Sport by-product or engine of development?

Over the past weeks that we have been writing about school sports and Physical Education; Pop Warner football in the United States; satisfying adult ambition by misusing and abusing children and youth sports; and the use of sports as, stated in the vision and mission of the United Nations (UN) Sport for Development and Peace, in the broader context for health, education, sustainable development, communication, partnership and peace.

One of our many fellow advocates for the use of sport the way the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Task Force has urged governments to adopt and practice is former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Dr. Perry Mequi. In one recent discussion, Mequi reminded us of two crucial paragraphs in the UN document, Sport for Development and Peace:

“Sport is far more than a luxury or a form of entertainment. Access to and participation in sport is a human right and essential for individuals of all ages to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Sport – from play and physical activity to organized competitive sport – has an important role in all societies. Sport is critical to a child’s development. It teaches core values such as co-operation and respect. It improves health and reduces the likelihood of disease. It is a significant economic force providing employment and contributing to local development. And, it brings individuals and communities together, bridging cultural or ethnic divides. Sport offers a cost-effective tool to meet many development and peace challenges, and help achieve the MDG’s. 

 “The potential of sport as a tool for development and peace is yet to be fully realized. The use of sport remains outside the mainstream of thinking among UN agencies. While sport and play are repeatedly acknowledged as a human right, they are not always seen as a priority and have been called the ‘forgotten right’. Sport is seen as a by-product of development, not as an engine.”

Certainly, many societies are guilty of promoting the perspective that the UN document warns against: Sport is as a by-product and not an engine of development. Many state that we must first feed our millions before we engage in sport. There is therefore a temptation to recall a somewhat similar debate in which supporters of strongman rule state economic development will eventually produce democracy and not the other way around. In short, they say, democracy is a by-product and not an engine of development; that authoritarian rule seems to be a sine qua non for development and for societies to produce rice and bread for its hungry millions, we cannot afford democracy.

Before we dig ourselves deeper into the “sport is a by-product of development” type of thinking, it may be timely to conduct a serious re-examination of the role of sport in Philippine society. And such re-examination should start in a number of areas, one of which is our attitude toward children’s and youth sports if we really want to properly live out and not abuse the principle that “there’s nothing like starting them young”.

For the last several weeks, we had been featuring aspects of the Pop Warner Conference founded by former football athlete Joe Tomlin. One of the principles governing the Junior League system is that “Pop Warner Football is a family activity. The women of Pop Warner families also take an active part in the program. The mothers staff Pop Warner women’s clubs handle concession stands at ball games. They also take part in fund-raising drives and other related activities, while young sisters of Pop Warner players form cheerleaders, twirlers and pompon groups. Parents should be encouraged to enjoy their son’s participation and allow him to enjoy it. Both will be richer for the experience”.

That is Pop Warner football. At the other end of the spectrum is a detailed study conducted by Dr. Jonathan Brower, assistant professor of Sociology at California State University, Fullerton that James Michener uses as reference in his best-seller, “Sport in America”.

Brower spent 10 months following 28 different teams in playground leagues, getting to know managers, parents and 350 players while taking notes at 70 games. Brower shared his findings with Michener: “Laws exist to protect children at work and school, but their ‘play’ as governed by adults goes unchecked. Playground ball is a pressure-packed thing for boys. For good athletes it may be fun. At least they can tolerate it, but for boys who are not good athletes and who try to please their managers and parents, it’s a matter of tension.

“Parents get too caught up in the win ethic. One father proudly told a friend, ‘My kid doesn’t care about sportsmanship. He says winning is what’s important’. This thirst for victory and its accompanying competitiveness was far stronger among managers and coaches than players.”

Next week, more on how grownups spoil healthy children’s competitions.