This document discusses ethical considerations for parents and fans involved in youth sports. It addresses issues like abusive parents injuring coaches and children, and unruly fans undermining sporting efforts. Parents are encouraged to be supportive role models who teach good sportsmanship. Prayer at youth sporting events can be controversial and consideration should be given to people of different faiths. Parental rage is a growing problem, with some parents verbally or physically abusing coaches, officials, and other parents. Leagues aim to curb bad behavior through codes of conduct and disciplinary actions like banning disruptive parents from attending games.

1. ETHICALCONSIDERATIONS
FOR PARENTS ANDFANS
Parents and fans are essential to any successful spo1ts program or franchise. Ethical concerns
abound, however, with abusive parents injuring coaches and children, and out-of-control fans
engag ing in unethical conduct. 1 Parents are a significant part of any youth sports
organization. Many serve as volunteers and are necessary for the administration and the eventual
success of the league. Ethical parents are supportive of coaches, participants, and other parents.
They teach young athletes respect for coaches, other participants, and sports officials. Parents set
the tone for their young athlete by set ting an example of a true sportsman. Fans are essential to
professional sports; after all, they buy tick ets! Ethical fans are not obsessed with their hero as
was Wesley Snipes in the movie The Fan with Robert De Niro. Good fans are polite and not
abusive: they are, in essence, good sports.
Negative comments or acts of displeasure from parents or fans toward the coach, visiting team,
or officials undermine the sporting efforts of all involved. Ethical standards attempt to mold
good behavior on the part of parents and fans. These standards usually come into play as
punishment for unacceptable behavior, with the hope that these penalties will act as a deterrent of
future acts of bad behavior or poor sportsmanship by both parents and fans.
PARENTAL ETHICS
The joy of being a parent of a young athlete comes from watching your child compete in athletic
events and, of course, winning. No one likes to lose, but for a young athlete it is inevitable; the
ath lete must learn to lose and be a good sport in the process. That is a tough task for a 9-year-
old but sometimes an even tougher task for the parents of that child. Young athletes are
encouraged and are excited when they look into the stands and see their parents cheering for
them. 2
'Michael Crowley, "Outrageous! Field of Screams,'' Reader's Digest, October 2007. 2 "Soccer
Moms Gone Wild: When Parents Need to Be Refereed at Youth Sports Games," Wall Street
Journal,
April 28, 2009.
171
172 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations for Parents and Fans
Amateur spo1ts leagues and associations sometimes have a difficult job ensuring that parents set
good examples for their children, play within the rules, act ethically, and conduct themselves
properly at sporting events. Many parents are enthralled with the idea of their child hitting the
winning home run, scoring the winning touchdown, or making the winning goal. There is
certainly nothing wrong with that, but when a parent loses his or her focus or perspective, then
trouble looms on the horizon.3

2. The Standard of Appropriate Behavior for Parents
The standard of appropriate behavior for parents is the reasonably prudent parent. Ethical parÂ
ents view the participation of their child in sports as a part of the educational process.
Patticipation in interscholastic or youth sports is a learning experience for students; kids will
make mistakes and par ents must understand that. Ethical parents praise their children's
attempts to improve as dedicated stu dents, athletes, and citizens. Parents must operate as role
models for their children in all areas of life, and that includes sports participation. Parents should
encourage good sportsmanship by demonstrat ing positive support for all players, coaches, and
officials at every game or practice. Parents' conduct is considered unethical if they "misbehave."
Pai·ents would do well to follow these suggestions:
1. Stress good sportsmanship. Talk to youth participants about what it means to be a good sport.
Stress that "winning isn't everything," especially at the early stages of youth involve ment in
sport.
2. Watch for "teachable" moments. If a scenario ai·ises where youth sports participants can
learn a lesson, step in and instruct.
3. Teach how to lose gracefully. Shaking hands with the opposing team and teaching youth parÂ
ticipants how to accept defeat is a giattt step toward good sportsmanship.
4. "Check yourself." If emotions are getting out of control, step away from the field and perform
a self-evaluation of your own conduct.
Hostile and abusive parents at youth sporting events are a far too common occurrence in recent
years. 4 For whatever reason, Little League baseball and youth sports in general, seem to bring
out the
. . . " " .
Paren
In contrast to Ms. Lisle is Matthew Collins, an out-of-control parent, who assaul a Little League
baseball game. 6 Criminal acts have even occurred at youth sports. U Little League game in
Vallejo, California, a parent was stabbed. 7 With tight family sc playing 40-plus games in a short
season, taking music lessons, playing Wii, and doing homework, parents, kids, and coaches
ai·e under extreme pressure. 8
Former MLBMost Valuable Player Dale Murphy knows a thing or two about and being a good
sport. His "I Won't Cheat Foundation" is "on a mission to encom
ers to avoid shortcuts":
It takes courage, and we encourage kids to speak up. One of the more challenging thin being the
guy who does the cheating, but not saying anything about it and going along especially, they

3. need as many people as possible to say: You don't want to do that. Yo, right way to be
successful. Kids see the short-term gain, that's kind of the challenge w any age-you see the short-
term gain, you don't see the long-term consequences.9
What parents say to their children can have a major affect on their sports expe olds do not need
to be told they are showing "lack of effort," are "dogging it," or are 1
percent." After all, sports are supposed to be fun (at least to a certain point). Littll would be wise
to consider how the sport of baseball is played and the pace of the ! ers waiting in a field to
hopefully get a chance to "muff' a "soft" ball is not exact average 5-year-old considers enticing.
Parents should keep in mind the nature o: "encouraging" their child to be successful. What about
penalizing disruptive pari them a certain distance from the field? About a hundred yards to be
exact! That is a parent in one Maryland soccer league. The league president said:
The league's disciplinary board has had better luck barring individual parents from att the past
three years rather than fining them, because the parents would pay the money bad behavior. We
have taken a strong stance. It's important. This isn't the World Cup parents to be sln"ieking on
the sidelines and belittling people goes against everything v
1 Chapter 5 Ethical Comiderations for Parents and Fans 174
h , child in sports. Parents parents in supporting t eir , .the proper role of
sign this form prior to their children should read, understand, and
participating in our league. d ct at any game or practice will be
Any parent guilty of improper con u d d from the following asked to leave the sports facility and
be suspen e , or the
may cause a multiple game suspension, game. Repeat violations
privilege of attending all games. season forfeiture of the
Preamble , and ethics in sports are
The essential elements of character-building , core principles: sportsmanship and six
embodied in the concep t Of
• Trustworthiness,
• Respect,
• Responsibility,

4. • Fairness,
• caring, and , Good citizenship,
is achieved when competition reflects The highest potential of sports
these "six pillars of character."
I therefore agree:
1, I will not force my child to participate in sports. and that the game d participate to have fun
2. I will remember that chil ren
is for youth, not adults, physical disability or ailment that may 3. I will inform the coach of any
or the safety of others, affect the safety of my child the policies of the league.
will learn the rules of the game and for my child and4. I , a ositive role model 5. I ( and my
guests) will be p d rtesy and by demon-
tsmanship by showing respect an cou , and sporencourage for all players, coaches, officials,
strating positive support t
ractice or other sporting even . spectators at every game, p , , of unsportsmanlike conduct
t engage in any kind 6, I (and my guests) will no h as booing and taunt-
h player or parent sue with any official, coac ' , , f language or gestures.
k h ds· or using pro ane ing; refusing to sha e an ' t' es that would endanger
b haviors or prac ic 7. I will not encourage any e
the health and well being of the athletes, to resolve conflicts , by the rules and18, I will teach my
child to p ay
h stility or violence. without resorting to O coaches officials,
'ld treat other 1Payers, , I will demand that my chi creed, color, sex or
9. t regardless of race, and spectators with respec
ability, more important than win- ch <ld that doing one's best is
I will teach my ~ h tcome of a game10. never feel defeat byte ou ning, so that my child will

5. or his/her performance.
11. I will praise my child for competing fairly and tryin,
my child feel like a winner every time.
12. I will never ridicule or yell at my child or other .t:
making a mistake or losing a competition.
13, I will emphasize skill development and practices and h
my child over winning, I will also de-emphasize games
in the lower age groups.
14. I will promote the emotional and physical well-being
ahead of any personal desire I may have for my child t
15. I will respect the officials and their authority during
never question, discuss, or confront coaches at the~
will take time to speak with coaches at an agreed upon
16, I will demand a sports environment for my child thal
drugs, tobacco, and alcohol and I will refrain from tb
sports events.
17.I will refrain from coaching my child or other players di
practices, unless I am one of the official coaches of th
Parent/Guardian Signature
Source: © 2011 Little League Baseball, Incorporated. All Ris Reserved.
What are your thoughts on the parent code of conduct? Should each parent l: a pledge that he or
she will promote sportsmanship as well as following a code of
Parental Choices

6. There are many ethical issues in youth sports, and none are more difficult to d gion and gender.
Examine the following two case studies dealing with girl parti< league and prayer before a youth
sports game.
At what levels should girls no longer be allowed to participate in a boys' league, if evt
girl is capable of playing football, can she participate on the boys' team? If not, why not
allowed to play youth baseball? The Little League believes so. 13
"For further study, see Lyun Kidman, Alex McKenzie, and Bridig McKenzie, "The Nature and 1
Comments During Youth Sport Competitions:' Joumal of Sport Behavior 22 (1999); Margaret'
Messner, and Sandra J. Ball-Rokeach, Paradoxes of Youth and Sport (New York: State Universi
Press, 2002).
12 Jessica Rudis and Rich Schapiro, "Queens High Schooler Tackles Her Football Dream," New
Yl October 4, 2008.
13 Dave Merchant, "Local Woman Changes Face of Little League Baseball," Heritage
Newspaper, 2010; Bruce Weber, "Judge Sylvia J'ressler, Who Opened Little League to Girls,
Dies at 75," Ne February 17, 2010.
176 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations for Parents and Fam
Check out one response to 12-year-old Jaime, a girl who was "dominating" a boys' basketball
league:
The~ were great ... until she blocked the first shot. Then they were like, "Hey, we don't want this
big kid commg ou~ and making us look b_ad," said Michael Abraham, Jaime's coach. After
parents complained, The Hoop, a pnvate _league that organizes the games, told Jaime she could
no longer play with the boys, citing a rule that bars nuxed-gender teams.14
Consider the following questions regarding Jaime's participation on the boys' basketball team.
1. What actions, if any, should be taken? 2. What reasons can you provide that Jaime should not
be able to play basketball with the
boys? What reasons can you give in support of her participation? 3. What would you do about
the parents who do not want her making their sons look bad on
the court? 4. Is there an age limit at which girls should no longer participate in a boys' league?
Youth sports can present multiple problems that need to be resolved fairly and ethically.
Consider the one faced by the Medford Little League in Oregon. A parent pulled his son from
coach Chris Palmer's Indians base ball team (the name of which presents another ethical issue}
because the parent said Palmer "forced" religion on the kids by leading them in prayer and

7. quoting Bible verses. "All I wanted was for my daughter to sign up and play baseball this spring.
Not to have religion or prayer shoved down her throat. There's a time and place for prayer-and
baseball isn't it," said Mike, a former assistant coach for Palmer. Coach Palmer said, "I just pray
that the Lord will watch over us .... I've never had anyone raise a stink about it." 15
Consider the following questions as they relate to the place of prayer in youth sports.
1. What is wrong with a short solemn prayer for the safety of children nothwithstanding which
higher power you choose to worship? 16
2. Would a prayer at a youth sporting event be more acceptable if it uses neutral language,
specifying no particular religion, during the prayer? 17
3. Should prayer be allowed under any circumstances'? What if a child is severely injured? Is
prayer still prohibited under those circumstances? 18
14 Kari~richer, Lisa Fletcher, Nicole Young, and Stephanie Dahle, "Banned from Playing
Basketball with the Boys, ABC News, May 24, 2008.
:: Associated Pres~, "~~ttle League Calls Coach's Pre-Game Prayer Fair, Not Foul," KCBY
News, May 3, 2010. Se~ Denm~ Collms, Nearer ~y God to the Goal Line: • Suppose I Pray to
Win, and the Other Guy, He Prays to Wm, Whats God Gonna Do?' ' Washington Post,
November19, 1978.
17 See Charles S. Prebish, '"Heavenly Father, Divine Goalie': Sport and Religion:• The
Antioch Review 42, no. 3 (Summer1984): 306--318.
"See Pat 1:IcMan~o~: "Major Gains for Boy 1:1it ~y Ball at Minor Le~gue Game,"
Fanhouse.com,July 26, 2010; Sara Pulham Batley, Where God Talk Gets Stdelmed: Sports
Joumahsts Are Reluctant to Tackle Faith on the Field,"Wall Street Joumal, February4, 2010.
4, What consideration should people of different faiths be given in this : 5. What role should
religion play in youth sports, if any? Consider th<
cheerleaders could use Bible verses on the banner a football team ru enter the playing field. The
principal of the school stated:
As a Christian I would not have liked it if they had used verses fn had known about it, I probably
would not have approved of them , basis of the court's ruling ... if you allow Christian verses
then ) Buddhist, or Jewish and everything else. And to be perfectly hone
would have been a problem here. 20
Parental Rage People, and especially parents, can become angry, and sometimes at th

8. issue becomes urgent when parents or fans fail to control their anger, and it negative
consequences. "Rage" has become a term of art.2
t Sports rage has b the context of an organized athletic activity, any physical attack upon anoth,
ing wounding, or otherwise touching in an offensive manner, and/or any mal
22 sus~ained harassment which threatens subsequent violence or bodily harm." :
major ethical dilemmas for youth sports organizations and even present serk Parental rage has
taken youth sports to a new level. Anyone who has
sports team knows it can be tainted by one "raging" parent. It would be naYv coaches and
officials, which consists primarily of volunteers (the key word b not be subject to criticism; they
will. However, violent acts and parental are di criticism.2 4 Parental abuse or rage can include
any of the following:
• Profanity • Improper touching of a participant, referee, coach, or other parent • Abusive
language (including profanity) that demeans, ridicules, or bel
physical makeup, sex, national origin, gender, religion, skin color, ski!
tion, or parental heritage • Entering the playing field uninvited • Making derogatory
comments to coaches, parents, officials, league oJ
participants • Failing to follow the rules and regulations of the league
25
"See "Kurt Warner: Jesus Brought Me Here," Chrisfian Post, January 30, 2010; Hannah Your
Short Game?" Wall Street Jo11mal, April 27, 2010.
20 L. z.Granderson, "The Debate at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe;' ESPN.com,October 6, 2 21
Sophronia Scott Gregory and Adam Cohen, "Black Rage: In Defense of a Mass Murde1
June 6, 1994. 22 Gregg S. Heinzmann, "Parental Violence in Youth Sports: Facts, Myths, and
Violence;' 23 See Howard P. Benard, "Little League Fun, Big League Liability," Marquette
Sports Lt;
i< Paulo David, "Young Athletes and Competitive Sports: Exploit and Exploitation," lnte,
Children's Rights 1 (1999): 53-81. 25 For further study, see G. S. Heinzmann, "Parental Violence
in Youth Sports: Facts, Myt
National Recreation and Parks Association; Joel Fish and Susan Magee, 101 Ways to B (New
York: Fireside, 2003):

9. https://ESPN.com
https://Fanhouse.com
https://teams.14
178 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations far Parents and Fans
As an SMP, what should be done to control a "raging" parent? What steps would you recomÂ
mend?26 In the following case, an out-of-control parent threatened violence against a young
player. When is that ever appropriate? The simple answer: never.
2004 WL 1925551
Jordan Hale was thirteen at the time of the incident. When Jordan was
in the seventh grade, he signed up to play in the Casco Bay hockey
league. On December 10, 2001, Jordan's team played another team on
which Michael Antoniou was a player. Jordan knew Michael and they were
friends. Jordan also knew Michael's father, Demetri Antoniou.
Towards the end of the hockey game, Jordan and Michael collided.
Jordan had lowered his shoulder and checked Michael. Michael went down
onto the ice. Michael took a while to get up, and Jordan could tell
Michael had been jarred by the hit. Michael returned to his team
bench, and the game ended about ten seconds later. No penalty was
called against Jordan.
From Demetri's perspective, it appeared as if Jordan drove his hockey
stick onto Michael's "right jaw and right neck," Demetri testified
that he thought his son might have suffered a concussion. In fact,
Michael was injured as a result of the hit.
After the game, the teams went to their respective locker rooms.
Jordan was in the locker room for about five minutes and had already

10. started getting out of his hockey equipment when he saw Demetri at the
doorway of his team's locker room .. ,
Scalia [Jordan's coach] testified that Demetri asked him where Jordan
was, came into the locker room with a "hockey stick under-a bag on his
shoulder, a hockey stick under his arm.•
In his affidavit, Jordan testified that after the incident, when he
tried to stand up, his knees buckled and he had to sit back down.
The court denied Demetri's motion for summary judgment, because
Jordan's claims for civil assault and intentional infliction of
emotional distress are allowed to go forward, their punitive damages
claim were not barred by the absence of an underlying tort.
26 For further study on parents and youth sports, see Dianna K. Fiore, "Parental Rage and
Violence in Youth Sports: How Can We Prevent Soccer Moms and Hockey Dads from
Interfering in Youth Sports and Causing Games to End in Fistfights Rather Than Handshakes;'
VillanovaSports and Entertainment Law Journal (2003); Geoffrey G. Watson, "Games,
Socialization and Parental Values: Social Class Differences in Parental Evaluation of Little
League Baseball," flllemational Review for the Sociology of Sport (1977).
1
Jordan showed that there is a di' spute regarding whether De
alleged actions were motivated by i' 11 will toward Jordan o
geous that malice towards Jordan as a result of that condu
implied. The court cites Scalia's testimony that Demetri a where Jordan was c • t h
, , ame in o t e locker room with a ;1hockey a bag.on his shoulder, a hockey stick under his arm,"
Hale is an asshole." and s,
Express malice exists when the defendant's tortuous conduc1
vated by ill will toward the plainti' ff and that implied maj

11. wh~n deliberate conduct by the defendant, although motivat, thing other than ill will toward any
particular party, .is ~ geous that malice t d
owar a person injured as a result of tl: can be implied.
Source: Reprinted from Westlaw lvith permi'ssi'on of Thomson ii
Consider the following questions regarding Case 5-1.
1. It is clear this parent was "enr d" Wh ct· . . age . at 1sc1plme measures should t the parent?
2. Should a police report have been made in this case? 3. Should the parent be made to apologize
to all involved? 4. Shhould the parent be forced to take anger management. classes before he
t e league?
The "hockey dad" case study that follows, involves the tragic death of a pare
M . . The most notable ~ccurrence of parental rage resulted in the death of a young hocke) /.
as~achusetts hockey rmk. The encounter between Thomas Junta known as the "H k Costm
occurred on July 5 2000 C . . . • oc eyC . , , , . ostm was superv:ismg a hockey practice for IO-
year-old
· th(ee son~ and Junt~ 8 son. Junta was in the stands observing his son in a non-contact scrirr
Dunng the scnrnmage, Junta became upset when he saw players acting rough and e·
thought was unnecessary "body-checking." Junta then left the '" d d • · . . s...,n s an went
onto the 1ce , t~e ro_ugh pla between the boys. Costin was in his protective hockey gear a~~
him with Junta s necklace and then kicking Junta's shins and feet with the 3_. fter the ph · al I
• me . ysic a tercatlon, a rink employee separated Junta and Costin and re
rmk. Junta left the rink 1'."ith his son and later returned to pick up his son's two frie en Junta
returned to the nnk, he once again ran into Cos"n A d
ff" " · secon argument ens 0
and began pun~hin~ each other, Junta threw Costin to the floor and repeated!} th e neck. Upon
their amval at the rink, paramedics found Costin without a pulse
to a coma and was pla~ed on_ ll_ventilator. A day after the incident, Michael Costin was ~
removed from the ventdator, and died, Junta surrendered to the police and was arrested
180 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations for Parents and Fam

12. In January 2002, Junta's trial began with jury selection, which consisted of asking potemial
jurors if they
had children, if their children played on sports teams, and if they ever had witnessed an incident
of parental rage at a youth sports game. Junta was found guilty and sentenced to 6 to JOyears in
prison. 27 He was found guilty
of involuntary manslaughter. The jury refused to find him guilty of the more serious charge of
manslaughter, which would have sentenced Junta to 20 years in prison. 28
Parents should be supportive of their student-athlete. Any violence or abusive language is anathÂ
ema to the desired goal of the ethical parent. When the stakes appear to be higher for the parents
than for the children, parents have an obligation to examine their own behavior and to refrain
from uneth ical conduct.
2003 WL22533643 (E.D. Louisiana)
Bill Brantley
boys' basketball
the court and
was injured while
game at Bowling
began assaulting
working
Green
Brantley
as
School. 1 s
a ref
referee
eree
Frank

13. at
Glenn
partner,
a high s
came
Charlie
chool
onto
Ackerman. Apparently, this occurred when Glenn's minor son was ejected
from the game because of a technical foul. Glenn allegedly was joined
in his assault of Ackerman by Donald McGehee. When Brantley tried to
stop the assault, McGehee allegedly punched, clawed, and battered him.
In the melee that ensued, McGehee was soon joined by two other McGehees,
who allegedly punched, kicked, and beat Brantley until he was unconÂ
scious, Brantley alleges that his injuries were caused by the intenÂ
tional acts of Gle_nn, Bowling Green School, and the three McGehees,
Here, Glenn's alleged acts occurred at a high school sports event
where Brantley and his fellow referee were charged with officiating
and keeping order.
Source: Reprinced from Westlaw with permission of Thomson Reuters.
Consider the following questions with regard to Case 5-2.
1. Should there be a harsher penalty for the parent who assaults a sports official? 2. Should
criminal charges be brought in this case? 3. What ethical and legal decisions would the school's
athletic department be faced with in this

14. case?
Preventing Parental Rage
What can be done to ensure parents are kept under control? If they are not held in check, it could
lead to dire consequences and possible legal action.
27 "Hockey Dad, Gets 6 to 10 Years for Fatal Beating," CNN.com, January 25, 2002. 28 Fox
Butterfield, "Fatal Fight at Rink Nearly Severed Head, Doctor Testifies," New York Times,
January 15, 2002, A9.
P,
A youth athletic league in Florida is adding a requirement for kids who want to be sp,
parents must learn how to behave on the sidelines as well. The Jupiter-Tequesta Athletic
Association is requiring parents to take an hour-1<
course. Jeff Leslie, the volunteer president of the association and father of four, stated: " de-
escalate the intensity that's being shown by the parents at these games." The progran
Youth Sports (PAYS) of the National Alliance for Youth Sports, costs $5 and will be re parent or
guardian for each family. It states the roles and responsibilities of a parent of a minute video and
a handbook. The first season had many parents enrolled in the class.
It is always good to ask an expert. Joey Scherperborg, an 8-year-old who plays in ti puts it
succinctly when discussing parental misconduct: "It makes it not as fun .... I wis
that."29
Youth baseball coach, Mark R. Downs Jr. was charged witli offering one of his pla:r the head
with a baseball. The boy was hit in the head and in the groin with a baseball just I
not able to play in the game. The boy who was hit with the ball was an 8-year-old teamn ability.
Witnesses told police that Downs, who was a t-ball coach, did not want the be
because of his disability. In a previous game, another coach said that Downs had been cautioned
by an umpir
the field and had remarked to the entire team in jest, "Anybody who can line drive the r,
you $25." The boy's mother called state police after the boy was struck. She said sh, wanted to
keep the boy off the field, despite a league rule that required every player to part a game. Downs
was arrested and arraigned on charges of criminal solicitation to commit a ruption of minors,
criminal conspiracy to commit simple assault, and recklessly endang, He was convicted on
corruption charges of a minor and criminal solicitation to commit :

15. How Can We Prevent "Soccer Moms" and "Hockey Dads" from :C::
in Youth Sports and causing Games to End in Fistfights Ra'
Handshakes?
By: Dianna K. Fiore
Villanova Sports and Entertainment Law Journal, 2003
29 Richelle Thompson, "Youth Leagues Make Parents Play by the Rules," Cincinnati Enquire 30
"Coach Denies Targeting Child;' CBSNews.com,July 18, 2005.
https://CBSNews.com
182 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations for Parents and Fans
Excitement suddenly turned to fear for the 49ers youth football team
f ield holding their stomachs and began vom- as p 1ayers ran Off the . h
i.ti.ng v:i.olentJ.y on the si.de.13.ne. Parents and coaches helped the eig t boys, ages l2 to 14,
into cars and headed to the hospital1 ending the
practice for a championship game a few days later. No one knew it at
the time, but the sick 49ers had been poisoned, casualties in an epiÂ
demic of parental rage sweeping through youth sports.
Youth sports have been a part of American culture for a long time. For
many years, sports have provided positive experiences for children.
When children play sports, they may experience the joy of learning a
new athletic skill or even scoring the winning point in a game, PlayÂ
ing sports should not only be a positive experience for children, but
should also be an enjoyable experience for parents who proudly watch
their children play from the sidelines or the stands.
Occasionally, parents are not involved in their children 1 s sporting

16. interests. Before being introduced to the world of organized youth
sports, children often gather in streets to play stickball, shoot
hoops, or play touch football with family and friends in a backyard.
Overall, children participate in sports for exercise, fun, and
camaraderie.
Today, the games that carefree children played in the backyard with
friends are replaced by more structured activities such as organized
youth sports programs. Sadly, parents and other adults have become too
involved in youth sports, making them more structured, competitive,
and violent, rather than carefree, recreational, and fun. As a result
of this invasiveness, tragedies have occurred~ .. this rage is taking the fun out of sports and
creating a negative learning environÂ
ment for children.
With an estimated thirty to thirty-five million children between ages
five and eighteen participating in youth sports, it is clear that
youth sports are integrated significantly in modern American culture.
Children play to have fun with their friends and to practice and
improve their athletic skills. Moreover, parents want their children
to be involved in sports to build character and to manage the chilÂ
dren1s free time with a healthy, positive activity. Participating in
youth sports programs . . can fulfill the needs and desires of both
children and their parents.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, organized youth sports emerged in
urban America because parents sought to occupy their children's free

17. time while they worked in factories and mills. Parents organized
sports activities for their children to compensate for a,non-rural
Parent
fi 'll the void caused by parents' working upbringing and to
long hours.
1 'nterest in engaging their children in sp,
with this increased parents had to organize and implemen·
activities with friends, for their children. · · Litt
structured sporting experience , • rograms within loc
Baseball is highly structured, organizing P ld Little League has brought youn
nities around the wor • · · · t and b~ys together on ball fields around the world a~d.
curren ,
00 000 baseball and softball participants" to have a 1mos t 3 0f ,
Soccer Organization ( ''AYSO") offers chi1 . American Youth .. te in an ore
f've to nineteen an opportunity to participa . - ages i , h t by implementing,
ue AYSO modernized yout spor s soccer 1eag · n h · h ha•
Plays" and 'Balanced Team, w ic phies such as "Everyone cer and AYSO's id<
t f AYSO's trademark. Parents found soc par o . d· u~ as football and appealing because soccer
is not as angero ~ place the same kind of focalized pressure on children as bas
when a child is alone at bat.
t d with the best int sports leagues were crea e " . , n
were motivated by the ideal of winning.
time these youth sports leagues progressed into intensely c , competitive athletic environment for
ye
dren and shaping today's youth sports model. Now more ~h~ntE to represent "minia l

18. adults structure youth sports programs
versions of professional sports.
structured organization of youth sports pl
have been modeled after professional spo: h ts programs ·we.re never
leagues. In fact, however, yout spor . l Sp orts leagues. Carl Stotz, Bil1
the founders of the oldest youth sports to replicate professiona
Glen ''Popu warner, , d to be fun, recreational, an sSpor ts
tions, intended youth Despite their intentions, youth sports eventually became so
emulate their professional counterparts.
, lved in making youth sports just as parents became more invo , the cornbinat
competitive as professional sports. Due to r over-structuring of youth sports programs and pare_
their children's sports, youth sports compr:
characteristics as professional sports. Fr,
and games, leagues, officials, umpiresr referees t names r trophies, ti
onships, tournaments, professiona 1 eam hi children experiencand even corporate sponsors p,
like to be a professional athlete.
https://si.de.13.ne
184 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations far Parents and Fans
Unfortunately, some adults overlook the reality that exposure to the
rigorous schedules and fierce competition that professional athletes
face may be overwhelming for children who simply want to play sports
to have fun with friends. Parents often neglect that the primary goal
of youth sports is for children to have fun. Therefore, if the players

19. are not enjoying themselves, the whole purpose of participation in
youth sports is averted.
Although most violence in sports occurs at the professional level,
particularly in football and hockey, there is an inherent degree of
violence at all levels. As a result, sports involve a serious risk of
physical injury.
Unnecessary violence now plagues youth sports across the country and
has escalated to the point 1;,1here parents, coaches, umpires, and referÂ
ees are fighting and beating each other to death. The labels "sports
rage" and "parental rage 11 refer specifically to parents who lose conÂ
trol and take their "rage" out on other adults. Sports rage and
parental rage are not new developments. Yet, the number of violent
incidents in youth sports has increased at an alarming rate in the
past five years. "From Little League to the big leagues, violence at
sporting events is no longer startling." Organized youth sports proÂ
grams are earning a reputation for producing a generation of unhappy
child athletes. Children either must drop out of youth
because they are too competitive and no longer fun, or be exposed to
the violence that increasingly erupts.
In addition, the trend of violence in youth sports is exposing young
athletes to the judicial system. . Given the extreme nature of
this growing problem 1
parents, children, coaches, and youth sports

20. organizations have sounded the alarm for youth sports league adminisÂ
trators and legislators to take action: first, to find out what is
causing the unfortunate trend of parental rage and unnecessary vioÂ
lence in youth sports; and then to find a way to address the problem
before it is exacerbated.
There are several factors that contribute to the alarming increase in
unnecessary violence in today's youth sports. The •win-at-all-cost
coaches, violent parents and poor role models in professional sportsu
are primary causes .... This mentality in professional sports has
integrated in youth sports. The ideal of winning in youth sports has
become much more important than mere participation as a team player.
Because there is so much emphasis on winning, the physical and emotion,~_
nature of youth sporting events continues to change for the worse,
Unfortunately, the intense competition in youth sports
young athletes to play more aggressively on the field and has led
Paren
more violent outbursts by parents on the sidelines. Everyone
i..n·_youth sports, including the athletes, coaches, referees, ut
.S,i;:>ectators, and parents, are at unnecessary risk of injury dui
.,.in,,at-all-costs mentality.
An early 1990s survey revealed that out of the 20,000,000 Ame,
' children who participate in youth sports programs, approximat,
<14,000,000 will quit before they reach the age of thirteen. A<

21. ,;,~o the survey, these children drop out "mostly because adultsÂ
;particularly their own parents-have turned playing sports intc
"':.'_:j/,Yless,negative experience."
)•,at·ents have contributed largely to the "winning is the only t
iittitud0 in youth sports. Child athletes now struggle to succE
pleaee their parents, not to achieve personal goals. This stru
anxiety among young athletes and their~
attend their children's sporting events
ing an opportunity to interact with their children. Today,
; parents are more involved in structuring their children
sur0 that their children become successful athletes. Thus
:tng pressure on a child to make a high school varsity team
his or her chance of procuring a college athletic sch
become the new motivation for parents. Consequently, becau
they have invested in their children's success, parents be
parents to participate excessively in spar
own children are the players. The parental
their children when hurt during a game com·
to lose control of their emotions and temper.
s youth sports coaches should. act as role models t•
:i,ve influences for children. In youth sports, the most su,
are concerned more about treating each child as an ind,
~-fJ_P_laying concern, respect, understanding, and patience v1:

22. as.he or she develops skills. Unfortunately, some youth,
f!B_._have become fanatical about winning and have resorted (
cting young players to play violently, or to coaching
professional athletes and struggle
i':~"tin their sports. To be recognized by scouts as especi,
agd to succeed in competition, young athletes p11sh them,
J.imits of talent and skill. When these athletes can nc
their talents and skills, they panic over the possibilj
~ and consequently resort to aggressive, intimidating, ar
rt:slllanlike• conduct on and off the field.
1
186 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations for Parents and Fam
violence in youth leagues contributes to Each instance of unnecessary .
1 d from participation in the erosion of constructive values g eha~e h'ldren from becoming vioÂ
t h seek to prevent t eir c i sports. Faren s w O
• d set an appropriate lent and overly aggressive should be proacti~e.an t who aim to
th sports league adm1nistra ors example. Coaches and you should commu-
t 1 rage at youth sports games prevent incidents of paren a f ptable and unacceptable nicate with
parents and set guid~lines or ::c:n outh sports, par- b h . r With so many notable violent even y
e avio . administrators, and even lawmakers are en ts, coaches; youth sports bl
exists and are making reasona e acknowledging finally that a problem . 1
re incidents of unnecessary v10 ence,futuefforts to prevent elf-regulation have emerged as
effective ways
League self-control and S . h' r th s arts leagues are establis ing mo e

23. to curb violence in sports. You p , 'ng youth sports programs. training programs for
administrators in managi
ho ~.~ever, more youth sports supervisors are To be fully effective, " t
sports administrators, and paren s. needed to train volunteer coaches,
that coaches undergo criminal back- some youth sports leagues require k
. 't' n The background chec s are ground checks to obtain a coaching posi io . . ders ...
children's exposure to violent offen . intended to minimize
t d that "[n]o organization that runs NAYS president Fred Engh commen e . ter their child with-
. h ld allow parents to regis sports for children sou . t tion and training program on out the parent
going through an orien a
ethics and sportsmanship."
It is imperative that adults and children involved in youth. . . . . rage has no place in
their violent behaviors because sports control 'ld Unfortunately, parents
, ctivities for ch1 ren, recreational spo.rt1ng a . l t acts with little
itted senseless vio en and other adults have comm 'tt' g an example to children no consequence,
inadvertently transmi in ted a cycle of
. , Their inappropriate actions have crsa violence wins. ff th field Lawmakers, youth
uncontrollable behavior both on and: chil:ren na~ionwide should sports leagues, coaches,
parents, an
rage and put the fun back into sports. find a way to stop sports
tandard for behavior at youth sport's games Implementing a national S l ce
• incidents resulting from via en will reduce the number of tragic • . , t players to play the
s orts. . . . "'The bottom line is we ;ran youth p d the parents to be able to game, the coaches to
coach the game an
enjoy watching their children play the game." . , of Thomson Reuters.
Source: Reprinted from Westlaw tifi th permission

24. th p· article on parental behavi.or Consider the following questions as they relate to e iore .ii
ing events.
Pai
1. Are there portions of the Fiore article you disagree with? 2. Do you think a national standard
of behavior for youth sports is feasible? 3. Should youth sports leagues be less organized with
less parental involvemen
allowing the youth participants to pick their own team captains and their owr an original idea!
4. Are umpires essential for every youth sporting event? Should the kids just be their own
disputes?
Fans can be adamant about supporting a team. They like to go to the stadium or ;11good time;
however, sometimes a "good time" can get out of hand. Just as any other
sporting contest, fans must regulate their conduct to conform to societal expectations. uld have a
good time at the ballpark, there is a line that cannot be crossed. Getting ore together in a large
stadium with alcohol present and enthusiasmrnnning high c xcitement. Teams and stadium
owners have both a legal and an ethical duty tc urethat spectators conduct themselves in a proper
manner so as not to offend othe:
inappropriate in a restaurant may be pe1fectly aeceptable at an outdoor sporting e owing when a
spectator has crossed the line into inappropriate or unethical c,
happen if a fan crosses the line? Should stadium officials taser them ?31 How ab, , intoxicated
heckler at a golf match? Is a taser appropriate under these circ there be an age limit defining
which fans are subject to taser or assault? s can become overly boisterous and rowdy, even
violent. 33 Fans have a respon ance with the rnles and to control their behavior at sporting
events. 34 Unneces is-anathema to the proper conduct that ethical fans should follow. Fans, like
e ethical decisions. They can choose the ethical course or allow themselve,
ctive by abusive heckling or even violently interacting with participants, other sports officials.
usiastic hockey fans banging on the glass during a game is generally consider, natured "ragging"
of a player by a fan is generally accepted, but cursin:
guage is not. Stadium owners want fans to come back to the ballpark. 1 'nensuring fans behave
themselves. The fan has a responsibility for beha,
sporting contest. Spectators at sporting events are encouraged to (in a reasorn
"Would Taser Boy Electrify Broadway?" Wall Street Jounu,/, May 5, 2010. 'th, "Drunk Golf Fan
Tasered for Heckling Tiger Woods at The Players Champi

25. ay 8, 2010. see Bill Simmons's list of "20 Most Annoying Fans at a Baseball Game." Bill S
allpnrk," ESPN.com, August 8, 2001. "~'s Best Faus? We Gotta Hand It to Steelers (Barely),"
ESPN.com, August 29, 20(
https://ESPN.com
https://ESPN.com
https://events.34
https://violent.33
https://behavi.or
https://proacti~e.an
LSS Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations for Parents and Fans
yell, scream, and cheer in an effort to provide support to their team and express their opinion to
sports officials. (Again, only if done reasonably.) This behavior is done to encourage and
motivate the players.
The spectator and fan should be enthusiastic, but fair, and adhere to the tenets of good
sportsman ship. Committing a violent, drunken, or criminal act will not be tolerated and is
considered inappro priate fan conduct. This behavior can be punished by expulsion from the
stadium as well as the fan suffering the legal consequences of his or her actions. Owners want
fans excited about their team, but only if fans do so ethically and follow the conduct rules set
down by the owner and society in general. Professional leagues and teams have recently begun to
publish codes of conduct for fans. The follow-
ing is a model code of fan conduct:
Fan Code of Conduct
The club expects all who enter the stadium and surrounding parking lots to adhere to the fan
code of conduct. Failure to follow this Code will result in possible ejection from the stadium,
revocation of ticket privileges, and arrest. Although Season Ticket Holders may give their tickets
to others, the
account holder is responsible for the actions of those using their tickets. The following actions
are prohibited at the stadium and in surrounding parking lots:
• Fighting, taunting, or engaging in any action that may harm, threaten, or bring discomfort to
anyone in the stadium • Sitting in a seat other than one's ticketed seat location or refusing to
produce one's game
ticket upon request by stadium personnel • Possession or use of any illegal drugs or
irresponsible use of alcohol

26. • Loitering in concourses, aisles, tunnels or stairs
• Smoking in the stadium • Use of foul, abusive, or obscene language or gestures •
Damage, destruction, vandalism, or theft of any property of other fans or the club • Failure to
follow the directions of law enforcement, security, ushers, ticket takers, or any
other stadium personnel • Unauthorized use of any seating designed for persons with a
disability • Engaging in any action that causes a disruption, creates an unsafe environment,
interferes
with the game, or hinders the enjoyment of the game for other fans • Mistreatment of visiting
team fans, including verbal abuse, harassment, profanity, con-
frontations, intimidation, or threatening behavior • Refusal to remove or turn inside-out
clothing deemed offensive or obscene upon requ
by stadium personnel
Consider the following with regard to the model code of fan conduct:
1. Is the code of conduct complete? If not, what would you add? 2. Under what circumstances
should club officials remove a fan? 3. How do you define "irresponsible use of alcohol"?
The NFL's code of conduct prohibits the following:
• Behavior that is unruly, disruptive, or illegal in nature • Intoxication or other signs of
alcohol impairment that result in irresponsible behavior
Fa,
• Foul or abusive language or obscene gestures • Interference with the progress of the ame
C . . .
Failing to follow instructions of t d'g mcludmg throwmg ob3ects onto tl Verbal o . s a mm
personnel
r physical harassment of opposing team fans35
Fan Heckling
"Heckling" is very common in ba b 11 . out of hand, it is considered acceptablseb ah , ~nd Im
?ther sports as well. As long as
h h e e av10r s 1t a "fair co t" h w en t e playeris not playing well? Sh Id thl . . mmen w en fans h
James was heckled at a wedding rece ~:n : /t~ be sub3ectto heckling in a public l dently an art

27. form to heckling 37 The p u . n _a so heckled at an amusement park.3 stated it well: · q eStlOn
is, when does a heckler go too far? c
Heckling players is not an act of sportsmanshi and h . most verbal heckling it is a little more d'ffi
Ip s _ould be av01ded. While many play
. ' 1 cu t to avoid items that are b · h . at certam spectator events and taboo at Others. D 1·
hallemg t rown. Nmea mg with noise is
t ough at times it may be dist t' . . a c enge for mamAl h rac mg, noise ts considered ab' d · and
coaches. At spectator events such tg a vantage by a home te to yell and cheer for your team It .
ats foot~dall, baseball, and basketball, it is considere
• IS no cons1 ered appro · t tO 11 family, race, or any other disparaging re ·k th pria e ye
comments about a1golfer, following a noisy tournam t mai . n e game of golf, however, noise is
disn
en, commented· ''I' t · 1 . ness person in their business life and th h Id. ' 1:1cer am y not gomg
to go out and
. ' ey s ou n t disrupt our game" Another mappropriate behavior b s ec · . , ·
win. While this was previously done y Ip ~ators is runnmg out on fields and floors afte1
happens for no apparent reason. Fans os: y '1:en a 'tdeam w~s ran~ed_ and played a ranked t , d
ou cons1 er taking this bit of d · "T •
you ve one it before" (Hummer, 2004, p. C2)." a vice: ry wmr
How a player reacts to a heckler may dictate wh th . • Charles Albert "Chi'ef' B d e er a
heckler will continue his
enerwasagreatNt' A· decades of the 20th century d . . B a Ive mencan baseball pla) . an ls m
aseball's Hall ofF A h .
encan players were prohibited from . ame. t t . e time heArnhe played the game. He was kno
p!aymg._ Bender was sub3ect to ra, r~cial taunts gracefully and wi ~ans heckled him or greeted
him ::hf~:11:~~~ng
s own style yelling back "F . F . ops when he came onto the field, ore1gners, oreigners."39, ,
McCarthy, "NFL Unveils New Code of Cond ~ " "dan, "LeBron James Heckled at Carmelo' ~ d:
Its ;ans, _USA Today, August 6, 200l "LeBron James Heckled at Amusement p sk ; mg
ece~twn,"':SPN.com, July 12, 2·
JO, 2010. ar ' eaten by This Guy m 3-Point Shootout"

28. tinespring, "The Art of Sports Hecklin " Tl I ' S. Martin and Lillian H Chaney "S gt, E '.e C
wrleSlon Gazette, Jnne 11, 2010 · , · , por s tlquette" p d' -~ · atwn Annual Convention
Citat1'011 . d ' rocee mgs o, the 2007 Association
H . · s are 01111tte on quote , •, ox1e,Encyclopedia of North America, 1 d' . see Tom Swift,
Chief Bender's Burden. "s'.~ns (SBoston,MA: Houghton Mifflin Har J,
10). ,~ _ · ie I ent trugg/e of a Baseball Star (Lincoln
190 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations for Parents and Fans
Are certain subjects off-limits for fans and hecklers? How much should a fan be able to say
about an athlete's personal life? There was much debate about this issue when Tiger Woods
returned to the golf course in 2010. Some fans made comments about Woods's off-course
activities.40 There are eth ical guidelines for hecklers. 4 t Legal constraints impose obligations
on fans that mandate appropriate. behavior and fans can also be ejected for poor sportsmanship
and conduct.
Michael Katz, a spectator who heckled coach Isiah Thomas of the New York Knicks, received a
warning
card from a security guard to stop what he was doing or he would be ejected from Madison
Square Garden;
Katz, an accountant, said he was not cursing or swearing but merely yelling critical remarks at
Thomas. Katz said his comments were within the boundaries of "fair comment." Representatives
of the Knicks and the NBA said the warning was "routine" and part of a leaguewide effort to
control fan behavior that was instituted after,
a brawl in 2004 involving the Detroit Pistons, the Indiana Pacers, and some spectators. Verbal
criticism of
Thomas had been common in 2004, with some Knicks fans sometimes chanting "Fire Isiahi"
The card given to Katz featured blue letters on a white background and read: ''You are being
issued a warn ing that the comments, gestures and/or behaviors that you have directed at
players, coaches, game officials,
and/or other spectators constitute excessive verbal abuse and are in violation of the NBA Fan
Code of Conduct.
This is the first and only warning that you will receive. If, after receiving this warning, you
verbally abuse any
player, coach, game official or spectator, you will be immediately ejected from the arena without
refund." 42

29. After receiving the warning, Katz said he moved to a different seat and was not ejected from the
Garden,
Consider the following questions related to Katz's behavior.
1. Is giving a fan a warning card if they engage in improper conduct a good idea? 2. Should there
be different levels of warning to fans before they are ejected? 3. What conduct should a fan be
ejected for? 4. Would a fan commenting on the sexual harassment lawsuit against Isiah Thomas
while he
was the general manager of the New York Knicks be considered "fair comment'"! It is, after all,
a public record.
The national pastime can sometimes bring out the worst in baseball fans.43 Baseball fans can be
very loyal to their team and hostile to visitors. According to an algorithm designed by Nielsen,
the most hated team in Major League Baseball is actually the Cleveland Indians, not the New
York Yankees, who finished a distant fifth.44 Consider the following case in which a heckler
provoked a player.
40 Larry Dorman, "Woods ls Getting Ready; So Are the Hecklers," New York Times, March 24,
2010. 41 Robin Ficker, "The Heckler's Code," New York Times, November 22, 2004. 42 Joe
Lapointe, "NBA Gives Etiquette Warning to Fans," l11temat/011alHerald Tribune, December
14, 2007. 43 Ashby Jones, "The Happy Heckler Can't Be Heard Now in the Din at Tropicana
Field," Wall Street Journal,
October 25, 2008. 44 David Biderman, "Are the Yankees Truly the Most-Despised Ballclub?"
Wall Street Journal, April 28, 2010.
F,
cir. 1981)
1975, David Manning, Jr,, was a spectator at
Park in Boston for a baseball game between the Baltimore.Orio:
the Boston Red Sox. Ross Grimsley was a pitcher for Balti~ore
the first three innings, Grimsley was warming up by throwing'
from a pitcher's· mound to a plate in the bullpen located ne~r
right field bleachers, The spectators in the bleachers co~tin,
heckled Grimsley, On several occasions immediately f~llow~ng t

30. ling, Grimsley looked directly at the hecklers, not _Just ~nto. d At the end of the third inning,
Grimsley, after his c,ts an s . t th be1 left his catching position and was walking over o e ·1
faced the bleachers and wound up or stretched as though to pi
the direction of the plate. Instead, the ball traveled from GJ
hand at more than 80 miles per hour at an angle of 90 degrees
path from the pitcher's mound to the plate and directly ~owan
hecklers in the bleachers, The ball passed through the wire m,
in front of the bleachers and struck Manning.
ReprJ. ·nted from westlat'l w-it:h permission of Thomson Reu;source:
It might be illegal for hecklers to heckle temperamental relievers; however, it was for Grimsley
to intentionally throw a "pitch" into the grandstands where the hecklei
What ethical and legal duties does this case present? . In the following case a minor league
baseball player decided to take matters mt
with a heckler. Not only ~as he sued for his actions in civil court, he was also charg<
712 F. Supp 79 (W.D, Va. 1989)
d the Fourth of July, 198·dSimmons along with a friend, atten e between' the Martinsville
Phillies and the Bluefield Orioles, a I
Virginia. Bluefield was not having a g,farm team, at Bluefield' and whether for this or some
other reason Simmons moved down i
third baseline along about the eighth inning, and started to l
~he Oriole players sitting in the bullpen. Champ [Orioles pla,
stated in his deposition that Simmons was accusing the ballpli
stealing the local women, and that he {Simmons) would show th~
what West Virginia manhood was like by blowing the players' ,hec · h ·t h'ng coach [of the
Oriol,whatever was precisely said, t epic 1.
asked Simmons to leav'e. After the game (Bluefield lost, 9-8, '

31. https://fifth.44
https://activities.40
192 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations for Parents and Fans
three runners in the bottom of the ninth), Champ encountered Simmons in
the parking lot. Si111111ons ... offers no details of what ensued other
than that he was punched and kicked by Champ and then hit in the jaw
by a baseball bat wielded by Hicks [Orioles player], causing his jaw to
be broken in two places. Champ's version was that Si111111ons saw him carÂ
rying a bat, made a gesture as if he were shooting Champ with his
finger, and said 1'0ht so you need a bat, huh? 1 Champ said 1'No, I1
don't," and throw his bat down. Si111111ons gestured toward his car and
said, 1Let' s go over to my car, and I' 11 blow your head off. 11 Another
player tried to intervene, and Champ said, '1 Just get out of here."
Simmons then advanced threateningly upon him, and Champ hit Simmons in
the face. Si111111ons was unfazed, and Champ kicked him in the chest,
causing Simmons to stagger back. According to Champ he then smiled and
said "I'm drunk. I didn't feel that.• Champ turned to walk away, and
at that point ... Hicks hit Simmons. Simmons says Hicks hit him with
a bat, but Hicks says that he used only his fist. Hicks had not been
near any of the heckling and says he intervened because he was afraid
Simmons was about to pull a gun on Champ.
Source; Reprinted from Westlaw with permission of Thomson Reuters.
1. What actions should be taken against players who enter the stands and assault hecklers? 2. If a
fan merely has a license to be on the premises, under what circumstances could the

32. license be revoked?
Fan Rage
Fan rage is much like parental rage; it should never be tolerated and stadium personnel should
take immediate action to remove abusive fans from the premises. In the fourth quarter of a 1995
game between the Giants and the Chargers, fans began throwing snowballs from their seats and
one struck Chargers equipment manager Sid Brooks in the face, rendering him unconscious for
30 seconds.·. A mclee ensued with fourteen fans being arrested, 175 ejections, and 15 injuries.
It was rec,orted. "Early in the fourth quarter, an ice ball sent in the direction of the San Diego
bench hit Brooks in left eye. 'He went down like a ton of bricks,' said the Chargers' doctor, Paul
Black, rendering him unconscious. As the teams were called off the field and the crowd was
warned a cancellation imminent, ugly got uglier: more snowballs were hurled at the circle of
trainers and players rounding Brooks, out for thirty frightening seconds, down for two
frightening minutes." 45
A Bowie hunting knife with a 5-inch blade was thrown at California Angels rookie Wally Joy
after his team's 2-0 defeat of the Yankees. "Joyner was grazed on the left arm by the butt end of
weapon, escaping injury. Said Joyner, "I picked it up and gave it to (Angels' manager] Gene
Mauch'.
A local disc jockey set up an anti-disco promotion to be held between games of a Wh Sox/Tigers
doubleheader. Fans bringing a disco record were charged only 98 cents for admissi
45 Ian O'Connor, "Giants Get Snowballed: Fans Show Disgusting Lack of Class," New York
Daily News, December 24, 1995.
46 "Previous Examples of Fan Violence,'' SI.com, September 19, 2002.
The thousands of records were then jammed into a large wooden box in center pieces. A riot
ensued on the field as about 7000 fans brawled and set off bonfires w ing the postponement of
the second game. Fonner major league player Rusty Staub slice around you and stick in the
ground. It wasn't just one, it was many. Oh, God a seen anything so dangerous in my life. I
begged the guys to put on their batting Ju
Even coaches are not immune to fan violence. The attack against Kansas Cil coach Tom Gamboa
was unprecedented. The "fan," William Ligue, Jr. and his l onto the field and attacked Gamboa
from behind. Ligue had telephoned his sistE night's attack and told her to watch the White Sox
game. Ligue was charge, battery-he told the police that he charged the field because he was
angry that ti losing. However, the evidence strongly supports the fact that the attack was prer
before he ran onto the field, he handed his keys, cell phone, and jewelry to another wearing a
pocketknife on his waistband when he ran on the field. His 15-year-ol with two juvenile counts
of aggravated battery; one for attacking Gamboa and th< White Sox security guard, who was an
off-duty police officer. Gamboa was pum1 several cuts and a large bruise on his forehead. 48
These episodes are emblematic u by fans.

33. Stalking is a serious societal crime and should be treated as such. Unfortun2 have been the
victims of stalking, including entertainers and sports stars. 49
A man was found to be stalking Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson. 5°F has become a
major problem in sports. 51 The New York Times reported:
Whether they are obsessed fans fixating on celebrities or former romantic partners, 1
invoke spurned Jove-real or imagined-to defend their actions. But stalkers seldon
their behavior in the legal system because only one in three cases is ever reported to
In Case 5-5, Bob Uecker, "Mr. Baseball," had been stalked and procured his stalker.53 She
subsequently sued her for defamation.
e LaPointe, "The Night Disco Went Up in Smoke," New York Times, July 5, 2009. gers, "Two
Fans Attack Coach During White Sox Grune," Chicago Tribu11e, Septemt
son, "Though Many Are Stalked, Few Report It,'' New York Times, February 15, ny McCartney,
"Trial Begins for Accused Shawn Johnson Stalker,'' USA Today, June f Scheck, "Stalkers
Exploit Cellphone OPS," Wall Street Journal, August 3, 2010; Subr "Regulating Cyberstalking,''
Journal of l11formatio11, Law,and Technology (February
. Schimmel, C. Lee Harrington, and Denise D. Bielby, "Keep Your Fans to Youn .n Sport
Studies' and Pop Culture Studies' Perspectives on Fandom," Sport in Society 580-600; J. Reid
Meloy, Lon-aine Sheridan, and Jens Hoffmann, Stalking, Threaten/1 Figures: A Psychological
and Behavioral Analysis (New York: Oxford University Pn
e Lollis, "ESPN's Erin Andrews to Fight for Stronger Federal Anti-Stalking Laws
Bob Uecker Stalker G2'.ts Restraining Order," CBS Sports, September 7, 2006.
https://stalker.53
https://stars.49
194 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations for Parents and Fans
780 N.W.2d 216 (2010)
Uecker is the radio broadcaster for the Brewers. In June 2006, Uecker
petitioned the Milwaukee County Circuit Court for an injunction
against Ladd, alleging a six- or seven-year pattern of harassment.
Around the same time, Ladd, a self-described "devoted fan," was

34. charged with felony stalking. The injunction petition hearing was held
on July 3 and September 7, 2006. The court commissioner found probable
cause and issued an injunction charge,
On September 8, 2008, Ladd filed a sprawling prose complaint alleging
that between June 1 and September 7, 2006, Uecker defamed her in the
affidavit supporting the injunction petition; he and/or the Brewers
published the allegedly defamatory affidavit to a website called
thesmokinggun.com; the Brewers posted on their website a defamatory
article regarding her removal from a spring training game in Maryvale,
Arizona; and a claim for ½false light invasion of privacyn for, among
other things, making and republishing false, defamatory statements and
photographing her in the stands at various baseball stadiums.
Ladd's September 8, 2008, complaint alleges that Uecker defamed her:
(1) in the affidavit in support of his petition for the harassment
injunction; (2) by publishing the affidavit to thesmokinggun.com;
{3) during the two-day injunction hearing; and (4) in a media interview
after the first day of the hearing. Distilled to its essence, Ladd's
claim is that the false depiction of her as a stalker has damaged her
personal and professional reputations. Except for the continued injuncÂ
tion hearing on September 7, 2006, however, all of these incidents
occurred more than two years before Ladd filed her complaint.
Ladd also argues that, although Uecker and/or the Brewers allegedly
posted his affidavit to thesmokinggun,com on June 2, 2006, the purÂ

35. portedly defamatory statements still can be accessed on the Internet
today. She contends that the information therefore is republished each
time someone visits that website or others to which the material has
found its way, thus renewing her cause of action,
Ladd asserts, however, that Decker's statements lost their absolute
privilege through ''excessive publicationn on the Internet, because the
"stalker label" "defame[ed] [her] as a criminal" and because Uecker
defamed her to law enforcement officials.
Ladd's complaints that the Brewers defamed her likewise fail. The Brewers
advised Ladd in December 2006 that, in light of the harassment injuncÂ
tion, they would deny her entrance to the spring training facility in
March 2007 should she purchase a ticket. Upon finding her int
they were entitled to have her removed. As Ladd's ticket indic
ticket of admission to a place of amusement is simply a licen,
a performance that the owner or proprietor may revoke at will
Ladd included a photocopy of her ticket as an exhibit, evide
show she had a right to be at the game. The ticket reads: "fJ
granted by this ticket to enter the Club baseball game is rE
Ladd then directs us to an allegedly defamatory March 20, 2(
cle in the Brewers' online news archive about the Maryvale l
Assuming, as Ladd contends, that the Brewers posted the sto,
and accepting simply for argument's sake that the article ii
tory, this claim also fails. Before filing suit, Ladd did nc

36. written not.ice to the Brewers providing them "a reasonable c
to correct the libelous matter.#
Ladd alleges that the Brewers took photographs of her in th 1
baseball parks and disseminated her "mug shot" and informat.
the injunction and the spring training incident. None of th,
involved private places, using her likeness for advertising
or depictions of nudity. Further, they are matters of publi
source: Repr.inted from Westlaw with permissior1 of Thomson R
Ladd had heen hounding Uecker for six or seven years, sending him unusu: autograph, and
appearing at ball parks and hotels where he was staying.
Consider the following questions in light of the Uecker case.
1. What can be done to prevent crazy fans from stalking players? 2. What actions should stadium
officials take to prevent such conduct? Hov
owners keep stalkers from entering the ball park? 3. Where is the ethical line drawn between an
enthusiastic fan and a stalke 4. The fan was banned from Brewers' home and road games. How
can tha
Going onto a playing field without permission con~titu:es criminal tr~spas: ested. However, that
does not stop many fans from domgJust that. Runnmg 01
ission is a crime and also creates multiple safety issues for fans, securit) . Erica Eneman and
Amy Nadler alleged to have suffered personal inju y persons attempting to come onto the
playing field at Camp Randall St
nsin/Michigan football game. They assert their injuries would not have occ t been closed by
security personnel at the conclusion of the game. Consid
5-6 when fans ran onto the field at the University of Wisconsin.
AndrewGreiner, "Bob Decker's Stalker Banned from Road Games;' NBC Chicago, D,
https://thesmokinggun.com
https://thesmokinggun.com
196 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations for Parents and Fans

37. 577 N.W.2d 386 (1998)
Camp Randall Stadium is the site used for football games and other
outdoor events at the university of Wisconsin at Madison. The football
field is encircled by a chain-link fence with a walkway between the
fence and the bottom row of bleachers. Ingress and egress of the
bleachers varies, depending on the section of the stadium. Sections 0
and P were at issue in this lawsuit. The lower rows of sections O and
P exit to the walkway and then through the home team tunnel. It was
also possible for those rows to exit to the field itself, even though
security personnel directed spectators not to do so.
Prior to the 1993 football season, access to the field was limited by
handheld ropes, which provided no real barrier to a spectator deterÂ
mined to enter the field. In anticipation of the 1993 football season,
the University installed metal gates that could be positioned to close
off the walkway at the bottom of the bleachers in order to permit the
team to exit the field into the tunnel without interference from the
spectators. When the walkway was closed off by the gates, sections 0
and P spectators' means of egress was restricted, until tbe team had
made its way through the tunnel and the gates were opened again.
On October 30, 1993, after the University of Wisconsin's football team
defeated the University of Michigan's team at Camp Randall, many of
the students in sections O and P attempted to come onto the playing
field. However, a few minutes before the game's end, the gates had

38. been closed and latched by security personnel. This provided a signifÂ
icant barrier to the spectators' egress onto the field, and it also
created a dead end for tunnel egress from sections O and P, at a time
when spectators were moving down the bleachers to exit the stadium or
to push onto the field. The plaintiffs were crushed against a metal
railing and the gates when security personnel were unable to quickly
unlatch the gates to open them.
Ward and Richter had no personal responsibility to manage the crowd at
the Camp Randall games. On the other hand, Riseling's, Green's and
Williams's activities at Camp Randall were arguably within the scope of
the Standard Operating Procedures for Camp Randall relating to crowd
control. Additionally, prior to the Michigan game, and subsequent to
the installation of the gates, Riseling knew that it was possible that
the students might try to rush onto the field at the game's end. In
response to this potential for congestion in the student sections, she
formulated and issued a directive entitled, "Post Game Crowd Tacticsr u
whose goal was uto prevent injury to people-officersr band members
and fans." The plan outlined a general strategy to follow w her judgment, would have prevented
injury. Although her pla
implemented by security personnel, it was not successful.
Riseling, as Chief of Police and Security did not ignore tb
danger. She, with the assistance of others, formulated a pl
"POST GAME CROWD TACTICS," the goal of which was "to preven
people-officers, band and fans."

39. The plan established no specific tasks that were to be perf
certain time; rather, it made general statements and set ge
guidelines such as 1
We expect that if Wisconsin wins today, especially if i
close game, there will be an attempt by fans to come or
field,
If there is a crowd surge, officers at that point w
the initial decision to move aside and begin pulling ba
goalpost assignment. Lt, Johnson will be observing from
box and will make decisions on giving the command for a
cers to pull back.
There may be times during and after the game when p,
the fence and put pressure against it. Actively encoura
move back. If it seems there is danger of the fence bre
has in the past) move back to a safe position.
Here, the formation of the post-game crowd control plan rep1
Riseling's judgment about how best to reduce the potential l
to persons at the game, Additionally, the implementation of
required Riseling, Green and Williams to respond to their a,
of what the crowd's actions required. By its very nature, tl
plan was effected had to change from moment to moment becau,
was responsive to the crowd. Reacting to the crowd also corn
the exercise of discretion. Furthermore, neither the documer

40. testimony contained in any of the portions of the depositior
ted in opposition to respondents' motion for summary judgmer
lished a factual dispute about whether any specific acts wei
of any of the respondents.
Here, documents provided establish no inconsistency between
actions of those respondents whose job duties took them pere
into crowd control management activities, and the Universit:,
of safe management of the crowd at football games. Rather, t
in accord with the General Operating Procedures for Camp Rar.
198 Chapter 5 Ethical Considerations for Parents and Fans
Stadium. Neither the formulation of the plan nor the implementation
of it required highly technical, professional skills, such as a
physician's.
Source: Reprinted from Westlaw with permission of Thomson Reuters.
Consider the following questions as they apply to the Camp Randall incident.
1. What ethical duties do stadium owners owe to fans? Were the fans at Camp Randall engaging
in poor sportsmanship, criminal activity, or unethical conduct?
2. Did the university violate any ethical duty they had to the fans? 3. How could stadium owners
prevent these tragic events in the future?
NOTES AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Parental Ethics
1. A Sport Parent Code of Conduct consists of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fair ness,
caring, and good citizenship. Should there be penalties, either civilly or criminally, for those
parents who fail to act properly?
2. Should states enact laws specifically to police the behavior of parents at sporting events? 3.
Youth sports are for children; therefore, by definition, they should be fun. It has been stated,

41. "but maybe it's inevitable that kids' priorities change as they mature. They have more homework,
new social lives and don't always love baseball enough to put in long hours of practice and play.
If they also play basketball, soccer or football, they often start specializ ing in one sport by
middle school, rather than alternating with the seasons."55 Do you agree with this statement?
4. Some sports organizations insist that parents sign a pledge before enlisting their child in sports
program. A sample pledge consists of the following: "I hereby pledge to provide positive
support, care, and encouragement for my child participating in youth sports. I will encourage
good sportsmanship by demonstrating positive support for all players, coaches, and officials at
every game, practice, or other youth sports event." Do you consider this pledge an effective tool
to curb potential parental rage?
S. One sportsmanship parents' guide included tips for parents such as "be supportive of coaches,"
"teach respect for auth01ity," "focus on your child as an individual," and "be mindful of your
role as a role model." Which of these tips is the most important? Is it the role of youth sports to
teach respect for auth01ity or is it the job of teachers and parents?56
6. Leonard Zaichowsky, a professor of sports psychology at Boston University, grew up playÂ
ing hockey in Alberta, Canada, and notes that one important development in youth sports has
been the sheer increase of parental involvement in sports. "When I was growing up, parents were
minimally involved," he said. "Kids rode their bikes or walked to games, and
55 Associated Press, "Youth Baseball Loses Kids When Playing the Game Isn't Fun Anymore,"
Texarkana Gazette, April 9, 2009.
56 See "Must Parents Attend All Sports Events," Wall Street Journal, April 19, 2007.
Notes and Discussio
they settled things themselves. Now parents drive the kids to practice: things have gotten more
organized, the stakes are higher."57
7. What factors cause parents to get out of control at sporting events? 8. Is a mandatory ethics
course for parents who want to participate in s1
What would be on the test? Could a league ever revoke a parent's licern 9. How should a youth
sports league penalize parents who exhibit unethic
about fines, or an expulsion or banishment from the league? 10. Should parents be required to
recite the parent code of conduct before th
Is it a good idea to require a criminal background check for participati to a service provided by
Protect Youth Sports (protectyouthsports.com)'
Fan Ethics

42. 11. What conduct do you consider "crossing the line" for a fan? 12. What are your thoughts on
the Philadelphia Phillies fan described bel
banned for life from all future Philadelphia sporting events?
Matthew Clemmens, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in Mi assault, harassment, and
disorderly conduct. Clemmens admitted he s1 down his throat and vomited on Michael Vangelo,
an off-duty Easton, police captain, and Vangelo's daughter, after they began arguing at the P
National game on April 14 at Citizens Bank Park.58
13. Should youth sport leagues ban "negative cheering," as some have alrei parents and fans be
allowed to cheer "against" an eight-year-old ball I when he makes an error? At what age do
opponents become "fair game" mentary" from opposing players?
14. The NBA gives written warnings to fans who heckle participants and c tice was intended to
control unruly behavior. The heckler in one case st Isiah!" Is this "over-the-top"? Should warning
systems for abusive faJ sports similar to that of the NBA? In youth sports, what should the war
15. Heckling and violent behavior is a serious problem in sports.60
16. Stalking is an issue as well unless, of course, you man-y your stalker!61
17. Should there be a higher standard to protect coaches? Participants? Ref 18. What part does
the media play in creating or encouraging fan rage? He1
should never be posed!62 "Are New York Fans Getting Too Tame?"
57 Fox Butterfield, "A Fatality, Parental Violence and Youth Sports," New York Times, July 11,
: 58 Barry Leibowitz, "Matthew Clemmens, Vomiting Phillies Fan, Will Do Time for Nauseating
July 30, 2010. 59 Kelley Tiffany, "Cheering Speech at State University Athletic Events: How Do
You Regulat,
manship?" Sports Law Journal (2007). 60 See Jonathan Singer, "Keep It Clean: How Public
Universities May Constitutionally Enforce
Student Speech at College Basketball Games," University of Baltimore Law Review (Winter 2
Press, "Player Who Shot Heckler Is Back on the Field," New York Times, January 21, 2010.
61 See "Chris Chambers Gets Married to His Stalker," The National Football Post, August 11, '.
62 Jason Gay, "Are New York Fans~Getting Too Tame?" Wall Street Joumal, June 9, 2010.
https://sports.60
https://protectyouthsports.com
Running head: Sport Specialization vs. Diversification

43. Sport Specialization vs. Diversification
Youth Sport Specialization vs. Diversification: The Debate Continues
Michael Fraina, Ph.D.
Susan P. Mullane, Ph.D
.
May 2020
Introduction
A topic that has gained attention within the sport industry is the discourse between youth sport
specialization and diversification (Normand, Wolfe, & Peak, 2017). Sport specialization has
been defined as “the age or point in time in an athlete’s development when sports training
and competition is restricted to and focused upon a single sport in the pursuit of elite
performance― (Capranica & Millard-Stafford, 2011, p. 572). This practice has become
increasingly common for children as young as five years old (Hecimovich, 2004).
The opposite method of youth sport participation is diversification. Wiersma (2000) defined
sport diversification as “the participation in a variety of sports and activities through which an
athlete develops multilateral physical, social, and psychological skills― (p. 13). Any
individual having competed in multiple sports and/or recreational activities has participated
within the model of sport diversification.
Although there are strong opinions on both sides, limited research has evaluated the topic in a
quantitative or qualitative environment. As expressed in the review of literature, studies (e.g.,
Baker, 2003; Ferguson & Stern, 2014; Russell & Molina, 2018) have generally examined one
element of the specialization issue (e.g., psychological, physical). The current study is designed
to comprehensively measure, in a retrospective manner, the perceptions of current college
students as to the merits and downsides of both specialization and diversification at the youth
level. Topics to be evaluated include the factors that influence one’s decision of whether to
specialize, psychological and academic outcomes attributed to athletes’ sport participation
decisions, and participants’ recommendations to current youth athletes. Prior to the
methodology, results, and discussion, a review of the existing literature on sport specialization is
presented.
Specialization: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
In conjunction with the trend in recent decades toward early sport specialization, there are many
proponents of this strategy. Coaches, administrators, and parents in favor of devotion to a single
sport generally report three specific justifications: the “10-year rule―, case studies of
successful athletes, and enhanced athletic development.

44. From a theoretical perspective, a commonly held stance is that the only pathway to elite athletic
performance is through extensive practice. In a study designed to explore whether specialization
is a prerequisite for athletic prowess, Baker (2003) cited the “10-year rule,― which
suggests that the ability of an individual to reach his/her full potential could only be achieved
through a minimum of 10 years of intense training. The 10-year rule was initially developed by
Simon and Chase (1973). Supporters of early sport specialization contend that year-round
training is the only manner in which to demonstrate this level of commitment. Ericsson, Krampe,
and Tesch-Romer (1993) applied this theory to athletics by proposing that sport success was tied
directly to the individual’s amount of deliberate practice. Stewart and Shroyer (2015) noted
that specialization can lead to enhanced coaching and skill instruction, improved skill
acquisition, development of time management skills, and enjoyment of sport and talent
development.
The popularity of youth sport specialization is often connected with the accomplishments of
famous athletes. Gould (2010) theorized that media portrayals of Tiger Woods and Michael
Phelps, which emphasized their sole dedication to their respective sports at a young age, have
encouraged young athletes to follow suit. Kaleth and Mikesky (2010) similarly referenced
interviews from Amanda Beard and Venus and Serena Williams, which urged young athletes of
the need to specialize in order to be successful. Thus, there is documentation from elite and
influential athletes in favor of early specialization.
There is also some evidence that specialization may lead to positive developmental outcomes.
Comparisons of the participation patterns of athletes have measured the differences between
competitors of varying skill levels. Abernethy, Baker, and Cote (2003) compared training
tendencies of Australian expert athletes and non-expert performers. In-depth interviews revealed
that experts competed in more intense training than non-expert athletes. Additionally, expert
athletes perceived that all aspects of deliberate practice were helpful toward sport performance
(Abernethy et al., 2003). Livingston, Schmidt, and Lehman (2016) viewed that parents perceived
expedited skill development among those children who had specialized in their respective sport.
Russell and Molina (2018) observed virtually identical levels of peer satisfaction between
specializers and non-specializers, and slightly higher levels of intrinsic motivation for
specializers. These favorable opinions toward sport specialization support the notion of intense,
year-round training in a single activity.
Despite the emergence of early specialization, there are many detractors to this practice.
Brylinsky (2010) contended that arguments in support of early specialization, in particular the
“10-year rule,― were not essential for elite sport participation. Some of the main arguments
against youth specialization (and thus in favor of diversification) include athletic success of
multi-sport athletes, psychological consequences of specialization, and physical risks of
specialization.
The necessity of early sport specialization toward athletic achievement has been countered in
literature. Hill (1993) surveyed 152 baseball players in the Northwest Rookie League to identify
their previous athletic participation patterns and recommendations for youth. Results reflected
that the majority of these professional baseball players were multi-sport athletes through high

45. school. Only 22% of these successful athletes advised youth and high school students to
specialize in their chosen sport.
Griffin (2008) concurred with the observations of Hill (1993). The author noted that many elite
athletes had participated in various sports during their youth. This study also cited the work of
Gould and Carson (2004), which revealed that a sample of Olympic athletes had not focused on
skill expertise at the youth level. Rather than categorizing success through winning and losing,
these athletes sought happiness, a proper balance of enjoyment, and psychological maturity
associated with athletics.
Contrary to the belief of sport specialization proponents, White and Oatman (2009) determined
that early commitment to a single sport was not required for skill superiority. Their study of
Division I and II National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football and field hockey
players revealed that early specialization was not their chosen path. In fact, 83% of these
successful athletes reported that they had participated in three or more different sports prior to
high school. These results directly contradicted the opinion of the pro-specialization crowd that
success is only achievable through full commitment.
Ultra-endurance athletes have also attributed positive outcomes to the sport diversification
model. During interviews with 28 ultra-endurance athletes, Baker, Cote, and Deakin (2005)
determined that early sport specialization was not required for success. Athletes were categorized
as Experts, “Middle of the pack,” and “Back of the pack” competitors. Prior to mid-
adolescence, these triathletes had not specialized in any of the three triathlon events. Their ability
to convert early diversification into participation in the grueling activity of Ultra-endurance
triathlons negated the importance of specialization.
In terms of psychological outcomes, several crippling implications of early sport specialization
have been reported. Malina (2010) classified these as social isolation, overdependence, burnout,
manipulation, and compromised growth and maturation. Young athletes with identities tied
solely to athletic participation may have limited opportunities to develop relationships with peers
(Malina, 2010). The harmful psychological consequence of burnout has occurred more
frequently within specialized athletes (Malina, 2010). The atmosphere of adult control in
specialized environments has also enhanced manipulation (i.e., age modification, dietary
manipulation) (Malina, 2010). Lastly, specialized athletes have demonstrated stunted physical
and emotional maturation (Malina, 2010). As these harmful consequences were deemed as
unique to sport specialization, they present a compelling argument in favor of diversification.
Along the same lines, Strachan, Cote, and Deakin (2009) conducted a study regarding the
psychological profiles of 40 specializers and 34 non-specializers participating in swimming,
gymnastics, and diving. They observed that specialized athletes suffered higher levels of
emotional exhaustion than their peers who had diversified sport involvement. Russell and Limle
(2013) observed that young adults who had specialized in a single sport were less likely to
continue sport participation into adulthood.
Lastly, early specialization can manifest in physical risks. Through an odds ratio analysis,
Ferguson and Stern (2014) deciphered that youth sport specialization often facilitates fatigue and

46. overuse injuries. Baseball pitchers were especially susceptible to overuse injuries, as likelihood
of elbow/shoulder surgery increased according to amount of months, pitches thrown, and pitch
velocity (Ferguson & Stern, 2014).
Methods
A quantitative survey was designed using Qualtrics software. The survey contained 24 items, 14
of which used a Likert scale (Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree), and the
remainder sought demographic information about the participants. The survey was divided into
three sections. The first area (items # 1-8) addressed the factors that influenced the athlete into
either specialization or diversification. Next, items # 9-16 measured physical and psychological
outcomes that participants attributed to their participation decision. Lastly, the third section
(items # 17-24) investigated athletes’ recommendations toward youth sport specialization.
Questions were designed by a panel of experts in addition to items gleaned from reviewing the
literature on the subject matter. Participants received an announcement on Blackboard about the
study with the link to the study provided. Participation was voluntary and anonymous, as the
survey was monitored by Qualtrics.
A purposeful sample was used. Eligible participants were undergraduate students with majors or
minors in a Sport Administration program at a private research university in the southeastern
United States. The participants were enrolled in either of two undergraduate courses in their
sport administration curriculum during two different semesters. The total number of eligible
participants was 140 (N=140), and number of respondents was 86, representing a 61.4%
response rate.
Results
Participants in the study were 60.4% males and 39.6% females. Seventy-one percent of males
had diversified sport participation, and 64.7% of females played multiple sports as youth.
Composition of race/ethnicity was White/Caucasian (67.4%), Hispanic (13.9%), Black/African
American (10.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.7%), and mixed race (3.5%). The sample included
46.5% seniors, 22.0% juniors, 16.3% sophomores, and 15.1% freshmen. In total, 31.4% had
never specialized in sport, 12.8% began specialization between the ages of 6-8, 15.1% between
9-11, 19.8% between 12-14, 18.6% between 15-17, and 2.3% after the age of 18. Among the
participants, 81.4% did not currently receive an athletic scholarship. Of the 16 athletes on
scholarship, 56.3% had diversified and 43.7% had specialized. Regarding their current rate of
sport participation, 48.8% were involved between 1-5 hours per week, 16.3% between 6-10
hours, 11.6% between 11-15 hours, 6.9% between 16-20 hours, and 16.3% played sport 20 or
more hours per week.
Research question # 1 sought to identify which factors influenced the athlete toward either
specialization or diversification. Overall, 68.6% engaged in diversification, while 31.4% were
sport specializers. In terms of parental influence, 67.4% disagreed that parents influenced them
toward specialization, while 32.6% agreed. Furthermore, 69.8% of respondents agreed that
parents urged them toward diversification, as compared to 30.2% who disagreed. In the current
study, 61.6% disagreed and 38.4% agreed that peers influenced them toward specialization.

47. Conversely, 67.4% agreed that peers influenced them to diversify, as opposed to 32.6% who
disagreed. Results indicated that coaches were the only ones who pushed these athletes toward
specialization. In sum, 51.2% agreed that coaches favored specialization, compared to 48.8%
who disagreed. Ultimately, the greatest percentage (59.3%) responded that they made their own
choice toward specialization or diversification. Parents (27.9%), coaches (6.9%), and peers
(5.8%) were less influential toward the athlete’s decision.
The survey then transitioned to assess a variety of physical and psychological outcomes
perceived by participants. A significant majority (79%) disagreed that specialization takes the
fun out of sport. An even 50-50% of respondents indicated that they felt it was good to
specialize. There was a strong rate of disagreement (60.5%) in the item dealing with
specialization and its increased risk of injury. Regarding whether specialization is helpful toward
earning a college scholarship, 77.9% agreed. Even 53.5% of participants who had diversified
sport participation responded affirmatively to this item. A large percentage of respondents
(84.9%) agreed that specialization can lead to burnout. Some who had specialized (77.8%)
agreed that their chosen strategy could illicit burnout. Another outcome was that 97.6% of
responded that diversification can lead to an athlete becoming more well-rounded. There was
more balance as to whether diversification takes pressure off of a young athlete; while 70.9%
agreed, 27.9% disagreed. Many who had diversified toward multiple sports responded that their
chosen path released pressure.
To measure research question # 3, participants were requested to recommend the ideal age for
youth to begin specialization. Results indicated that 10.4% suggested between the ages of 6-8,
19.7% proposed specialization from age 9-11, 37.2% responded an ideal age of 12-14, 26.7%
thought it best to begin specialization between the ages of 15-17, and 5.8% advised youth to
specialize at age 18 and above. Thus, it appears that the participants in the current study favored
specialization around the age of high school, but earlier than college.
Discussion
A commonly held opinion revolves around the perceived rise of youth sport specialization. Yet,
nearly 70% of the participants in the current study (college students studying Sport
Administration at a university in the southeastern United States) diversified in multiple sports
during their youth. Perhaps either the emphasis toward specialization is overblown, or there has
been a shift back to diversification. There is wide agreement that participation in sports offers
both short and long-term physical and psychosocial benefits for children and adolescents.
Therefore, efforts must be made to ensure that youth athletes receive the best opportunity to
participate in multiple sports. Administrators and coaches should limit conflicts between sports
and encourage children to pursue multiple activities.
Some sport organizations and associations are taking steps to encourage diversification. The U.S.
Tennis Association, NCAA, and NFL, and a number of other sports organizations have teamed
together in an advertisement aimed to educate parents and coaches. The ad warns that children
who specialize in sports early on may not be on the best path for success, according to writer
Jennifer Wallace. Wallace, in an appearance on “CBS This Morning,― goes on to point out

48. “the idea that childhood should be spent working and not experimenting in multiple sports, is
not in the best interest of the child.―
Additionally, given the current alarming statistic that approximately 70% of youth athletes are
dropping out of sports by age 13 due to lack of fun while participating, it is necessary to be
creative and responsive to making sure kids have fun. It could be the sport landscape is changing,
and that kids want new opportunities for fun and sport participation. Gadd (2018) noted that
while participation is dropping overall, there is growth happening in some areas. Suggestions to
re-evaluate and re-conceptualize the concept of “sport― include adding other activities and
supporting new and emerging sport, and nontraditional sports, like climbing, which had a 130%
increase in participation last year. While the introduction of free play that might be more
unstructured, it allows for more “playing― as opposed to competition, so that the fun might
return to youth sports. If kids play for fun, their experience needs to provide that, and many agree
(including members of the sample in the current study) that specialization takes the fun out. In
promoting the specialization approach, kids lose the opportunity to play other sports and engage
in other activities, such as music, art, drama, and even reading, the things necessary to become
more well-rounded people. If they specialize, they do not have any time for any of those other
activities and burnout is possible.
Upon noticing a decline in membership numbers overall and specifically for kids 10 years old
and under, USA Swimming also has been proactive in encouraging kids to diversify in an effort
to both retain existing members and increase the number of new ones. Research had indicated
that parents wanted their kids to participate on swim teams and have a great “fitness
activity― but not necessarily be on competitive teams. USA Swimming introduced a new
category of membership, “flex membership,― that requires less of a time commitment,
fitness and fun, and not so much competition. The sport of swimming has been involved with
ProjectPlay from its inception and has been very proactive in developing multisport athletes. Ad
campaigns for USA Swimming have also included swimmers performing ballet, kicking soccer
balls, painting, playing musical instruments and basically reinforcing the idea that kids can swim
as well as participate in other activities. Additionally, the NBA and USA Baseball have
developed age specific guidelines for participation for young athletes that are intended to
promote a healthy and positive sport experience. The overarching philosophy behind the NBA
approach is that youth should be provide opportunities and encouraged to sample different sports
and should avoid specializing in basketball prior to the age of 14.
Four national sport organizations in Canada recently joined forces with the Canadian Olympic
Committee in a campaign to encourage young people to play various sports in lieu of only one.
In the U.S., the OneSport media campaign was designed to help prevent overuse injuries in youth
athletes, and backed by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American
Society for Sports Medicine. Both initiatives support the pushback against the trend of early
sport specialization.
Another issue is cost, as well as the potential unintended consequences of expensive sport
programs. Youth sport is a $15 billion industry. The rising cost of youth sports and specializing
in one sport is very expensive. According to the Aspen Institute (2019), annual spending for one
child in one sport is $693. Furthermore, only 22% of youth from families with household income