Unique ways to go far in sports

Baseball provides one of the clearest examples of how to accelerate chances to making it to the big leagues.  Left-handed pitchers are always in demand because they create difficult matchups, especially against left-handed hitters.  A right-handed pitcher may need overwhelming velocity or multiple excellent pitches to stand out, but a  left-hander with decent control, movement, and the ability to get left-handed hitters out may receive opportunities simply because fewer athletes can fill that role.

The same idea applies to a knuckleball pitcher.

A pitcher who can consistently throw a quality knuckleball does not need to light up the radar gun.  This unique pitch moves unpredictably, frustrates hitters, and places relatively little stress on the arm. Because the knuckleball is difficult to throw well, and often unpredictable even for pitchers who throw it regularly, it is a very difficult pitch to master.

Changing gears to look at football and perhaps no position better demonstrates the value of specialization than long snapper.  Most people overlook the significant role and specific duties of the long snapper:

• Snaps the ball on punts and field goals.
• Rarely appears in highlights.
• Is barely noticed when doing the job correctly…
• But becomes very noticeable when something goes wrong by means of a fumble or snap that goes far over the punter’s head!

It may not be glamorous, but every NFL team needs someone who can deliver a perfect snap under pressure.  Because the skill is so specialized, good long snappers can enjoy remarkably long careers.

Kickers and punters offer similar opportunities.  Some began as soccer players and found that their kicking ability translated into football.  A player who cannot block, tackle, or catch may still make a professional roster if he can reliably kick a football through the uprights from 50+ yards away.

Other unusual paths to professional sports

Many sports contain positions or roles that reward athletes with highly specific abilities:

• Basketball: A three-point specialist can build a long career without being an elite scorer in other areas, or even being a good defender.
• Hockey: A player who consistently wins faceoffs may provide value beyond traditional statistics.  Similarly, a tough fighting defender might play a long time for his ability to intimidate opponents.
• Lacrosse: Some players specialize almost entirely in taking faceoffs.
• Volleyball: The libero does not need exceptional height but must be an outstanding passer and defender.
• Soccer: A player who excels at free kicks, corner kicks, or long throw-ins can become extremely valuable.
• Baseball: A defensive catcher may remain in the lineup because of pitch framing, game calling, and controlling the running game—even with a modest batting average.

Final thoughts

Of course, none of these unique paths means becoming a professional athlete is easy.  A rare skill, such as being a great long snapper, still requires years of practice, discipline, and consistency.  But there is an important lesson here for young athletes, parents, and coaches.  The goal should not always be to turn every athlete into the biggest star on the field.  Rather, it may be more valuable to identify what that athlete does differently—and then develop it.

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Perhaps it’s time to ask a similar question about men.

Gender differences in advertising

No, men are not typically portrayed in advertisements the same way women have been.  However, they are often presented through an equally narrow lens.  Turn on the television during a sporting event or browse advertisements online, and you’ll likely find men driving oversized pickup trucks, conquering rugged terrain, grilling steaks, drinking beer, lifting heavy objects, or demonstrating physical toughness.  While there is certainly nothing wrong with any of these activities, they represent only a small fraction of what it means to be a man.

Advertising doesn’t simply sell products—it also sells identities.

Every advertisement communicates a message beyond the product itself.  It tells us who uses the product, what qualities are desirable, and, perhaps most importantly, who we should aspire to become.  For young boys who are still developing their identities, these repeated messages matter.  If nearly every commercial portrays “real men” as fearless, stoic, physically dominant, and emotionally reserved, what conclusions might they draw about themselves if they don’t fit that mold?

Psychologists have long understood that people learn by observing others (social learning theory).  Parents, teachers, coaches, and peers all influence our beliefs and behaviors, but so does popular culture.  Advertising may not create our definitions of masculinity, but it certainly reinforces them.  The more often a particular image is repeated, the more normal and expected it begins to feel.

When we examine advertisements geared toward men today, many portray men as:

• The rugged outdoorsman
• The pickup truck driver
• The beer drinker
• The fearless cage fighter athlete
• The physically dominant protector
• The stoic problem solver, independent thinker, and able to take care of most situations through brute strength.

Again, there is nothing inherently wrong with these portrayals, but they only represent one version of masculinity.  For a more complete, holistic understanding of men, future advertisers may want to broaden the ways in which they portray men, similar to how women today are more regularly seen as more than simply being physically attractive.  Images of men that are commonly missing include:

• Reading bedtime stories to their children.
• Caring for aging parents.
• Mentoring young athletes.
• Supporting their spouses during difficult times.
• Talking openly about mental health.
• Men comfortable demonstrating compassion, patience, empathy, nurturing, or vulnerability — as well as shown in female-stereotyped roles (i.e. stay-at-home dad).

These men exist in every community, yet they are far less visible than the stereotypical “tough guy.”

Ironically, many companies have worked hard to broaden the portrayal of women in advertising by highlighting intelligence, leadership, athleticism, and diversity.  That progress is exciting and worth celebrating.  Perhaps the next step is recognizing that men also deserve a broader and more realistic representation.  Male strength can certainly be physical, but it can also be emotional.  Courage isn’t demonstrated only by taking risks; sometimes it is found in asking for help, showing compassion, or standing beside someone who is struggling.

Final thoughts

Advertising will always simplify reality—that is part of its purpose.  But perhaps it’s time to ask whether our portrayals of men have become just as narrow as the portrayals of women once were.  The question isn’t whether advertisements should stop portraying tough, confident, or physically capable men.  Those qualities have value.  The question is whether those should be the only images of masculinity boys and men repeatedly see.

After all, strength isn’t measured only by muscles, pickup trucks, or toughness.  Sometimes the strongest men are the ones who patiently teach their children to ride a bicycle, quietly care for an aging parent, encourage a struggling teammate, admit when they’re hurting, or simply show up every day for the people who depend on them.

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Examining today’s changes in youth sport coaches & officials

Today’s youth coaches face expectations and responsibilities that previous generations rarely encountered — and for relatively low pay while working odd hours. Today’s coaches are expected to:

• Teach sport-specific skills and strategy, and adequately prepare talented kids for future college athletics.
• Promote sportsmanship and character while actively modelling those very same behaviors to kids.
• Communicate effectively with parents, including in-person, electronically, and often at non-work times (i.e. late in the evening).
• Prevent injuries and recognize safety concerns, which includes attending continuing education courses to keep up with new concerns (i.e. concussions).
• Manage playing time fairly, and respond to kids and parents who are not happy with how the coach is allocating playing time.
• Teach kids life skills, including communication, goal setting, decision making, leadership skills, and resiliency.
• Win games while keeping everyone happy, and build a winning climate that helps maintain a healthy athletic department.

That’s a difficult job description for someone working evenings and weekends for relatively modest compensation.

The same is true for sport officials. In addition to enforcing the rules, officials are increasingly expected to manage emotional situations involving coaches, parents, and players. Unfortunately, many also face criticism that extends well beyond the final whistle. Verbal and physical abuse, public criticism, and even social media attacks have made officiating far less attractive than it once was.

A simple reality

When fewer qualified adults are willing to coach or officiate, organizations often have no choice but to lower their standards simply to fill vacancies.  This is not meant as criticism of those who step forward to help.  Many volunteer coaches and beginning officials work extremely hard and genuinely care about young athletes.  However, experience, education, and mentorship cannot be replaced overnight.

Parents also play an important role in shaping the future of youth sports.  While the vast majority are supportive and respectful, it often takes only a handful of negative interactions to convince a coach or official that the job is no longer worth the stress.  If we want quality adults to remain involved, appreciation and respect must become part of the culture.

Improving youth sports requires more than simply recruiting additional volunteers. Communities should strive to:

• Recruit and mentor new coaches and officials.
• Increase education and training opportunities.
• Offer competitive compensation whenever possible.
• Publicly recognize outstanding coaches and officials.
• Hold adults accountable for creating respectful environments.
• Refocus the emphasis on the importance of youth sports on how the investment in good coaches and officials provides for the best physical, mental, and emotional growth for student athletes!

Final thoughts

The youth sport landscape has changed a lot, especially as it applies to coaches and officials.  Schools today regularly struggle filling coach openings with quality coaches, and state sport organizations are doing all that they can to attract more officials to the profession.   The challenge is that coach and official jobs generally don’t pay a lot, the hours are odd, and threats of physical harm and/or negative social media attacks always loom.  If communities hope to attract and retain high-quality adults, they must also create conditions that make coaching and officiating rewarding rather than exhausting.  The future of youth sports depends not only on developing better athletes, but also on supporting the dedicated adults who make those opportunities possible.

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Understanding sport statistics

Sports analytics are everywhere these days, and there is little doubt they have made coaches and athletes more informed than ever before. Radar guns measure pitching velocity, cameras calculate spin rate and exit velocity, wearable technology tracks speed and fatigue, and sophisticated software can compare athletes against thousands of others across the country. The collection of data itself is not the problem. The more interesting question is what happens after the data are collected.

In psychology, one of the first questions we ask about any assessment tool is whether it actually predicts what we think it predicts.  This concept is known as predictive validity.  Simply because a test measures something reliably does not mean it accurately forecasts future success.  The same question should be asked of sports analytics. Does a high exit velocity at age 12 predict becoming a successful high school hitter?  Does a high spin rate on a baseball predict future pitching success? Sometimes the answer is yes—to a degree—but rarely is the relationship as straightforward as many people assume.

Today, sport analytics present the same challenge — sure, we acquire specific data supposedly relating to future sport success, but do most people know how to use this information responsibly?

Another important concept is external validity.  Just because an athlete performs well in a controlled training environment does not necessarily mean those same results will transfer to meaningful competition.  A player may produce outstanding numbers in a batting cage, but can those same mechanics be repeated against a live pitcher with two strikes, runners on base, and a championship game on the line?  Context matters, and numbers collected in isolation do not always capture the realities of competition.

Perhaps the biggest mistake people make is assuming that because two things are related, one must cause the other (when in fact the variables correlate with one another).  For example, many elite baseball players produce high exit velocities.  That does not necessarily mean increasing exit velocity alone will create an elite hitter.  It may simply be that better hitters naturally generate higher exit velocities because they possess superior mechanics, timing, vision, and decision-making.  In this case, exit velocity may be a byproduct of great hitting rather than the cause of it.  The same reasoning applies to pitching velocity, spin rate, sprint speed, and countless other measurable statistics.

There is also a psychological cost to consider.  Young athletes today increasingly define themselves by their measurable statistics rather than their overall development.  Instead of asking, “Am I becoming a better player?” they ask, “Did my exit velocity improve?”  While analytics can provide valuable feedback, they should never become the sole measure of an athlete’s worth or potential.

Analytics have undoubtedly improved sports, and they are here to stay.  However, numbers should inform coaching—not replace it.  Great coaches understand that data represent one piece of a much larger puzzle that also includes confidence, decision-making, resilience, work ethic, leadership, adaptability, and countless other qualities that no radar gun or computer can fully measure.  The challenge moving forward is not collecting more data. It is developing the wisdom to understand what those data truly mean—and just as importantly, what they do not.

Final thoughts

When using statistics, it is important that we understand exactly what we are measuring, as well as how useful the data will be in terms of predicting things in the future.  Without understanding statistics, it is very easy to misunderstand data, including what is being measured, the importance of that information, and how useful it will be to apply the information in the future.  Additionally, correlation (when two variables change or occur together) should not be confused with causation (when one variable directly causes change in another variable), yet this happens all the time with people not trained in data analysis.  Use data as a part of evaluation and future planning, but make sure to employ a holistic approach that also includes examining confidence, motivation, and resiliency — constructs not easily measured in traditional testing.

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Don’t beat yourself!

Can’t find an outfit.  Bad directions.  Couldn’t study the night before. Didn’t learn the material.  How many times has something like this happened to you?  Ironically, much of the success we enjoy in life is a direct result of being responsible, especially with how we prepare for events and experiences in our lives.  When we follow directions and prepare ahead of time, we surge past the competition by creating a picture of working hard and wanting that starting position, grade, or job.  On the other hand, when we show up late and unprepared, we send the message of this not being very important — even without opening our mouth.  If life is a game of inches, these are the “inches.”

How do you deliver on what is expected — or better yet, supersede expectations?  Yes, the “little” things really do matter, and often simply being able to follow directions can advance your chances for success (or diminish them).  For example, when I teach college classes, I give writing assignments with very specific directions about the assignment.  One aspect, total page length for the assignment, is listed specifically on the syllabus, as well as discussed verbally in class.  In fact, not only do I discuss the page length, I specifically outline the consequences for going over the page length since the assignment is about being concise and efficient.  I have even said to the class directly that the first word you go over the page length, you will automatically lose points as a result — couldn’t be more clear, right?  Amazingly, over the years my guesstimate is that a good 30-40% of students will, in fact, completely disregard all the directions and warnings and turn in a paper that’s over the length allowed.  The result?  These students lose points, even before I have read a single word of their paper!  Think about that for a moment — the paper could have been the best written paper ever, but the student lost points simply by not following the rules.

While you will likely never know for sure, ask yourself how many times in your life did you lose an opportunity because you were late, unprepared, didn’t follow directions, or made a similar avoidable mistake?  Have you ever been delinquent to an appointment?  Failed to prepare for an interview?  Worn the wrong attire to a meeting?  The point here is not to say you are a failure if you aren’t perfect, but to instead illustrate how often we beat ourselves, versus others beating us.  Conversely, how many times in life do we succeed because we were prepared, and ready for the moment?

Life is tough enough, why lose out on opportunities simply because you failed to prepare for the moment?  Learning how to responsibly manage your time, communicate, and get things done efficiently and correctly is a big part of human success, and often the very exact qualities others look for when hiring, promoting, or evaluating others.

Final thoughts

When we minimize our unforced errors and follow through with exactly what we are tasked to do, we give ourselves the best chances for success — even when up against better competition.  When others see that we want it more than the competition, and are willing to do the supposed “little things,” it shows our responsibility and willingness to do whatever is necessary for success.  Pay attention to details, out study and outwork your opponents, and be ready to go when your name is called!

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Biggest changes in youth sports

Just about everything changes over time, including youth sports.  Rather than simply state that the changes are “all good,” or “all bad,” it is important to look at each change and include any nuance that might exist.  For example, for one family year-round sport specialization might be healthy, while another family doing the same might witness their kid dealing with sport burnout.  Below are observable youth sport changes that have occurred over the last several decades that impact most sport families today:

• Recreation leagues vs travel leagues.  It used to be that local communities offered all that you needed when it came to youth sports, but these days recreation leagues are disappearing quickly while elite travel leagues continue to build more teams to meet greater interest.
• The “eyeball” test vs. sport metrics.  Coaches used to watch kids perform and gauge their potential based on what they saw.  Today, kids are constantly measured and evaluated for better (supposed) future predictability.
• Volunteer coaches vs. expert coaches.  Youth sports used to be driven by volunteers; today, elite programs have paid coaches to coach teams.
• Focus on fun vs. focus on advancing in sports.  Youth sports used to focus exclusively on fun, growth, local pride, and preparing for school sports.  Today, clubs focus on talent, development, and attracting the attention of college coaches.
• Reasonable costs vs. exorbitant costs.  The cost to play youth sports used to be a nominal fee, but today’s club costs can easily be in the thousands of dollars — resulting on increasingly more kids being squeezed out.
• Occasional serious injuries vs. regular serious injuries.  Injuries commonly seen in youth sports in the old days included cuts, scrapes, and the occasional broken bone.  Today, kids at very young ages experience serious injuries (i.e. ACL) that require surgery, with some kids retiring from sports prematurely as a result.
• One sport per season vs. sport specialization and year-round training.  The three-sport letter winner used to be a common thing, where kids played a new sport each new season.  Today, however, we see more kids specialize in one sport and do it year-round.
• Eagerness to play college (and stay) vs. not ready for college athletics, premature quitting.  Another interesting change many people overlook are the growing number of young athletes who do make it to play college sports — then voluntarily quit.  After dedicating their lives to a single sport (and playing it year-round), increasingly more young athletes make it to college sports then decide they have simply had enough and retire from sports.
• Not enough sports (excitement to play more) vs. too much sports, burnout and mother mental health issues.  Kids from the past played shorter seasons, and many wanted to play more.  Kids today play so much that many experience sport burnout, or other mental health issues.
• Focus on growth vs. focus on winning.  Sports used to be viewed as a meaningful part of a child’s life, a place where kids could get good physical activity, meet friends, and learn important life skills.  Kids today train very differently, with most competing in leagues that focus on winning over everything else.

Are the changes above good for kids, or have we created an experience that falls short of the one previously enjoyed by their parents?  Some parents love the seriousness of youth sports today, while others yearn for an experience focused more on fun and growth over intensity and winning.

One of the great ironies of modern youth sports is that we’ve become remarkably better at developing athletes, yet not necessarily better at developing childhoods.

Regardless of where you stand on the ways youth sports have changed, kids are experiencing serious injuries and mental health issues as a direct result of sport intensity today.  Should we just continue pushing, or would it be better to revisit current trends and work to get back to a more balanced youth sport participation model?

Final thoughts

Changes in youth sports have become quite noticeable in recent years, especially with respect to focus and intensity.  Some of the changes have been positive and helpful, while other changes have turned an otherwise fun experience for kids into something very different than what they had thought.  Sport participation can be an amazing developmental experience for kids, but positive outcomes only occur when we create a welcoming environment focused on fun, friendships, and life skills development, not a hyper-professional, pressurized, college preparatory experience.

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Sport analytics and kids

As technology has advanced, so have sport analytics.  The change from the “eyeball” test of an athlete, to now being able to objectively measure an athlete’s physical abilities has been controversial — even at the pro and college level.  Critics argue that sport performance is not based exclusively on “measurables,” and that overlooking an athlete’s passion, drive, and resiliency misses the big picture while creating unnecessary anxiety.  If this is how folks feel about sport analytics at the adult level, what do you think kids deal with when being pressured to improve their measurables?

While accumulating data allows for player comparisons and better future predictive accuracy (hopefully), increasingly more kids are feeling the negative effects of having their physical shortcomings suddenly become visible to everyone, and new expectations for future improvement that feel overwhelming. 

Kids today don’t stay in recreational sports very long, evidenced by increasingly more families each year deciding to join a club or premier team in their child’s sport.  These advanced teams practice more, play more, and measure kids more.  Depending on the sport, a kid may be analyzed along a number of factors, including speed, strength, vertical jump, reaction time, shot accuracy, launch angle, and exit velocity to name a few.  For kids, this can be an awful lot to contend with, especially when their data is matched against other kids, as well as mapped up against future benchmarks needed to simply be recognized by college coaches.  As a result, many young athletes struggle with mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.  In worst-case scenarios the pressure becomes too much, and some kids retire from sports prematurely as a result.

Sport analytics are here to stay, and there does not appear to be any evidence of less analytics occurring in youth sports — in fact, we see the opposite happening.  As more “elite” teams pop up, and new technologies emerge, kids will likely be under the microscope even more in the future.  Yes, analytics provide for objective data that can be used for many statistical comparisons, but is that the only thing we care about?  Should a kid’s well-being be the primary focus, even if it means less testing of his or her physical abilities?  What is the end game here — to train and measure kids exactly how we do with pro and college athletes?  There is most definitely a cost using this approach, as sport analytics in youth sports are adding a lot of undue pressure to kids who simply want to play their sport.

Final thoughts

Sport analytics allow for objective data collection and valid comparisons between people, but questions still loom about both the predictive validity of analytics to sport performance, and the mental health issues that emerge when athletes (especially kids) believe their numbers simply don’t measure up.  While an argument can be made that adult athletes competing in pro and college sports are mature enough to handle these kinds of stressors, most kids do not have the maturity and stress coping skills to deal with being scrutinized in this manner.  Kids want to play, not feel like a lab rat running through tests while scientists measure their behaviors.

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What parents talk to coaches about

A generation ago the vast majority of parents signed their kid up for a sport, and then didn’t talk to the coach again until the end-of-season sports banquet.  OK, maybe there was a brief conversation in there somewhere between signup day and uniform turn-in day, but coaches were mostly left alone and provided whatever space needed to independently manage their team.  The times when parents would communicate with coaches centered around scheduling conflicts, or maybe an injury that would keep the kid from playing for a little while.  Other than that, parents sat in the stands, and coaches ran the team how they wanted.

Compare that to today, where parents communicate with coaches a lot more, and over a wider variety of topics.  Youth and interscholastic coaches tell me regularly about the nature of such calls from parents, and they include the following:

• Where their child should play, and how he or she should be used.
• The type of style the team should play.
• How other kids on the team should play, and where.
• Who the best (and worst) kids on the team are, and how each should be coached.
• Where coaches can go to get more coach training, and/or others the coach should talk to in order to be a better coach.

In addition to the topics discussed, coaches also report that these conversations occur practically all the time these days, ranging from text messaging, email, phone calls, and even waiting around in the parking lot after practices and games!  Does this sound healthy to you?

When coaches feel overwhelmed and not able to do their job, most eventually move on to something else.  Rather than second-guessing and “coaching the coach,” parents are better served supporting the coach, and only communicating directly when needed (i.e. a doctor’s report on the child’s injury).  Stepping beyond these parameters usually leads to cries of “politics” from other parents, and leaves coaches in tough spots trying to both appease the parent, but also coach the team in an unbiased fashion.

Final thoughts

Communication is never a bad thing, and getting to know your child’s coach a little can enhance the sport experience.  The problem, however, is when lines blur and parents begin imparting advice to the coach, and/or telling the coach how to do his or her job.  When coaches feel pressured to appease parents rather than objectively evaluate and coach kids, on-field results suffer, and team culture suffers.  Instead, communicate with coaches only when needed (i.e. an injury, or a practice/game your child won’t be able to attend) and refrain from telling the coach where your child (and other kids on the team) should play.  Providing these boundaries for the coach will allow for the best, most optimal sport experience for your son or daughter.

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The most expensive sport lessons may be the least effective

Personalized, professional training is very en vogue for young athletes today, but is this too much for kids still learning how to throw, catch, and kick?  While it might make sense for a 5 star high school recruit to train with a former professional athlete, it might not be the kind of training your 3rd grader needs.  The problem today is that increasingly more parents are chasing after the highest, most credible, and often most expensive sport training with the assumption that “more is better,” when in reality kids grow the fastest when training is appropriate to their age, skill level, interest, and potential.  For many kids, that means learning the basics from their current recreation coach!

…too often today young kids are training with advanced experts before mastering the basics of their sport, creating a sub-optimal learning situation. 

I hear from families at my office all the time about the great former college/pro player working with their kid, and while some of these situations make sense, in many other instances the kid ends up receiving advice way over his head — and at a great financial cost to his parents.  For example, if you have a 10 year old baseball pitcher still learning how to master his windup and delivery, hiring a former pro player to teach your kid different breaking ball pitches is way too much training than what is needed.  In this situation, the kid needs to master the basic windup (and that can be taught to him by his regular coach), and then work his way up to learning new pitches and mastering them (expertise help may be considered here).

This same approach can be used with any sport, and should begin with an honest appraisal of where your kid is at today with his or her age and ability.  Buying a former athlete’s time will not automatically make your kid great!  Kids excel when they learn and master basic muscle movements until they become automatic and confidence is developed — and then they can begin working with more advanced training that builds from the basics.  Introducing advanced training too soon can actually have the opposite effect where kids become overwhelmed with information, feel paralyzed by it all, and actually disengage from the experience.  Yes, it is very important that you get this right!

Final thoughts

When it comes to sports training for your child, one size does not fit all!  Even if it seems like everybody is doing it, parents need to consider training that is a good fit for their child, and that decision should be made based on age, interest, basic skill mastery, and future goals.  Most families today are looking past building up fundamentals and instead being drawn to the bells and whistles associated with former pro and college athletes, new facilities, and expensive training camps.  While all of those options might work one day, it is important to first help your child learn and master the basics, then move on to more specialized training when he or she is ready.

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Sports gambling has become a public health issue

Diagnoses of gambling disorder rose more than 60% since 2018 in states that have legalized sports betting, with the biggest increase among young men.  One analysis found gambling diagnoses rising from 3 to almost 5% in states that legalized sports gambling, and as gambling becomes easier to do by means of smart phone betting, these statistics are almost sure to increase in the near future.

There is no net positive for legal sports gambling, but there has been a spike in both gambling addiction and corruption in sports.

You can’t watch a game today without constant betting odds scrolling across your screen, gambling commercials at every break, and even sports broadcasters offering their own takes on sports odds.  As the list of new gambling addicts grow daily, the strain on communities becomes visible by means of bankruptcies, unhealthy marriages, and drug and alcohol abuse.  Another reality: most states that have legalized sports gambling have not made comparative investments in gambling prevention or treatment.

With respect to athletes who gamble and sportsmanship, integrity, and flat-out breaking the law, the findings are very concerning.  In just the last 2 years Jontay Porter (NBA), Tucupita Marcano (MLB), Pat Hoberg (MLB umpire!), Terry Rozier (NBA), and Brendan Sorsby (NCAA) have been caught and faced league consequences from their gambling actions, and these are just the ones who got caught. When sports leagues lose credibility because trust in fairness has been replaced by gambling addicts cheating to make a buck, what is left?

As of this moment, there does not appear to be any movement whatsoever as it applies to new laws, or even sports leagues tightening up standards to protect integrity and prevent corruption.  Instead, we seem to be witnessing the opposite — more ads on television, more opportunities to bet, and more of a focus toward sports betting lines and away from the actual games.

Final thoughts

If there was any doubt that legal sports betting would be a major disruption to sport and society, we now have evidence of increases in both gambling addiction and sport ethics/corruption.  As families experience the dark side of gambling addiction and leagues lose credibility by the day, when will better leadership step in and begin to right the ship?  Or is this the beginning of a new age, where sports are just about gambling, regardless of the price to society — or their own leagues?

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Understanding cyberbullying

Modern technology has allowed us to rapidly connect with one another and share content in mere seconds, and while these advances have been healthy in most instances, there are countless opportunities for cyberbullies to use content to humiliate and bribe individuals — many of whom are kids.  In fact, cyberbullies sometimes blackmail their victims with content the victim did not even know existed, including viral pictures and videos that are deeply embarrassing (i.e. changing in a locker room).  In worst-case scenarios, victims of cyberbullying immediately react out of emotion and resort to unhealthy and dangerous mental health coping — including self-harm.

Since a lot of cyberbullying takes place with kids, it is important for parents to have conversations with kids to help steer them away from being a cyberbully, as well as better protect against becoming of victim of cyberbullying.

Helping kids understand the seriousness of cyberbullying:

• Talk to kids about the seriousness of online posts, even the ones they think are just funny.  Remind them of how others can take their posts differently than what was intended, as well as the actions that define “cyberbullying” so that they are aware of important boundaries.
• Teach kids that if they have even a small doubt about what they are about to post, that maybe they shouldn’t.
• Help kids understand that cyberbullying can lead to very serious mental health issues and consequences, both for the victim (i.e. depression, self harm), and the perpetrator (i.e. legal issues, consequences at school with privileges).
• Model for kids healthy and appropriate uses of technology, and check in regularly to see how your kids are doing.

Helping kids protect against being a victim of cyberbullying:

• First and foremost, help kids use good decision-making when doing things that could be caught on camera and later posted (not attending events with drinking and drug usage).  In fact, peruse your child’s social media to see if there are posts that can be used against your child (even if your child doesn’t realize it).
• Make sure your kids know you are always there for them, unconditionally, even if they are embarrassed and/or afraid that you might see something they did not want you to see.  Let your kids know they won’t be punished for asking for help!
• Help your kids use good judgement with respect to privacy in situations that can be used against them, especially when in private areas like locker rooms and restrooms.
• If your child is the victim of being cyberbullied, stay with him or her during the immediate afterward period to ensure your child is safe and not contemplating doing something dangerous.  Also, make sure to know where school and community resources are to use if needed.

Keep in mind that not all cyberbullying cases are blackmail or attempts at extortion, but instead kids naively posting content that they think is funny and harmless.  These incidents occur mostly because kids’ brains aren’t fully developed, and they lack the life experience to fully understand all the implications from their actions.  Either way, the stakes are too high to take cyberbullying lightly, and the subject of cyberbullying is one that should be regularly discussed with your kids.

Final thoughts

Cyberbullying is very real today, yet we don’t often hear about it until something tragic has occurred.  With so many kids using social media and related technologies, it is very easy for kids to make short-sighted, impulsive decisions that lead to kids being embarrassed and humiliated online — and possibly developing mental health issues as a result. In worst-case scenarios kids have engaged in self-harm, and even suicide, as a result of being bullied online.  Make it a priority to talk to your kids about healthy ways to use technology, and the serious dangers that can occur when kids tease and bully others online.

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What if you don’t care if college coaches see your kid?

It wasn’t that long ago that communities across America offered youth sport opportunities for just about every sport right up until kids could join their local high school team.  Because there weren’t “elite” sport clubs, all the kids in a community interested in a sport played for the same recreation league — and the competition was quite good!  These days, however, recreation leagues are often looked at as only for the worst kids, and any kid with even a hint of talent would be playing club sports instead.  While there are lots of things wrong with that assumption, the reality is that today’s kids often can’t find sport opportunities that are not automatically geared to turn kids into miniature professional players, trained and ready for D1 sports.

All of that is good for the hyper-intense family trying to help their kid “make it” in sports, but what about all the other kids forced to play at an intense level simply because there isn’t anything else to choose?  These families could care less about college coach scouts, or anything else designed to help their kid get the attention of a college sports team.  Still, they are regularly marketed to this way, and the price to join the club is commensurate with this focus.

While the assumption is that every kid that joins an “elite” sports club wants to eventually earn a full-ride athletic scholarship, the reality is most kids simply want to play…

What if you don’t care about college sports, or creating a family schedule that allows for the best possible opportunity to earn a future athletic scholarship?  What if your child simply loves a sport for the sake of playing the sport, and nothing more?  What if as a family you see sport participation as a great way for your child to improve her physical and mental health and meet new friends, yet the entire focus is instead about intensity, winning, and being seen by college coaches?

For families that are all-in on making it as far as possible, there are plenty of elite clubs and organizations to join.  On the other hand, kids who simply want to play and have fun face entirely different concerns with so few recreation leagues today.  There is most definitely a gap here between “all in” and “balloons and streamers” seen in entry leagues — the kids in between that just want to play without all the expectations are most definitely being overlooked in this moment.

Final thoughts

If you are a parent hoping to prepare your child for college athletics, you won’t find any trouble locating elite clubs, programs, and coaches in your area.  If, however, you simply want to find youth sport opportunities that offer good competition, but without the hyper-college focus, your options may be very limited.  While it is true that some kids want to do everything they can to make it to college, many others play sports for the physical and mental health benefits, to make new friends, and to fill their schedule with things beyond sedentary activities likes phones, screens, and video games.

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Modern marvels, or modern problems?

If you have the means today, you almost don’t have to leave your house for just about…everything.  Technology keeps us moving, and on any given day you can do your work from home, order food and groceries to your door, and purchase products online that are delivered to you the same day.  If you run into a problem, AI can usually provide immediate answers that only recently would have been hard to come by trying to find a real-life expert.  Heck, if you are looking to lose weight, working out at the gym is now more regularly being replaced by prescription drugs that do the job for you with little effort required.

Not only are more people doing their jobs remotely, more students are receiving their education by virtual means, again limiting the need to go to a physical building and interact with others.  Online dating apps allow people to not have to physically go out, and streaming services for everything allow us to watch movies at home that we used to see at the theater, and games online that we used to attend in person.

We are becoming the most lethargic people in the history of human existence

What is the cost to our human development, when with each week that passes increasingly less is asked of us?  This applies to both our physical and mental health, and the price we will pay in the future for all of these modern conveniences.  Can we remain a hardy species if we never have to do anything?  How resilient will we be mentally when we never have to deal with people, or problem solve because AI just spits out answers?  And what sense of purpose and pride will we experience when we no longer make, create, or actually do anything?

Final thoughts

We are becoming less active with each year that passes as evidenced by the ways in which we work, go to school, meet others, and receive goods.  While it is nice to have modern conveniences, we must think about what we are losing as a result, and the impact it has on our human development.  We may be more efficient, but at what cost?  And what skills and abilities are we using due to not applying ourselves to life challenges as we once did?  We are becoming more dependent on technology, and less active overall, creating big questions for what the future holds.

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Connie Mack’s Code of Conduct

The late Connie Mack managed the Athletics professional baseball team for 50 years, from 1900-1950.  Mack is in the major League Baseball Hall of Fame, and widely discussed as the greatest manager in baseball history having won over 3,700 games.  Was Mack’s success simply a product of having good players all those years, or did he proactively create a team culture designed to maximize the commitment and productivity of each player?  Surprisingly, even though professional sports were very new in America when Mack began his career, Mack saw the value in developing a code of conduct explicitly stating team expectations from each player designed to contribute to the highest level of team success.  From this perspective, Connie Mack was a man ahead of his time.

We are 75 years removed from when Connie Mack last managed a baseball game, but his code of conduct remains just as important today as it did in 1950.  How would your team do if the following expectations were posted in the locker room?

• I will always play the game to the best of my ability.
• I will always play to win, but if I lose, I will not look for an excuse to detract from my opponent’s victory.
• I will never take an unfair advantage in order to win.
• I will always abide by the rules of the game—on the diamond as well as in my daily life.
• I will always conduct myself as a true sportsman—on and off the playing field.
• I will always strive for the good of the entire team rather than for my own glory.
• I will never gloat in victory or pity myself in defeat.
• I will do my utmost to keep myself clean—physically, mentally, and morally.
• I will always judge a teammate or an opponent as an individual and never on the basis of race or religion.

Are the words alone powerful enough to build a winner?  Or is it simply the fact that a coach cared enough to take the time to express what he feels would help each player on the team?  Or did the code of conduct allow each player to pause, self-reflect, and evaluate if he is living up to the expected standard?

Today, athletes at all levels are regularly criticized for playing for themselves, being self-absorbed, and acting out like sore losers when they are victims of bad officiating or lose an important game.  And yes, even kids at the youth sport level engage in these behaviors.  Connie Mack’s message was about self-discipline, pride, fairness, and respecting the opponent.  Do we still prioritize those same qualities today?

While Connie Mack doesn’t get credit for the importance of team culture in sports, maybe he should.  Playing together as a team for a greater good doesn’t always just happen naturally, but it does often come about when coaches and team leaders clearly identify expectations, promote unconditional fairness and respect, and put forth effort for the team, not just individuals.  This type of team building approach improves focus, motivation, and resiliency, the most common qualities found on great teams.

Final thoughts

While athletes from 100+ years might look different, the elements of what makes up great team culture is the same today as it has always been.  Treat people right, build them up, maintain consistent rules, create healthy expectations, and create an environment of accountability — teams that uphold these standards and expectations often over-achieve and maximize team success as a result.  Rather than focusing on cutting corners, cheating where you can, and blaming others for your tough days, Connie Mack preached about how doing it right can lead to optimal team results.  Great words then, and perhaps even more powerful today.

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Why gambling is bad for sports

Arguably the biggest thing that legitimatizes sports in America today is the safe assumption that what you are watching is fair, and not tainted or altered in any way.  The NCAA has always gone after and penalized student athletes, as well as entire athletic departments, when cheating has been discovered.  In fact, until recent NIL changes, student athletes were prohibited from accepting any money for their likeness — including autographs!  Keeping the fairness of competition airtight provided for the cleanest product, games that were won and lost because of the players on the field that day, and not any other outside factors.  This model has been successful for over 100+ years, but with current loose gambling rules and oversight, the college model may be about to burst and turn into something that more resembles the authenticity of “pro” wrestling.

You don’t have to get very far in the weeds when discussing sports gambling before you see all the ways it can go wrong for athletes today.  Quick prop bets, insider information, knowledge of team injuries not yet made public, and making bad plays intentionally are a few examples of how gambling can turn the outcome of a game.  When a student athlete gets into debt from betting, his or her actions may become even more risky and aggressive trying to get back to even.  None of this is good for the student athlete, or the integrity of the game.

While even a one time sports bet made by a student athlete is bad, in the case of Sorsby he wagered over $90,000 on pro and college sports over four years, including 40 bets on his own team (Indiana at the time).  So what does all this mean in the big picture?  Assuming the NCAA allows Sorsby to continue playing college sports fully aware of his previous sports wagering (including bets on his own school), the future looks bleak.  When standards are not upheld, fairness and integrity are devalued, and enforcement is lacking, you no longer have authentic sport competition.  What this means is a compromised game filled with uncertainty, with questions ranging from if players are really injured, and if plays on the field are being called to rig games.  How will you know what’s real, versus an outcome that occurred simply because some folks cheated to get to that outcome?  Widening the scope, how much enthusiasm will sports fans have toward college athletics when nothing about the game is real — and that it feels more like “pro” wrestling rather than fair competition?  The precedent being set with the Sorsby case speaks loud and clear that all of those options and likely outcomes are now at play.

When standards are not upheld, fairness and integrity is no longer prioritized, and enforcement is lacking, you no longer have authentic sport competition.

When sports betting became legal, everything changed.  It was stated that college student athletes could not bet on games — but now suddenly they can, and without any true consequence.  We are witnessing in real-time the dismantling of a sport system that previously allowed for the best teams to win based on talent and execution, but is now being replaced by a hyper-focus on gambling.  While it remains to be seen if sports fans will care enough about potentially rigged games to keep them from watching and attending games, if fans do lose interest the consequences will be catastrophic.  And for what??  To potentially blow up an amazing sport competition landscape in exchange for casually allowing student athletes to gamble without consequence seems incredibly short-sighted, and likely to destroy the game as we know it.

Final thoughts

As a fan, watching gambling commercials and hearing talking heads talk about sports odds were already bad enough, but at least the game on the field was secure.  Today, however, the courts have ruled and said that it’s really not a big deal if a student athlete gambles, and if games are altered, well, we will figure that mess out when it happens.  Where is the leadership?  The precedent set with the Sorsby case will directly impact and influence future student athletes and their approach to sports gambling — including what risks they will take to make money from their bets.  Hopefully better leadership steps in soon and reverses what looks like a really ugly and dangerous path forward with college sports.

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Why does my kid want to quit??

I see increasingly more parents these days that ask me why, suddenly, does their kid want to quit sports?  How could something he is so good at not be something he wants to do?  Is there something wrong with him??  Ironically, it’s easy to see why some parents have these questions, as it is often difficult to witness mental health issues developing — and even more challenging when there is little time to observe and discuss concerns around regular practices, travel, and a competition schedule that more resembles pro sports than youth sports.

How could something he is so good at not be something he wants to do?  Is there something wrong with him??

Keep in mind families don’t seek to burn their kid out through sports, and the idea of sport burnout is foreign to most parents anyway — until it’s unavoidable.  Kids will often go along with things for awhile, especially when meeting new teammates, receiving new “swag” and team gear, and experiencing a higher level of their sport.  But, over time, many of these kids begin to lose their luster for the sport, wondering how they ended up on a team filled with pressure — and leaving behind a fun team of their best friends?  Most parents are caught off-guard as well — especially as the luster of the experience wears off a bit.  A year ago she laughed with her friends, and now it’s sometimes tough to even get her to want to go to the game.  What happened??

What has happened is the “elite” youth sport market has exploded of late, with new clubs and organizations popping up all the time, and existing clubs constantly adding new teams to accommodate market demand and growing interest in moving away from silly “rec” sports.  Kids end up being unfortunate victims, as often they are not prepared for the obligations and responsibilities that come with playing “elite” sports — they are simply good at their chosen sport.  Family vacations change (or are eliminated altogether), time with friends outside of sports becomes limited, and other personal interests are no longer a reality.  It’s practice — travel — compete — repeat.  Yes, for awhile kids may enjoy this type of sport experience, but as the practices go longer and the missed experiences outside of sports add up, many kids grow anxious, depressed, and feel stuck playing at such an intense level when all they really wanted to do was….play.

Of course, not every kid has a negative experience in sports today, but many do, and often they do not know how to express their concerns to parents and coaches who have invested a lot in their athletic abilities.  In fact, many kids think there is something wrong with them, wondering why they don’t love something they were picked to do, and expected to excel doing?  Many kids fight these feelings, keep the feelings to themselves, and try to keep going as best they can.  Over time, more kids do end up dropping out, and many do so with great regret, anger, animosity, and sadness.  Most people don’t hear these stories, but they come through my office almost every day.

In summary, today’s youth sport landscape looks something like the following:

• There are more elite sport clubs than ever before to meet market demands.  Unlike years past where kids were selected based solely on talent, previous “elite” clubs have watered down expectations to meet the growing (lucrative) market for kids to have “elite” instruction and sport experiences (in other words, simply added more teams).  Because of this, in many ways “elite” has morphed into modern-day recreation sports.
• A club coach approaches and identifies your kid as above-average in talent.  Because your kid runs, jumps, throws, or tackles a little better than the others, an exclusive invitation to join the club is offered.
• Parents are flattered, then sign kid up without knowing commitment and implications.  Most parents are pleasantly surprised to learn that their kid is above the norm, and in a class above his or her peers.  Often when they sign up for the new sport adventure, it is emotion that drives the decision, not always logic.  As a result, many families are unprepared for all the time, travel, commitment, and expenses that come with the decision.
• The kid, possibly not even interested in elite sports, suddenly finds himself on a team.  Increasingly more kids today are becoming victims of being a good at their sport.  Just because a kid hits or fields better than the rest of the team does not mean that he or she wants to go all-in and commit to the sport, and play at a high level that resembles professional sports
• The family goes along with model until it collapses.  Most families hang in there as long as they can, usually until it becomes too expensive, takes too much time away from other things, or the most concerning reason — the kid is burned out and experiencing mental health issues as a result.

Final thoughts

When there are more “elite” sport opportunities than there are recreational options, a major paradigm shift has occurred.  Common sense tells us not every kid is an elite athlete, but these days there are clubs just about everywhere that will add your son or daughter to the organization — often without even having a tryout — so long as you can pay the hefty bill.  For kids, the swag that includes multiple uniforms and all kinds of branded gear eventually wears off, leaving them with an intense schedule that turns an otherwise fun experience into something that more resembles a job.  As a result, more kids today are dealing with sport burnout and the related mental health conditions that flow from it.

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The impact of squeezing fans out of games

Critics may argue that it’s simple — if you don’t have the means, you can’t buy the goods.  Ordinarily in a capitalistic society that is easy to understand — if you don’t have the money to buy an expensive car, you will not be able to buy it.  But sports are different, and most sport teams have not only accommodated people with affordable seats (i.e. bleachers), but also appreciated devoted fans whether they had a lot of money or not.  The reason these middle-class fans were treated as such was, in large part, their undying commitment to the team seen by ticket purchases, apparel, and other team-related purchases.  In fact, many teams were propped up by average fans because of their enthusiasm, which often led to attracting other fans, thereby building the brand and cultivating a larger fan base.  Today, however, none of that seems to matter at all — those without the means are left out, while others with resources (who may not be fans, or even know a game is going on in the background as they fine dine) are given the red carpet.

Sure, “Business 101” teaches business owners to make as much money as you can, do as much as you can with the least resources, and widen margins as much as possible.  This model may work for many businesses, but it remains to be seen what the effects will be in sports.  When the average fan is left out, and the team falls on hard times when they are not winning, will the privileged fan base still be buy expensive tickets?  Or will arenas and stadiums face new challenges attracting average fans back to games?  Will the family of four who previously saved some money for a few modestly priced games come back after being squeezed by exorbitant prices?  And if the average fans don’t come back, how will players from home teams feel playing in front of sparse crowds with little enthusiasm?

Final thoughts

Sports fans love attending live games, but these days it’s much tougher for the average fan to afford it.  Die hard fans buy all the apparel and are enthusiastic in the stands, but they are being replaced increasingly more by “fans” who attend games for fine dinners and drinks, not the game on the field. With ticket prices spiraling out of control, previously enthusiastic and loyal fans are being shut out, while new, less invested fans (but with money to spend) are being catered to at stadiums and arenas across the country.  Sport franchises may be making big bucks, but will there be a price to pay when the tide turns and teams need dedicated fans back?

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How stress wears us down

While we can’t place human stress on a table and observe it like we can other human conditions, we all know what it feels like to be “stressed out.”  Still, people don’t respond to stress nearly like they do with observable bodily ailments, mostly because stress is viewed as normal, productive, temporary, and even a sign of ambition.  Unlike other health threats, stress often gets celebrated until the consequences become impossible to ignore.

Chronic stress, defined as a persistent, prolonged state of feeling overwhelmed and pressured, lasting weeks, months, or years, can have serious negative health effects if left untreated.  Some of the most serious physical and mental health concerns related to chronic stress include high blood pressure, heart disease, weakened immune system, sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.  While stress-related symptoms may not be observed on a daily basis, these symptoms do chip away at physical and mental health until the cumulative damage becomes significant.

Stress can be a silent killer in that the effects of stress are generally not observable, and the consequences of chronic stress can come on fast and without warning.

The psychological cost to chronic stress include problems with concentration, decision making, memory, and emotional regulation.   When we are stressed, we become more irritable, withdraw from others, make poorer decisions, and lose perspective.  All of these factors and consequences contribute to frustration, intolerance, fatigue, poor self-esteem, and countless more psychological and physical issues.

Ways to guard against stress

No, daily chronic stress is not as dramatic as a heart attack, but as you can see chronic stress can dramatically impact our quality of life, as well as our life longevity.  From my own direct clinical experiences, people who focus on staying sharp with the following life skills are more able to minimize frustration, accidents, and poor coping (i.e. alcohol and drugs):

• Time management.  Keeping a daily, detailed schedule may seem to be a burden, but it actually helps with productivity, adhering to a schedule, and even minimizing accidents due to responsible planning.
• Communication skills.  Learning how to message effectively, actively listen to others, read body language, and resolve conflicts are all examples of the power of communication as it relates to stress.
• Human efficiency.  Being efficient means doing something with minimal wasted time, energy, or resources.  Efficient people don’t spend two hours doing something that could have been done just as well in half the time.
• Human proficiency.  Being proficient means having a high level of skill, knowledge, or competence in a task.  When we are proficient, our confidence and self-esteem improve, while our anxiety and stress levels decrease.
• Requiring daily down time.  Creating healthy down time for relaxation not only allows our bodies to rest, but also creates a health mind state.
• Investing time & energy toward personal interests.  Lost of us only get around to our personal interests and hobbies when we can — and often we never get to that place, and consequently do not do the things we love!  Make it a priority to regularly dedicate time toward the things in life that you most value and enjoy, and your mental health will improve as a direct result.

Final thoughts

The effects of chronic stress, while not as visible as other diseases and illnesses, can be just as catastrophic.  When our minds and bodies work overtime to properly handle life challenges, we fatigue — both physically and mentally.  In addition tot he wear-and-tear we experience with our bodies, we also become more vulnerable to poor stress coping behaviors, including drug and alcohol abuse.  Fortunately, there are many things we can do to respond to stress in healthy and effective ways, thereby providing for a longer and better quality of life.

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Why the home field advantage is a real thing

The biggest advantage of playing at home may not be the field itself—it may be the psychological comfort that comes with familiarity, routine, and support.

Whether it’s playing sports or giving a speech, having familiarity with your surroundings really does contribute to greater confidence, focus, and poise.  While it is true that you still need to make plays in sports, and hit all your talking points in a speech, knowing your surroundings and feeling the support of others allows for better mind-body synchrony — and ultimately greater chances for success.  Playing in front of the home crowd effects player energy, crowd momentum, and even influences officials with on-field penalties.  For visiting teams, travel can be a disruption to normal diet, exercise, and rest schedules, resulting in a less prepared individual and/or team.

Interestingly, the previous home field advantage provided to home teams may actually be decreasing for a few important reasons.  First, travel and lodging is much better than generations from the past, providing greater comfort to visiting teams.  Second, sport venues are newer today, affording visiting teams better locker rooms, dugouts, etc.  And finally, athletes (including younger athletes) are more accustomed to traveling, compared to years past where travel was more restricted (or not even a thing, as was the case with youth sports).  All that said, the home field advantage is still an advantage today, even if it’s less than what it once was.

Playing at home won’t guarantee you a win, but it will assure you of a crowd behind you, familiarity with the field/court (including sight lines), and maybe even a biased official call.  These factors can directly impact the results of a game, even though none of these things actually hit, tackle, or field!  The psychology of feeling comfortable from playing in front of hometown fans can help with confidence, focus, motivation, and resiliency — all qualities that contribute to playing your best.

Final thoughts

The home field advantage in sports is something most people acknowledge, but few people can describe why it’s a thing.  Digging deeper, and we learn that home teams enjoy support and comfort, while road teams experience disrupted schedules, less-than-desirable accommodations, occasional bad referee calls, and hostile fans.  These factors can, and often do, play a role in athletic outcomes.  No the home field advantage alone won’t win games for you, but securing the home field advantage sure doesn’t hurt, either!

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Safety concerns

While there is certainly room to discuss and debate the grey areas of sport performance drugs and substances and what sport leagues will tolerate, to create sport competition where anything goes is a dangerous slippery slope, and a terrible precedent to set.  When competitive athletes have no rules, parameters, or consequences, many will fall prey to the emotions associated with being the best, and some will make irrational and unhealthy decisions as a result.  In fact, an argument can be made that legitimate sport leagues who do enforce drug policies actually save some athletes from themselves.  The competitive spirit for high performance athletes can leave them vulnerable to experimenting with their training (including drug usage), but those temptations are mitigated when leagues hold athletes accountable with strict guidelines, and serious consequences for cheating.  The Enhanced Games don’t seem to care about any of this, leaving their athletes in potentially dangerous spots (even if they don’t realize it).

Integrity?

Aside from the obvious safety concerns, how important are sports records that occurred because of steroids?  If you look at some of America’s biggest steroid cheaters (i.e. Barry Bonds, Lance Armstrong), their records are tainted, and most fans write them off as unscrupulous people.  If you win an event at the Enhanced Games, or break a record, should anyone actually care?  Does it matter at all?  And what message does this send to kids?  That if you only get so far with natural abilities, cheat!!!  While there is no doubt that some athletes do cheat and look for ways to work around drug policies, governing bodies need to remain vigilant and preserve integrity, not go the other way and incentivize drug usage.  After all, how impressed are you by artificially fueled performances?

Final thoughts

Admittedly, I never thought there would be a sport competition where using illegal, dangerous drugs would be not only tolerated, but encouraged.  In fact, as a lifelong SNL fan, I thought there would be a better chance of me seeing John Belushi eating little chocolate donuts in the Olympics long before the Enhanced Games — if you haven’t seen this skit before, enjoy!

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