0.5)

Unimportant (0.4-0)

NFHS Mission

The National Federation of State High School Associations serves its members, related professional organizations and students by providing leadership for the administration of education-based interscholastic activities, which support academic achievement, good citizenship and equitable opportunities.

NIAAA Mission

The Mission of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators

Association is to develop, enhance and preserve the educational values of interscholastic athletics.

The NIAAA serves its members by providing resources to develop and to enhance leadership skills and to offer opportunities for professional growth.

In our role as a full and equal partner with the National Federation of State High School Associations, the NIAAA promotes a positive working relationship between the State High School Athletic / Activities Associations and State Athletic Administrator Associations.

Furthermore, the NIAAA seeks not only to enhance current but also to develop new relationships with strategic alliances and partners.

A national organization for any person involved in interscholastic athletics at any level.

Convenient Truth (NFHS): Academic Achievement, Good Citizenship, Equitable Opportunities

Issues Nat’l MN

Teaching Sportsmanship 4.54

4.45

Keeping Academics 1st 3.73 3.47

Gender equity & fairness 3.65

3.32

Equitable placement 3.30 3.88

Convenient Truth (NIAAA):Enhance & Preserve Educational Values

Issues Nat’l MN

Teaching sportsmanship 4.54

4.45

Keeping academics first 3.73 3.47

Definitions

Teaching sportsmanship: There is a need to teach sportsmanship through high

school sports.

Keeping academics first: Developing a school calendar that keeps academics

first, and then activities. Time!

Definitions (Con’t)

Gender equity and fairness: Providing activities that support the fairness of

both genders.

Equitable placement: Geographic or other placement as determined by the

governing body to ensure statewide participation in post-season tournament play.

Investigator Comment

Although pleased with the convenient truths.

The convenient truths amount to 4 issues out of 95.

Not all remaining issues would be considered inconvenient truths.

However, this study appeared to uncover more inconvenient truths than convenient truths.

A Quote Regarding College Athletics

“As for college athletics, in my view, a major issue relates to the paradoxof ideal notions of character building versus money making and winningat all costs. Historically (going all the way back to the muscularChristians), sport was intended to build character and in fact the NCAAhas attempted to maintain the character building tradition. By perusingthe NCAA's mission statement, one quickly see's the overarchingconcept of character building and sportsmanship but these notions are farfrom practiced. I look forward to seeing what kind of progress is made.”

(Andy Rudd; Sport Philosopher, 2007)

Question?

Are the NFHS and the NIAAA membership maintaining their mission with regard to:

Supporting academic achievement, good citizenship and equitable opportunities (NFHS).

Developing, enhancing and preserving the educational values of interscholastic athletics (NIAAA).

Inconvenient Truth:Contemporary Issues That Are in Contrast to the Ideal Mission

Issues Nat’l MN Offering programs 3.75 4.05

Micro management 2.76 2.91

Use of non-staff for coaching positions 3.82 3.62

Creating superstar teams 2.34 3.03

Favoritism towards athletes 2.61 2.65

Abusive excellence 3.08 2.89

Hazing & harassment 3.69 3.24

Continue

Issues Nat’l MN Performance-enhancing drug use 3.91 3.38

Exploiting athletes 3.41 2.95

Parental pressure on kids to perform 3.99 4.04

Parental interference 4.14 4.29

Commitment of athletes to the program 3.95 3.84

Participation vs. competition 3.43 3.54

Transfer for competitive reasons 3.62 4.11

Continue

Issues Nat’l MN Lack of well-rounded 3-sport athletes 3.60

3.86

Over-use injuries due to lack of time off 3.31 3.01

Opportunities for challenged individuals 2.83 3.13

Mental burnout 3.36 3.29

Specializing scholarships & career earnings 3.55 3.55

Lack of sportsmanship 4.19 4.04

Continue

Issues Nat’l MN Character in athletes, parents, coaches 4.52 4.36

Camps & clinics for those who can afford 3.15 3.11

Communities expectations of success 3.48

3.27

Over-scheduling of athletes 3.64

3.48

Court rulings 3.43 3.10

Definitions

Offering Programs: Activities need to be offered for the right reason.

Micro Management: Legislative micro management of league

activities and guidelines.

Definitions (Con’t)

Creating Superstar Teams: Coaches encouraging and welcoming transfer

athletes who are talented.

Favoritism Toward Athletes: Favoritism towards athletes who compete year

round, travel teams, and are more talented.

Definitions (Con’t)

Abusive Excellence: The goal of winning. When is too much…to

much.

Hazing & Harassment: Committing an act or coercing a student to

commit an act that creates a substantial risk of harm to a person in order to be initiated into or affiliated with a student organization.

Definitions (Con’t)

Drug Use: Using drugs to enhance athletic performance.

Exploiting Athletes: Using the skill of an athlete for personal gain.

Definitions (Con’t)

Parental Pressure: Pressure on students to perform causes early

burnout, and eventually students become disenchanted with school activities. In some cases, parents feel their sons/daughters are special and need to be given exceptions to school and team requirements.

Parental Interference: Parent groups want a say in what decision are

made for programs.

Definitions (Con’t)

Commitment of Athletes: Not focusing on school team, rather allowing

outside teams or other competitions to become a distraction.

Participation vs. Competition: Staying connected to the team as a member

regardless of the level of competition.

Definitions (Con’t) Transfer:

Students electing to transfer for competitive reasons caused a lack of fairness for students who were already at the school receiving the transfer. The result, student participants who were already at that school, inevitable loss their varsity spot or to start, because a more athletically talented student transferred to play that did not relocate with his/her family into the school district.

Lack of 3-Sport Athletes: Pressures for college scholarships and the size of

student bodies in larger schools sometimes cause athletes to believe they must specialize in order to be successful after high school or just to make the high school team.

Definitions (Con’t)

Over-Use of Injuries: When students choose to compete year round, they

have no resting period; therefore, their injuries don’t heal properly, and as a result more and more nagging over-use type injuries.

Challenged Individuals: Lack of activities for students who are mentally and

physically impaired.

Definitions (Con’t)

Mental Burnout: When students choose to compete year round, they have no

mental resting period. More and more students are lacking balance in their lives. Students don’t know how to play without supervision or someone organizing their time. Students often feel guilty if they take time off.

Over-Scheduling: Non-school teams in multiple sports have developed and "use"

high school athletes during the non-traditional sport season, thereby having some students playing for their high school team AND playing on non-school teams at the same time. This, along with the demands of regular school activities, causes athletes to become tired and less productive.

Definitions (Con’t) Specializing:

Selecting only certain sports: Students are less likely to participate in a number of sports because of the pressure to play one sport year round.

Future scholarships & career earnings: The misconception of athletes and parents that athletic scholarships and future earnings is a major goal for high school athletes.

One sport at an early age: Students believe that they need to concentrate on one sport at an early age in order to get a college scholarship and / or a varsity spot on the high school team.

Definitions (Con’t)

Lack of Sportsmanship: Students, parents, and other adults are constantly

reminded that competition is just a game rather than a war. Many of the ugly issues apparent in college and professional sports are appearing in high school gyms.

Character: Emulating athlete behaviors as seen in collegiate and

professional sports via the television.

Definitions (Con’t)

Camps & Clinics: Students who can afford will attend camps and clinics

during the summer and throughout the school year. Those who have fewer resources are left behind.

Communities Expectations: Communities are putting pressure on coaches to meet

the community’s expectation of success, versus the mission in offering participation opportunities. Coaches are being pulled between the two.

Definitions (Con’t)

Court Rulings: Court rulings made by local judges (as well as

legislators) tend to help out one constituent without knowing or caring to know the ramifications of the decision they put forward.

Use of Non-Staff: Coaching staffs are growing older, when they quit

coaching they remain as teachers; therefore, need to use non-staff for coaching positions.

Conclusion

It appears, to this investigator, that a portion of the NFHS and NIAAA membership is losing sight of the ideal mission in offering interscholastic sport programs.

Convenient or Inconvenient?

Booster Club’s Role: Booster clubs are an extension of school programs

and must be connected to, not separate from, the Board of Education authority.

High School Football Coach: State of Washington Paid $60,000 a year by the school’s booster club Concern: Who does this coach really answer to

Further Study

Survey all state associations U.S. Canada

Cluster Associations 8 Regions; U.S. Canada’s Provinces

Special Thanks

MSHSL Executive Board Pilot study

NIAAA Executive Board 297 completed surveys

MSADA Executive Board 131 completed surveys

Mari Hins BSU Student Assistant 40,660 data entries

Thanks to You!

For attending my presentation.

Questions?

Comments?

Thoughts?