Should Professional Athletes be viewed as role models
Professional Athletes Should Not Be Role Models? Professional athletes such as David Beckham, Mia Hamm, and Kobe Bryant are the gods of a new era: youngsters worship them and wish to be like them. In fact, 85% of 10 year-olds and 98% of the 18 year-olds in a survey say they look up to athletes as role models (Kaiser Family Foundation, 1999). This is not surprising, because these star athletes are everywhere: TV, newspapers, magazines, ads, brand sportswear, and even the everyday breakfast and snack, Nutella. Every move that these star athletes make is captured by media. ... Parents and older generations realize this fact, and they are worried about what impact it will have on youth who blindly follow these athletes. Due to the lack of self-discipline seen in athletes today and the imperfection of these athletes due to their very “human” nature, they should not be looked upon as role models for the young. What is a role model? Author Anita Allen (2003) in her “Role Model Argument” essay defines a role model as “an ethical template for the exercise of adult responsibilities”, a “symbol of special achievement”, and a “nurturer providing special educational services”. A role model is also someone who can be looked up to as a source of inspiration and support for those who thrive to achieve and accomplish. Most importantly, a role model practices good ethics. ... When looking at the controversy of whether professional athletes should be viewed as role models, one would have to apply these definitions in order to define the role that the athletes play in everyday society. The public has always expected famed sports players to be held responsible as the role models of society. However, these assumed responsibilities of star athletes have diminished over the years. ... In the 1990’s, the image of star athletes as role models further shattered into pieces. ... National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), and Major League Baseball (MLB) hold annual rookie conferences to introduce the athletes to the rules they must abide by in the sports world. ... However, the rates of crimes involving star athletes have increased instead. ... Seeing how these star athletes are facing charges and accusations, David Travis, Wisconsin representative, proposed legislation in 2000 that prevented athletes convicted of violent crimes from playing in state-supported sports facilities. ... Teams and leagues then sought to educate athletes through newly-implemented “life skills” training courses. During these courses, athletes learn to distinguish between safe situations (situations in which the partner is truly willing to engage with the athlete in a romantic act) and seemingly dangerous situations (situations in which the athlete might get set-up by their partner). ... Agent Leigh Steinberg, who represents many NFL players, suggests, with increasing sexual assault reports, professional athletes should take precautions to ascertain that mutual agreement is established before engaging in a romantic act (Mihoces, 2003).