Chapter 7

1

• Chapter 7
• High School
• and
• Youth Sport

2
Introduction

• High numbers of children participate in
  youth/school sports
  
• Athletics provide positive influences in lives of
  adolescents at a crucial juncture of their lives
  
• School and youth sports are most influential
  sport programs in the United States
  
• Reflects directly on the importance Americans
  place on involving youth in sport activities

3
History School Sports

• Youth athletic participation predates formation
  of United States signing of U.S. Constitution
  
• Formally organized youth educational athletic
  participation did not emerge until mid-nineteenth
  century
  
• Schools and other agencies promoted sports
  participation to aid in solving broad social
  problems such as ill health and juvenile
  delinquency

4
History School Sports (cont.)

• Public schools slow to embrace value of exercise
  and play, but private schools recognized them
  much earlier
  
• Students organized games at college level.
• Incorporation of athletics into school curricula
  (New York, Illinois, Wisconsin)
  
• Boston-area schools formed Interscholastic
  Football Association in 1888

5
History Twentieth Century

• Progressive Movement
• Educators touted athletics as tool to prepare for
  rigors of modern life and democracy and to
  assimilate immigrants into American culture
  
• Promoted child welfare by advocating for
  increased playground space
  
• Promoted formalized public school athletics as an
  antidote to regimented physical education
  curricula

6
History Twentieth Century (cont.)

• Period during and just after World War I
• School sports for males were promoted as a source
  of physical training for armed forces
  
• Sports resulted in boost in school retention and
  graduation rates
  
• Athletics became entrenched in schools
  educators took control of athletics from
  students
  
• Dr. Dudley Sargent, James Naismith, Amos Alonzo
  Stagg
  
• Significant contributions toward meeting
  instructional and curricular development needs

7
History Non-School

• YMCA Most prominent private agency to promote
  youth athletics (Young Mens Christian
  Association)
  
• 19301950s YMCA branches were opened in suburban
  areas that allowed female members
  
• Financial calamities of Great Depression of 1930s
  launched unprecedented governmental involvement
  in recreation

8
Governance National Federation of State High
School Associations

• National coordinator for high school sports, plus
  activities such as music, debate, theater, and
  student council
  
• Encompasses 50 state high school athletics and
  activity associations, as well as District of
  Columbia, Bermuda, Guam, St. Croix, St. Thomas,
  St. John, and 10 Canadian provinces
• Coordinates official certification
• Issues playing rules holds national conferences
  and competitions and acts as advocate/lobbying
  agent

9
Governance State Associations

• Replicate NFHSA model
• Organize state championships competitions in
  athletics activities
  
• Final authority in determining athlete
  eligibility
  
• The scope of activities, the size of full-time
  administrative and support staff, and the number
  of schools represented vary from state to state

10
Governance National Youth League Organizations

• Focus administrative efforts on promoting
  participation in a particular sport among
  children (e.g., Little League Baseball)
  
• Little League 2006 200,000 teams all 50 states
  plus 80 other countries participate
  
• Require strict adherence to administrative
  guidelines standardized field size, use of
  uniforms and a draft system promote adult
  supervision and safe play

11
Career Opportunities School Athletic/Youth
League Director

• Responsibilities
• Hiring, supervising, and evaluating coaches
• Coordinating facets of contest management,
  including hiring and paying of officials and
  event staff
  
• Departmental/league training and disciplinary
  policies

12
Career Opportunities School Athletic/Youth
League Director (cont.)

• Responsibilities
• Determining departmental/league budgets
• Overseeing all associated fund-raising
• Determining and verifying game scheduling and
  athlete eligibility
  
• Transmitting relevant publicity and handling
  public relations
  

13
Career Opportunities Officials/Judges

• Employed by schools and leagues but are
  considered independent contractors because school
  or league exhibits no supervisory capacity over
  the official
• May require certification from national, state,
  and local sanctioning organizations
  
• Use of unprofessional personnel (volunteers) can
  leave a league liable for litigation for the
  actions of these individuals.

14
Management

• Personnel who operate school and youth sport
  programs are these organizations most valuable
  assets and most difficult resources to attract
  and retain
• Due to budgetary and staffing limitations, more
  and more schools and virtually all youth leagues
  are forced to rely on athletic personnel who are
  not full-time employees of the organization

15
Financial

• Administrators and coaches work together to
  present a detailed prediction of how funds will
  be spent, and an accurate accounting of actual
  expenditures
• Although school and youth sport organizations are
  not-for-profit enterprises, this does not mean
  that associated programs are not concerned with
  controlling costs and maintaining balanced
  budgets

16
Marketing

• As schools and leagues become more financially
  strained, coaches and administrators are often
  expected to be fundraisers
  
• Such methods may include direct sponsorships
  donated by local businesses and individuals, the
  sale of items such as candy bars or other
  novelties, or selling advertising space within
  school publications or facilities

17
Ethics

• Administrators are responsible for ensuring that
  athletic programs treat boys and girls equally
  and ethically
  
• 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  enacted and has led to increased opportunities
  for athletes with disabilities
  

18
Legal

• Primary responsibility for any administrator is
  to inform staff of risks and dangers inherent in
  their profession
  
• Waiver and release of liability will not be
  enforceable if it attempts to insulate the school
  district from intentional, willful, wanton, or
  reckless misconduct
• Coaches are principal supervisors of the athletic
  activities of their teams and must provide a
  reasonably safe environment for participants

19
Summary

• Organized school and youth sport has evolved from
  its modest beginning in New England private
  schools in the early 1800s
  
• Administrators, coaches, and other associated
  personnel have developed the skills and expertise
  to deal with challenges and issues