CHILD AND YOUTH ATHLETE CRUELTY

Child Abuse and Young Athlete Abuse and Cruelty Definition:
• Physical abuse
• Psychological or Emotional abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Exploitation
• Abandonment or Neglect
• Torture
• Confinement
• Cruel punishment.

“If child abuse is not the most serious crime facing our society today, it is certainly one of the most heart-wrenching.”

That applies to any venue or setting including Sports. Cherry Picking the setting or omitting a venue spares the crime and spoils the law. Every form of Child Abuse on every inch of ground is unlawful.

“States have unanimously responded with laws specifically designed to identify and punish child abusers.”

“Child abuse is an insidious type of crime where the victims are, for many reasons unable to, or are fearful of confronting or reporting the perpetrator to authorities.”

“The laws surrounding abusive activity contain an element not found in many other criminal statutes. Under the laws of many states, third parties with knowledge of, and reasonable cause to believe that abuse has occurred, are under a legal obligation to report the situation to the authorities.”

“In our society, many relationships are held in particularly high regard and communications in those relationships are given special protection. For example, third parties have “privilege,” or a rule, that prohibits the doctor, lawyer or clergy from revealing the content of any communications that take place within that particular professional relationship.”

However, that is negated under the child abuse laws. The Professional in such relationships must now report any known or suspected abusive behavior to the proper authorities.

“Every state requires doctors, teachers, day care providers and law enforcement officers to report child abuse.”
[Child Abuse laws - Information on the law about Child Abuse]

RUSSIA FIRES SHORT-TRACK SPEED SKATING COACH FOR BEING TOO CRUEL

Russia short track speed skating head coach Korean Jang Kwon-ok and his assistants were fired for being too mean to athletes and for conflicts with Russia’s skaters’ union (SKR). The national team was under threat of losing talented athletes to injuries, and “Jang and [his assistant] Guang-Bok Choi’s emotional instability and cruel treatment of the athletes. Coaches fired after ultimatum.

The South Korean specialist was fired last week after he “betrayed the team’s interests”, Coaches were threat to the team,

“Despite many injuries to the athletes, they continued working with the national team according to the Korean formula ‘he who survives will be the champion,’.

Tests also showed that the athletes were tired and overworked, were often injured, but the Coach ignored the doctors’ recommendations. [The Moscow News by Evgeniya Chaykovskaya at 04/10/2011]

TEXAS TECH COACH’S METHODS SEEN AS CRUEL

Coach Mike Leach, the most successful coach in Texas Tech football history, was fired after being accused of punishing receiver Adam James for not playing through a concussion. [Christian Science Monitor by Patrik Jonsson, Dec. 30, 2009]

CRUEL IRONY: ACL INJURIES AND FEMALE ATHLETES

“Dr. Karen Sutton pointed out the odds of a young female athlete suffering a serious ACL injury are about 8 or 9 times more likely than their males.”

“There’s no indication that wearing a protective knee brace or support wrap will do anything to reduce the odds of these injuries. Dr. Sutton did mention a number of exercises to be done, including the strengthening of the hamstrings, quad muscles.”
“But the high rate of ACL injuries occurs mostly due to the inherent structure of the female body.”

All in all, with all the progress that Title IX has made in the USA to guarantee equality between the sexes, it’s just very ironic that women end up having to deal with so many more knee injuries than males. [Ask Coach Wolff, ACL Injuries and Female Athletes: A Cruel Irony, by Rick Wolff on October 18, 2010]

The Cruel Irony of Title IX, more ACL Injuries in Female than male Athletes, is no mystery. Don’t overwork Female Athletes as if they were Male and cause Overuse ACL Injuries. Females are not made the same as males. Males are not modified for Birthing. Baby Delivery modifies the female body and results in collateral sports overuse injuries.

The interface of training and trainers, coaching and coaches, medical expertise and doctors is a triangular comprehensive model. In this instance, each is trying to comprehend what the other 2 are trying to accomplish. It is not active collaboration. Often they butt heads; it’s more comprehension than comprehensive.

Training of Female Athletes “that attempts to correct neuromuscular signals, endocrine and hormonal differences, limb and joint misalignment, muscle imbalance, joint inflexibility are challenging to downright impossible.”

Add to that the amateurish attempt to make a tall basketball player, with a long femur, training to play with the agility, while squatting, as short athlete. Overuse injuries result. Over the limit repetitions and exercise duration will cause overuse injuries in the above endeavors.

Muscle weakness and instability are conceivable, attainable, realistic, improvement training goals.

“OVERUSE INJURIES RESULT FROM REPEATED SUBMAXIMAL STRESS FOLLOWED BY INADEQUATE RECOVERY.”

Youth Athletes incur specific overuse injuries as the result of growth. Strategies for preventing overuse injuries include
• Use of varied practice to reduce join stress and enhance learning.
• Planned Rest
• Gradual Progression
• Cross-Training” 5.

The potential for submaximal exercise knee and ankle loading and overuse injuries from excessive squatting repetitions and prolonged duration is significant. There appears to be greater female to male gender overuse loading differences during Squatting Movement Patterns.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries draw most of the knee injury attention. But let it be known that there are many other overuse knee injuries.

“Most ACL injuries occur during eccentric deceleration” from jumping, stopping or cutting. Squatting should be accomplished by sitting the players hips back, knees should stay over their toes, not in front, knees should not knock together.

Knees knocking together in front of the toes is improper. To re-learn squatting begin with the athlete sitting down in a chair and build to a squat, pushing back at the hips, not bending the knees. Knees that move inward are likely week. Girls are stronger in adduction (knocking knees together) than abduction (moving them away). 6.

When lifting weights, “short femurs are a blessing for squatting. They allow you to stay more upright at the torso and have less forward knee movement (mechanically disadvantageous). Forward knee movement shifts your center of gravity, has the potential to make you raise your heels and dump the weight forward. 7.

A long femur is problematic in this squatting basketball position just like weight lifting. The long femur shifts the knees forward beyond the toes for gravity balance and makes it more difficult than short femurs for side-to-side-slide for zone defense. Short femurs are a blessing for man-to-man-defense. Short athletic athletes are better at man-to-man defense.

During a dynamic single-leg squat Zeller and associates reported that female athletes had significantly
• greater ankle dorsiflexion,
• ankle pronation,
• hip adduction
• and hip flexion than males
• begin the movement in greater valgus alignment
• and remain in this alignment throughout the squat. 8.

Training errors and poor technique when combined with intrinsic gender physical characteristic differences contribute to Overuse Knee, Ankle and Hip Injuries. Squatting in man-to-man defenses repetitively for prolonged periods of excessive reputations can cause overuse injuries.

[Epidemiologic Patterns Overuse Injuries, The Physician and Sportsmedicine , May 1997, Nirschl Orthopaedic Center for Sports Medicine and Joint Reconstruction Arlington, Virginia] [Overuse Injuries in Children and Adolescents John P. DiFiori, MD THE PHYSICIAN AND SPORTSMEDICINE - VOL 27 - NO. 1 - JANUARY 1999] [Baquie and Bruckner BrJ Sports Med 1997;31:2-4 Overuse injuries: where to now?] [Epidemiologic Patterns Overuse Injuries,The Physician and Sportsmedicine , May 1997, Nirschl Orthopaedic Center for Sports Medicine and Joint Reconstruction Arlington, Virginia]

The Cruel Irony of Title IX, that there are more ACL Injuries in Female than male Athletes, is no mystery. Its just Cruel to overwork Female Athletes and cause Overuse ACL Injuries. Prevent Child and Youth Athlete Cruelty and their abuses.

ATHLETE SAFETY MEDICINE

DOCTORS CAN AND SHOULD TAKE CONTROL OF THE PRE-SPORTS-PARTICIPATION PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

Doctors should only approve clearance for Athlete Sports Participation and Play with stipulations i.e. the Athlete is “Only cleared for Sports Participation, when Coaches and All Responsible Parties, implement Athlete Standard Protection, Supervision and Duty of Care.”

What’s a Doctor to do? Let me tell you, “think outside the little box you check with your pen that says “Cleared to Play”.

Following Pre-Sports-Participation Physical Examinations currently, Doctors are routinely checking the box entitled “Cleared to Play” if the Athlete passes the examination. Presently, Doctors do not detail their clearance to play.

Unbeknown Doctors clear athletes to participate in Sports, consequently, with both proper and unsafe playing and sports participation conditions. Unprotected, exposed, vulnerable Athlete Clearance to play by Doctors with routine form completion habits about Athletes participation in potentially harmful circumstances, must cease.

What’s a school to do? Lauran Neergaard of the Associated Press provided one suggestion that University of Georgia Director of Sports Medicine Ron Courson called “the most important thing”:

“The American Heart Association recommends a thorough physical exam and detailed family and personal medical history for every athlete, but not an automatic EKG. The idea is to look for red flags—like fainting episodes, a heart murmur or whether a relative died young of a heart problem—that would prompt the doctor to order further cardiac testing.”

“There’s no doubt that a detailed medical history for all student-athletes should be schools’ logical, low-cost first step……after all, ensuring student-athlete safety should be schools’ highest priority in athletics.” [Trainers: States Dragging Feet on Student-Athlete Safety Laws, By Bryan Toporek April 6, 2011, Education Week]

Why would any meticulous Doctor do such a detailed examination and then toss the Athlete into Maltreatment and Harms Way? That doesn’t make sense.

After a throughly complete Pr-Participation Physical Examination, Every Doctor should do their Duty and add to their physical examinations a clearance provision, for their own and the Athletes protection, a proviso over their signature for clearance: “Only cleared to participate in Sports, when Coaches and All Responsible Parties, implement Athlete Standard Protection, Supervision and Duty of Care.”

Doctors should forbid the heretofore clearance of Limitless, Unrestricted Athlete Sports Participation where Athletes have Risks of being Pushed and Punished beyond their Physical and Emotional Limits and/or Sexually Abused, after the Doctor naively checks the box provided on the Pre-Participation form provided by the school, athlete association or other non-medical group.

Doctors, take Control! Think Athlete Safety 1st!
_______________________________________________________________________

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION RANKS NATIONS

The World Health Organization Ranks nations based on different Categories. The Category of interest for this publication is Child and Youth Safety, Protection, Health, Welfare, Growth and Development.

The questins are:
1. How well do we take care of our Children in the U.S.?
2. How well do we take care of Child and Youth Athletes?

The World Health Organization (WHO) Represents United Nations and its 193 Member States. the following rankins reveal we do not take very good care of our U.S. Children.

Why then would anyone expect the U.S. to take good care of Child and Youth Athletes?

• WHO World ranked the United States 37th among World Health Systems 37/193
• U.S. ranks 34th in Children’s Index (condition and well being of Children) 34/193
• 12th in human development,
• 47th in infant survival
• 10th in bullied teenage females
• 14th in college graduation
• 21st in Children’s Accidental Deaths
• U.S. 3rd in juvenile crime suspects
• 15th in literacy 15/193
• 20th in Childhood Obesity
• 31st in quality of living
• 10th in per capita rape suspects
• 18th in reading
• Students rank 17th in the world
• 13th in age of first sex encounter
• Only ~21 percent of children in the United States who need mental health services receive them. (AJP, Sept. 2002)
• ~ every two hours, a young person commits suicide. (AAS, 2002)
• U.S. 3 Million Teenagers considered suicide / attempted suicide. (SAMHSA, 2002)
• Suicide 3rd leading cause of death among people < 24 YO
• 1st accidents, 2nd homicide. (CDC, 2002)
• Suicide Rate males ages 15 to 24 has 4X over last 60 years
• Suicide Rate females ages 15 to 24 has 2X (CDC, 2002)
• 5 to 9 percent U.S. children have serious emotional disturbance. (USSG, 1999)
• ~13% of children 9 to 17 YO have an anxiety disorder. (USSG, 1999)
• U.S. ~4.1 percent school-age children have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. (NIMH, 1999)
• Early-childhood trauma > memory problems, ↓mental and ↓cognitive ability later in life
• Early Emotional Stress > slow decline Brain Neuron Activity, Region associated with learning, memory, recall (JN, 2005)
• ~4 % boys and > 6 % girls have PTSD symptoms caused by violence they have endured or witnessed. (JCCP, 2003)
• ~ 2/3 boys and3/4 girls in juvenile detention centers have a psychiatric disorder. (AGP, Dec. 2002) [Child and Adolescent Fast Facts]

U.S. CHILDREN’S HEALTH STATUS GAP

There is a gap between the current U.S. Level of Children’s Health and What It Should Be.

• Unrealized Health Potential = difference between - ‘WHAT IS’ (What is Actual Current Level Children’s Health) and - ‘WHAT IS ATTAINABLE’ (What is Level of Health That Would Occur)

UNREALIZED HEALTH POTENTIAL = WHAT IS ATTAINABLE - WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS

• There is a Large Unrealized Health Potential Among U.S. Children
[2008 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Comm .to Build a Healthier America]

WHAT ABOUT CHILD and YOUTH ATHLETES WHO PARTICIPATE IN COMPETITIVE AMATEUR SPORTS? This is where ATHLETE SAFETY MEDICINE comes in to play.

ATHLETE SAFETY MEDICINE (ASM) DEFINITION

Branch of Medicine for the Examination, Treatment and Holistic Health Care of Child and Youth Amateur Athletes

• Promotes the Advancement of Athlete Safety, Protection, Security, Supervision
• Promotes Education and Awareness about Athlete Health-Care, Well-Being, Growth and Development
• Promotes the Prevention of Athlete Diseases, Injuries, Catastrophic Injuries and Deaths
• Motto: “Play with Athlete Safety 1st”

ATHLETE SAFETY MEDICINE SPECIALIST (ASMS) PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVES AND DUTIES

• Doctors can Begin Study for Athlete Safety Medical Specialists:

1. http://www.cappaa.com
2. http://www.athletesafety1st.com
3. http://www.athletesafety1st.org
4. Find Additional Study Resources

• Perform Examinations and Treatment of Athlete Injuries
• Expert Pre-participation History and Physical Examination
• Provide Sports 911 Emergency Action Plan Consultation and Implementation
• Perform Examinations/Treatment of Athlete Injuries with Medical-Legal, Endangerment, Maltreatment and Abuse Assessment
• Release Athletes to Play Following Successful Injury Treatment and Rehabilitation
• Intervention on Athletes behalf when Athlete Safaeaty Medical Specialist (ASMS) has knowledge that Coach is Exercising and Punishing Athletes Beyond Physical and Emotional Limitations
• Promote Child Athlete Abuse Recognition Education (C.A.A.R.E.)
• Promote Child and Youth Athlete Human Rigfts Education
• Provide Instruction on the Implementation of both Primary and Child and Youth Abuse Modifier ICD-9 Diagnostic Injury Codes for Medical Service Reimbursement.
• Testimony Medical Witness and Expert when necessary
• Forensic Assessment of Sports-Participation-Related Injuries and/or Death to the Athlete
• Forensic Assessment for Child and Youth Endangerment, Maltreatment and Abuse Injuries and/or Death
• Properly Reporting Child Athlete Abuse And Negligent Coaching Supervision to authorities
• Instructing others about Proper Reporting
• Educate others about the Recognition of Child and Youth Athlete Endangerment, Maltreatment and Abuse.
• Provide information Links for CME Category I and II Credits for Athlete Safety Medical Specialists
• Strive to Prevent and Eradicate Preventable, Non-Accidental Sports Injuries and Deaths by eliminating Sports Related Determinants, Risks, Reasons and Causes that are not Inherent to the Games Children Play
• Act to Reduce the human, social and financial burdens from Preventable, Non-Accidental Child Sports Injuries and Deaths
• Initiate Reduction Global Health Care Burden from Preventable, Non-Accidental Child Sports Injuries and Deaths
• Ensure the Protection of Child and Youth Athlete’s Human Rights, Health and Welfare in Sports
• Provide training, education, experience and expertise to the medical profession will optimize Athlete enjoyment, positive outcomes of sports and Athlete safety, protection, Physical and Emotional Fitness during and after sports participation.

_________________________________________________________________

Health Services are vital to young people, Children and Youth.

“Healthy development presupposes the availability and accessibility of health care at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.” Medical care is classified into primary, secondary, and tertiary care categories. [Wikipedia]

“Primary care medical services are provided by physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, or other health professionals who have first contact with a patient seeking medical treatment or care.”

“Secondary care medical services are provided for a patient referred by a primary care provider who first diagnosed or treated the patient.”

“Tertiary care medical services are provided by specialist hospitals or regional centers equipped with diagnostic and treatment facilities not generally available at local hospitals. These include trauma centers, burn treatment centers, advanced neonatology unit services, organ transplants, high-risk pregnancy, radiation oncology, etc.”

Patient Records, Medical and Forensic Information, Education and Awareness are still delivered in many health care settings on paper records, but nowadays electronic delivery systems are rapidly proliferating.

“Modern medical care” depends nowadays on patient, educational and other information, records, reports, publications by electronic, cyber, virtual pod, computer-generated health delivery systems.

In addition to the advancements in health care technology, informatics and their applications and stored locations, health care is provided by other important institutions, organizations and communities in other settings. Health care is not provided exclusively by or in the health care community. Examples of other Health Care Venues are:

• Sport
• Education
• Labor
• Culture
• Religion

Sport is a universal language. Everyone understands the language of Sport. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, “Year 2005 was declared the International year of Sport and Physical Education” by the U.N. Sport was advanced for the development and peace among nations and all diverse people.

The Right To Play and Participation-In and the Access-To Sport and Recreation have long been recognised in a number of U.N. international conventions and treaties. In 1978, UNESCO described sport and physical education as a “fundamental Right for all”.

Services for health needs must be coordinated among all sectors that offer Health Care. Consultation connecting the sectors should be proper and timely. Services must endeavor to Promote Health by providing reliable information directly to the young people with whom they are in contact and indirectly through adults who deal with young people.

Health Risks must be identified completely in early stages and deliver current care and treatment for injury and disease in all sectors that offer Health Care, including Sports.

Many countries do not have the health services resources to meet these objectives. Furthermore, since Children and Youth are automatically perceived as being relatively healthy, all countries, even the more advanced industrialized countries, such as the U.S.. are not knowledgeable or accustomed to their special needs.

While young people are relatively disease-free, they have other health problems that often arise from their own Risks or other peoples’ Risks. The other people are usually adults who have Custodial Protection and Supervision Responsibilities and who engage in abnormal and harmful behavior in environments affected with Injury and Death Risks.

Children and Youth have particular sensitivities and health care providers must have special training if the available services are to be used to their fullest extent. Athletes must be carefully observed, protected and supervised, for example.

Disease Free, healthy young people can be seriously injured and succumb, when carelessly and recklessly exposed to harmful behaviors and environmental dangers.
During Sports Participation health care providers and everyone, including parents, must be especially attuned to Abnormal Coaching Behaviors that create Negative Determinants, Risks, Reasons and Causes for Children and Youth Preventable, Not-Accidental Injuries and Death.

“Excessive competitiveness with the emphasis on winning rnay place enormous psychological pressure on the young adolescent, for whom the approval of peers and parents is important.” Win-at-all-costs is extremely detrimental to Athletes and an Athlete Centered Sports and Rights System.

During sports participation excessive stress placed on bones, ligaments, tendons, joints and every other part of Child and Youth human anatomyl including emotional centers in the brain are adverse to Human Growth and Development. Coaches who Cross the Line by Pushing and Punishing Athletes beyond their Physical and Psychological Limits can Risk severe irreversible damage.

Policies and Legislation

“Policies relevant to the health of Children and Youth cut across virtually all sectors of both government and many non-governmental organizations.”

“Laws relating to sports, education, employment, social welfare, population, defense, religion, culture and women, as well as those dealing specifically with youth, have major implications for young people.”

Now that specific public health measures, such as improved sanitation, clean water supplies and immunization programs, have succeeded to some degree in controlling disease, more attention is being paid to health problems characteristic of Children and Youth in which behavior plays a major role.

Abnormal Coaching Behaviors are an example of behaviors that play a major role in self inflicted and perpetrated Serious Injuries and/or Deaths and Sexual Abuse.
Policies and legislation have too often been impromptu, off the cuff responses to health problems that have captured public attention, rather than action taken before the problem has become widespread.

Preventable, Not-Accidental Athlete Injuries and/or Deaths and Sexual Abuse are prime examples. For example, Concussion is now the Injury du jour.

• Enacting One Law At A Time for Most Popular Disease, Injury, Death of the Day is a Disservice to All Child/Youth Athletes with other Pathologies
• Cherry Picking is Not Enforcement of Coexisting Child Athlete Abuse Pathologies
• Doesn’t Address the Entire Syndrome
• Aims To Silence the Cannons for the least amount of Government Combat
• Spares the Crime, Spoils the Law
• Federal Control Over Child Athlete Abuse would be “Eviscerated” Gutless when Cherry Picked
• No Abused Child Athlete Should Be Left Behind the Cherry Tree

The Federal Government has not examined Child and Youth Athlete Safety as a whole for ways in which the enactment of laws might reinforce Prevention and Awareness, rather than eviscerate the advocacy and opposition by piecemeal legislation.

The Law and Public Health

“Many laws deal with public health generally and are not directed specifically at young people, although legislation, particularly in developed countries, covering health education and fluoridation of water supplies to prevent dental caries is of special relevance to the young.”

“Laws that protect the environment and the safety of food, water and medication, provide for health services generally, and foster the necessary conditions for education, family welfare, employment, housing, Sport, culture, religion and recreation all have an impact on the health of young people.”

A key element in the tertiary prevention of disease and disorders in young people is the availability and accessibility of treatment and rehabilitation services for catastrophic illness and injury.

Young people are particularly vulnerable to disabilities arising from accidents on the road, in Sport, at work and in the home. Spinal-cord injuries that result in paralysis or other impairment are particularly devastating for young people. Cheerleading Injuries are an example. Rehabilitation needs must be directed at the whole individual so that he or she is able to develop physically, psychologically and socially to the fullest extent possible.

But here is the rub. Many disabilities in Sports are Preventable and Not-Accidental. Many catastrophic Child and Youth Athlete Injuries and/or Deaths are not natural or inherent to the game that was played and NOT “just part of the game”. They result form careless, reckless mistreatment and endangerment and sexual abuse of Athletes by Coaches.

Prevention and eradication of Preventable, Not-Accidental Child and Youth Athlete Injuries and/or Deaths and Sexual Abuse requires excellent co-operation between the sectors, particularly between health, education, labor, youth and social services, and the involvement of community and non-governmental organizations.

“Schools usually provide an opportunity to learn Sports. They are important not only for physical fitness, but also for learning about teamwork and the constructive use of leisure time.”

Youth associations are another major source of health care for young people. Sport organizations and associations are designed primarily to encourage interest in sport, recreation or community service. All include a health component.

“Youth organizations sometimes require some form of health screening before accepting a person for membership, and they often provide information, education or training in such health-related subjects as fitness, eating habits, personal hygiene and Sport.”

“Because of the variety of activities commonly available, and because the atmosphere is much more one of participation than in school or the health services, it is often easier for a young person to raise sensitive subjects. Youth organizations also provide training in leadership and conduct campaigns for public health that both promote the social development of their members and provide education and training in public health issues.”

In many societies, including the Sports Community, important groups are likely to include policy-makers, program managers and administrators, community leaders, adult family members and, crucially, young people themselves. A multisectoral approach is essential, seeking the active collaboration of health workers and those working in the sectors of youth, education, social welfare, religious affairs, sport, culture and criminal justice, among others for Medical-Legal Health and Welfare of young people.

“The need to achieve such a multisectoral, interdisciplinary and multiagency approach to the relatively neglected subject of adolescent health, (including Athletes in Sports) and make it effective in all cultures, has stimulated the development and adaptation of a number of methodologies.”

“They are participatory and qualitative in nature, using the Socratic principle of eliciting knowledge and action from the resources which people already have within themselves, while at the sarne time providing systematic frameworks that can be used in any setting. They are directed to planning action, setting priorities, behavioral and attitudinal research, training in interpersonal skills, evaluation of work with young people, and advocacy for policy and programs.”

References:
[Health of Young People, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland 1993]
[Chapter: Health Problems and Behavior]
[Chapter - Policies and legislation]
[United Nations, Press Release, 05/11/2004]
[Child Athlete Abuse Syndrome, “A New Disease”]

PREVENT CRUELTY TO YOUNG ATHLETES

To Prevent Cruelty to Young Athletes and Criminal and Civil Risks for Coaches Child(<18) Protection Laws must be incorporrated into school and non-school Rules and Regulations of Athletic Governing Organizations and Associations including High School Athletic Associations.

Compulsory Incorporation-of and completing Education-about Child (<18) and Youth (15-24) Protection Laws, that are mandated in all 50 United States and Internationally by the United Nations, into school and non-school Amateur Athletic Associations Rules and Regulations, emphasizing the consequences when the Laws are violated, will advance the Global Prevention and Deterrence of Cruelty to Young Amateur Athletes and the Protection of both Athletes and Coaches from unlawful, Coaching reckless misconduct and Substandard Behaviors. The Risks to Coaches are self-inflicted due to insufficient understanding of Child Protection Law.

POSITIVE OUTCOMES FROM SPORTS PARTICIPATION

“Mahoney suggested that participation in voluntary, school-based, extracurricular activities increases school participation and achievement because it facilitates:

(a) the acquisition of interpersonal skills and positive social norms
(b) membership in prosocial peer groups
(c) stronger emotional and social connections to one’s school.

In turn, these assets should increase mental health, school engagement, school achievement, and long-term educational outcomes and should decrease participation in problem behaviors, provided that problem behaviors are not endorsed by the peer cultures that emerge in these activities.” [Mahoney et al]

“Participation in extracurricular and service learning activities has also been linked to increases in interpersonal competence, self-concept, high school grade point average (GPA), school engagement, and educational aspirations” [Elder & Conger, 2000; Marsh & Kleitman, 2002; Youniss, McLellan, & Yates, 1999], as well as to higher educational achievement, better job quality, more active participation in the political process and other types of volunteer activities, continued sport engagement, and better mental health during young adulthood [Barber, Eccles, & Stone, 2001; Glancy, Willits, & Farrell, 1986; Marsh, 1992; Youniss, McLellan, Su, & Yates, 1999]

Sports participation has been linked to lower likelihood of school dropout and higher rates of college attendance, particularly for low achieving and blue-collar male athletes (Gould & Weiss, 1987; Marsh & Kleitman, 2003; McNeal, 1995).

These studies provide good evidence that participating in extracurricular activities is associated with both short and long term indicators of positive development including school achievement and educational attainment. Some of these relations hold even after the other obvious predictors of such outcomes are controlled–giving us some confidence that these effects do not just reflect the selection factors that lead to participation in the first place.[Extracurricular activities and adolescent development. Journal of Social Issues, December 22, 2003, Eccles, Jacquelynne S.; Barber, Bonnie L.; Stone, Margaret; Hunt, James]

“How young people spend their time outside of school has consequences for their development.” Organized extracurricular activities, after-school programs, and youth organization have significantly escalated. Research reveals positive outcomes “of participation for academic, educational, social, civic, and physical development”.

Combining this with the potential for safety and supervision provided by organized activities while parents are working has increased local, state, and Federal authorities to increase these opportunities.

However, there is concern that these organized activities have become excessive for youth. “Over-scheduling” is thought to result from pressure from adults (parents, coaches, teachers) to achieve and attain long-term educational and career goals.
Others say the increase in these activities and outside pressures contribute to poor youth psychosocial adjustment and to undermine their relationships with parents and the function of the family circle

The study attemped to resolve the question. The result:

“(1) The primary motivations for participation in organized activities are intrinsic (e.g., excitement and enjoyment, to build competencies, and to affiliate with peers and activity leaders). Pressures from adults or educational/career goals are seldom given as reasons for participation;”

“(2) American youth average about 5 hours/week participating in organized activities. At any given time, roughly 40% of young people in the US do not participate in organized activities and those who do typically spend less than 10 hours/week participating. Many alternative leisure activities (e.g., educational activities, playing games, watching television) consume as much or considerably more time. However, a very small subgroup of youth (between 3 and 6 percent) spends 20 or more hours/week participating;”

(3) “Youth who participate demonstrate healthier functioning on such indicators ranging from academic achievement, school completion, post secondary educational attainment, psychological adjustment, and lowered rates of smoking and drug use, to the quantity and quality of interactions with their parents.

(4) Very high levels of involvement in organized activity participation (e.g., 20 or more hours/week), adjustment appeared more positive than, than youth who did not participate.

Participation is associated with positive developmental outcomes. for most youth. “The well-being of youth who do not participate in organized activities is reliably less positive compared to youth who do participate.”
[Organized Activity Participation, Positive Youth Development,
and the Over-Scheduling Hypothesis, Joseph L. Mahoney, Angel L. Harris, and Jacquelynne S. Eccles, Volume XX, Number IV, Social Policy Report, 2006]
_________________________________________________________________

Balance, moderation, time management, appropriate parental support and proper Child Custodial Protection and Coaching Supervision and Athlete Safety First are necessary for Athlete-Centred Sports and Athlete Rights.

The negative outcomes of sports are the result of poor coaching, parental pressures and preventable, non-accidental sports injuries. [The Negative Effects of Youth Sports, Livestrong.com, Steve Silverman]

“Participation in organized sports provides an opportunity for young people to increase their physical activity and develop physical and social skills. However, when the demands and expectations of organized sports exceed the maturation and readiness of the participant, the positive aspects of participation can be negated.”

“The nature of parental or adult involvement can also influence the degree to which participation in organized sports is a positive experience for preadolescents. This updates a previous policy statement on athletics for preadolescents and incorporates guidelines for sports participation for preschool children. Recommendations are offered on how pediatricians can help determine a child’s readiness to participate, how risks can be minimized, and how child-oriented goals can be maximized.”

“To optimize the safety and benefits of organized sports for children and preadolescents and to preserve this valuable opportunity for young people to increase their physical activity levels, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following:

1. Organized sports programs for preadolescents should complement, not replace, the regular physical activity that is a part of free play, child-organized games, recreational sports, and physical education programs in the schools. Regular physical activity should be encouraged for all children whether they participate in organized sports or not.

2. Pediatricians are encouraged to help assess developmental readiness and medical suitability for children and preadolescents to participate in organized sports and assist in matching a child’s physical, social, and cognitive maturity with appropriate sports activities.

3. Pediatricians can take an active role in youth sports organizations by educating coaches about developmental and safety issues, monitoring the health and safety of children involved in organized sports, and advising committees on rules and safety.
4. Pediatricians are encouraged to take an active role in identifying and preserving goals of sports that best serve young athletes.

5. Additional research and resources are needed to:
a. determine the optimal time for children to begin participating in organized sports;
b. identify safe and effective training strategies for growing and developing athletes;
c. educate youth sports coaches about unique needs and characteristics of young athletes; and
d. develop effective injury prevention strategies.”
[Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness, 2000-2001, Reginald L. Washington, MD, Chairperson, PEDIATRICS Vol. 107 No. 6 June 2001, pp. 1459-1462, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS:Organized Sports for Children and Preadolescents, Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness and Committee on School Health]

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SPORTS AND RECREATION FOR DISABLED CHILDREN

Physical activity, sports and recreation are universal languages and pastimes. Everyone understands their language and positive benefits. 3. 4. 5. 6.

The benefits from sports and recreation participation are universal for all children, including children with disabilities. Sports and recreation participation for disabled children and youth “promotes inclusion, minimizes deconditioning, optimizes physical functioning, and enhances overall well-being.” 1.

Disabled children who participate will improve social interaction, good health habits, diet, quality social relationships, economic growth and physical and mental well being. Regular exercise will reduce obesity, diabetes and heart disease to name only a few of the medical positive outcomes. 2.

“Despite these benefits, children with disabilities are more restricted in their participation, have lower levels of fitness, and have higher levels of obesity than their peers without disabilities.”

Pediatricians and parents may overestimate the risks and overlook the benefits of physical activity in children with disabilities. Each child’s participation must made after well informed parents consider children’s overall

• health status
• individual activity preferences
• safety precautions
• appropriate programs and equipment availability 1.

Even after parents understand the many benefits of children’s participations and are sold on sports and recreation activities, families must identify other family limitations and barriers, such as financial and societal obstacles to participation.

The cost for sports and recreation participation, including cheer, tumbling and gymnastics, is often cost-prohibitive. The family’s financial burden is often significantly greater than they have funds for the endeavor.

In addition, all hindrances need to be directly identified and addressed from the perspective of local, state, and federal laws such as Americans with Disabilities Act.
Some Camps ans Associations envision an alternative solution for the financial burden of cheer, tumbling and gymnastics participation for disabled, disadvantaged, indigent children, a health disparity population.

Thoughtfulness is aimed at caring for the development of the health and welfare of children and their potential can be enhanced through

• Philanthropy
• State and federal grants

These two resources are crucial. Private philanthropic initiatives and state and federal grants for children’s good, that focus on disabled children’s quality of life, are ancient traditional global initiatives. Philanthropy and grants are fundamental humanist core values.

Every disabled child is important and unique, Each child deserves to be treated fairly with compassion and humanity. The cooperation of all people are necessary for disabled children’s health, welfare, development, human rights, peace and justice.

“Pediatricians are urged to promote the participation of all children with disabilities in competitive and recreational sports and physical activities. The benefits are substantial.” 1.

References
1. Promoting the Participation of Children With Disabilities in Sports, Recreation, and Physical Activities by Nancy A. Murphy, MD, Paul S. Carbone, MD and the Council on Children With Disabilities PEDIATRICS Vol. 121 No. 5 May 2008, pp. 1057-1061 (doi:10.1542/peds.2008-0566)
2. Athlete Safety 1st, Micheal B. Minix, Sr., M.D.
3. Education.com; The Benefits of Team Sports; Lucy Rector Filppu
4. “The Sunday Times”; All Together Now — The Unifying Power of Sports; Simon Barnes; July 2007
5. UN News Centre: UN Envoy Stresses Role of Sports as Unifying Force Among Nations, Peoples; June 2008
6. “L.A. Times”; Sports Show the Power to Unify; Diane Pucin; February 2010

THE 4 R’S OF COACHING

RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, RELATIONSHIP RECOGNITION

I. Respect

Coaches have a duty for the protection, safety, health, care, welfare and Human Rights of their Athletes. They should have a devotion-to and the highest regard for the humanity of their Athletes. Coaches are to regard and recognize the human dignity of their players. Coaches must pay attention, be compassionate recognize Athletes’ human value. Coaches should be considerate of players and athletes by treating them as humans. Coaches should dutifully respect the human life of their Athletes.

“Do unto others as you would want others to do unto you.”

Primum non nocere - “First do no harm to human life.”

II. Responsibility

Coaches have an obligation of oversight for the Physical, Psychological (Emotional) well being of their Athletes during the administration of their coaching duties. Coaches must develop and implement responsible coaching policies and standards of Safety 1st.

Coaches are accountable and hold an important position and Fiduciary duty of Trust by the players and athletes. Coaches have a designated authority for the proper care of their players and athletes.

The Core of Coaching is Trust.

III. Relationships

Coaches should develop a positive relationship with their Athletes and develop an excellent level of mutual understanding and trust with good interpersonal communication.

Devoting time for each player and athlete, the Coach will develop a positive relationship learning about each Athlete’s Ambitions, Abilities and Skills. Coaches develop a positive relationship by taking a personal interest with plans and techniques for each Athlete’s individualized improvement of play.

IV. Recognition

Coaches should acknowledge and recognize Athletes when they accomplish their goals and execute their performance plans well. Special one-on-one notice and complementary attention to the Athlete will enhance the trust for the Coach and motivate the Athlete. A pat on the back or the butt goes a long way.