Yes, athletes are everyday people with their problems, however because they are in the public eye they become role models. There are many children who look up to these athletes, they want to be like them, they admire them, they even become motivated by the athlete.
I saw this happen with my own daughter. She was a swimmer, a pretty good one at that, and of course she was impressed by Michael Phelps. I remember the day when she came out of swim practice all excited saying, "Mommy, Michael Phelps took one of my chips!" You see, she and Michael swam for the same swim team and her group got in the pool as Michael's group was getting out of the pool. That all changed on the day that Michael Phelps was arrested for a DUI http://articles.latimes.com/2004/nov/09/sports/sp-newswire9. This had a dramatic effect on my daughter. She lost all respect for Michael on that day. To this day she is still bitter about it.
Yes I realize that people make mistakes http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,768762,00.html, but when you are in the public eye you really need to be thinking of your actions and how they will be seen by your public. In this case it was a 13 year old. Fortunately my daughter knew that this was wrong and just lost respect and did not say oh if he can do it I can too. I lot of impressionable young children might be influenced into thinking well if they can do it so can I.
Because they are viewed by many, athletes have to rise to a higher standard to be that positive role model.
Respectfully, I ask why. Why are children admiring athletes instead of scientists? Why are children imitating Snookie instead of Joseph Acaba? Acaba is an astronaut by the way. The media is telling you what your children should be like. It's a draining experience to be a parent, and it might be impossible to keep the media effect away from your child's mind, but what the heck? Television and other forms of media shouldn't be the deciding factor on who's admirable and who is not.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with mark. I mean physical activity is key and the mental and bodily health of a person, but doing to be like someone is like imitation, and that is the lowest form of flattery. personally i would've become bitter right when he took my chip. I love chips, and if someone took one i would fight them. moral is you're daughter should have fought Micheal Phelps.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel as though you can just issue a higher standard to an athlete just because they are viewed by many, they might not have necessarily asked to be viewed as a role model, just sort of dragged into it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I feel like they chose to be in the public eye therefore they need to assume their position as role models. Yes everyone makes mistakes, but you know sometimes the stupid situations could really just be avoided.
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