Competition & Sportsmanship

Question 1

Whose opinion about competency are most important?
* 5-9 yrs:
* 10-13 yrs:
* 14-16 yrs:

Answer 1

• 5-9 yrs: Focus on adult feedback and evaluation (e.g., parents, coach)
• 10-13 yrs: Focus mostly on peer feedback and evaluation
• 14-16 yrs: Multiple sources, slight decline in peer evaluation but there is an increase in intrinsic factors (e.g., goal achievement, enjoyment)

Question 2

How has organised youth sport changed?

Answer 2

1. Privatisation of organised programs
2. Emphasis on performance ethic
3. Elite, specialised sports programs and training
4. Increased awareness and concerns of parents
5. Interest in alternative/action sports

Question 3

Define Competition

Answer 3

Competition is a social comparison process = Gives children opportunity to evaluate their abilities against peers

Question 4

What are the implications of organised games in the following ages
* under 8:
* 8-14 years:
* Age 11 or 12:

Answer 4

• under 8: should not play highly organised sports or on teams >5 players. difficulty understanding offensive/defensive strategy => dropout
• 8-14 years: games can be increasingly organised but positional play should not be emphasised
• Age 11 or 12: coaching can start to be more tailored, considering children who may be interested in performance

Question 5

Define ‘Ugly Parent’ Syndrome and consequenses

Answer 5

Parents often desire for their children what they themselves failed to achieve =>pressure on their children to succeed

Parent behaviour:
* Yell criticism at their child, opposition team, own team, or the referee
* May push their children beyond their physical limits

Consequences:
* no enjoyment, depressed, unmotivated
* embarrassed
* model their parents’ bad behaviour
* Reputation of club or school can be tarnished
* Number of volunteers in sport decreases
* Number of referees/officials decreases due to abuse and intolerance

Question 6

Why teach Cooperative games?

Answer 6

• Children must learn to cooperate before they can learn how to compete
• Cooperative games promote freedom, fun, enjoyment, sharing, teamwork

Question 7

List the 3 approaches to developing Sportsmanship

Answer 7

1. Social Learning Approach
2. Structural Development Approach
3. Social-psychological Approach

Question 8

Describe the Social Learning Approach to sportsmanship

Answer 8

• Modelling (observational learning)
• Reinforcement = Being reinforced or penalised for one’s actions
• Social comparison = Exhibiting behaviours in an effort to fit in with one’s peer or comparison group

Question 9

Describe the Structural Development Approach to sportsmanship

Answer 9

• An athlete’s understanding of sportsmanship grows as they progress through different cognitive and moral development stages.
• This approach is based on the psychological theories of moral development by Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg.
• It asserts that athletes’ attitudes and behaviors in sport can evolve as they mature intellectually, emotionally, and socially.

Question 10

Describe the Social-psychological Approach to sportsmanship

Answer 10

• how an athlete’s social environment—such as coaches, teammates, family, and the culture surrounding the sport—shapes their attitudes and behaviors regarding fair play, respect, and ethical conduct.
• combines Social Learning Approach & (goes beyond) Structural Development Approach
• highlights the influence of social interactions, group dynamics, and cultural expectations on sportsmanship development.