Young Athletes, Couch Potatoes, and Helicopter Parents: The Productivity of Play

by Jessica Skolnikoff, Robert Engvall

Overview

Major newspapers, news programs, and magazines across the country have recently addressed the current issues of childhood obesity, the link between exercise and improved academic focus, and the importance of diet and exercise in improving the health of our children. As many schools consider cutting recess and removing physical education from their curricula, it has become increasingly important to examine the possible effects of this decision and what it might mean for children and their physical and mental well-being.

In Young Athletes, Couch Potatoes, and Helicopter Parents, Jessica Skolnikoff and Robert Engvall look at the important issue of play and its changing role in today’s hyper-structured society. The authors conducted countless interviews combined with extensive research in order to gain a comprehensive theory on the current nature of play and how it has affected children’s lives. Specific topics addressed include the impact of over-involved parents upon the play of their children, how kids are chosen for sports teams and the effect of these selections on the kids, the lack of unstructured play, and the lasting impression of society’s competitive mindset on children.

This book is not a criticism of parents who want to be involved in their children’s lives, but addresses the structural and cultural issues around the changing role of play and the ways in which kids’ sports are viewed in today’s society. Intended not only for childhood development studies, education, sociology, popular culture, and sports studies, this book will be of interest to parents, coaches, athletic directors, school administrators, and educators.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442229808
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	12/11/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	162
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Jessica Skolnikoff is professor of anthropology at Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI. Her research interests focus upon youth and physical activity level, the role that sports play within the lives of college students, and marginalization issues for individuals with learning disabilities.

Robert Engvall is professor of justice studies at Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI. His research interests focus upon various marginalization and social justice issues within higher education He has written three books and several articles and book chapters on similar topics.

Dr. Skolnikoff and Dr. Engvall have both been awarded Roger Williams University’s Dr. Mark Gould Award for Commitment to Student Learning.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction 1

1 Why Is the Coach's Son Always the Quarterback?: An Expansion of Gladwell's Outliers 19

2 Little League Parents: The Fine Line between Healthy Obsession and Unhealthy Behavior 35

3 "Athletic Capital": Status, Performance, and Physical Activity Level among Middle School Students 59

4 The Widening Gap of Youth Activity Level 77

5 The Power of Play 95

6 Me First: There May Not Be an "I" in Team, but There's a "Me" 107

7 The Loss of Community through Specialized Sports and the Loss of Unstructured Play 125

Afterword 137

Appendix A Methodology 143

Works Cited 147

Index 151

About the Authors 153

Editorial Reviews

The US is witnessing the demise of recess and physical education. Skolnikoff and Engvall investigate how play has changed and evolved in today's systematized culture. Drawing on their research and numerous interviews, the authors developed a theory of play and how play has shaped the lives of children in the 21st century. In this book, they provide an understanding of the changing role of play and what it means to the health and well-being of children now and as they grow beyond childhood. Topics include the over-involved parent and their child's play; the impact of being selected for a team (and how teams are chosen); the lack of free play; and the impact on children of society's competitive mentality. The book is not written to condemn parents or people involved in a child's sporting life, but rather to emphasize the underlying and social changes that have transformed the way children play and how society currently views children's sports. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty, professionals, and general readers, including parents, coaches, athletic directors, and other school administrators and educators.

Choice Reviews

The US is witnessing the demise of recess and physical education. Skolnikoff and Engvall investigate how play has changed and evolved in today's systematized culture. Drawing on their research and numerous interviews, the authors developed a theory of play and how play has shaped the lives of children in the 21st century. In this book, they provide an understanding of the changing role of play and what it means to the health and well-being of children now and as they grow beyond childhood. Topics include the over-involved parent and their child's play; the impact of being selected for a team (and how teams are chosen); the lack of free play; and the impact on children of society's competitive mentality. The book is not written to condemn parents or people involved in a child's sporting life, but rather to emphasize the underlying and social changes that have transformed the way children play and how society currently views children's sports. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty, professionals, and general readers, including parents, coaches, athletic directors, and other school administrators and educators.

Choice

The US is witnessing the demise of recess and physical education. Skolnikoff and Engvall investigate how play has changed and evolved in today's systematized culture. Drawing on their research and numerous interviews, the authors developed a theory of play and how play has shaped the lives of children in the 21st century. In this book, they provide an understanding of the changing role of play and what it means to the health and well-being of children now and as they grow beyond childhood. Topics include the over-involved parent and their child's play; the impact of being selected for a team (and how teams are chosen); the lack of free play; and the impact on children of society's competitive mentality. The book is not written to condemn parents or people involved in a child's sporting life, but rather to emphasize the underlying and social changes that have transformed the way children play and how society currently views children's sports. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty, professionals, and general readers, including parents, coaches, athletic directors, and other school administrators and educators.

CHOICE