“When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure. I felt like I had all the weight in the world on top of me and I needed to perform and perform at a high level every day.” - Alex Rodriguez, Sports Illustrated, February 16, 2009
I wonder, at what point in his life did A-Rod stop playing baseball for the sake of the game and start playing to meet some external demands? Quite frankly, the culture of sport today demands that coaches and athletes perform at a high level and win no matter what the cost. The choice that coaches and athletes in youth and high school sports have to make is whether they will give in to this demand or stand up against it. Our studies show that performance at high levels is most likely to be fueled by an intrinsic motivation rather than external “pressure.” When coaches and athletes are motivated only by external pressure, they can take on a “win-at-all-costs” mentality and, like A-Rod, even turn to cheating. It is time to change the culture, not give into it. A-Rod gave into a culture in baseball that he called “very loose.” A true test of a champion today is whether or not they can stand up against what is wrong and do what is right.
It is interesting that A-Rod’s other excuse for using performance-enhancing drugs was that he was “young,” “stupid” and “naïve.” We often cite a study done by the Josephson Institute that found that only 27% of boys and 23% of girls would rather sit on the bench for a winning team than play on a team with a losing record. This is not to say that athletes want to lose, but winning simply isn’t the most important thing about sports to them. In the same study 70% of boys and 88% of girls agreed to the statement, “I want to win, but winning is not essential for me to enjoy my sports experience.” These young athletes are not stupid or naïve. They play for the sake of the game, not for money or to be remembered as one of the “greatest players of all time.” When sports become work, they cease to be play.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
The Implications of Performance Enhancing Drug Use
A study conducted by the Department of Health and Exercise Science at the College of New Jersey led by Dr. Jay Hoffman in 2007, showed that 1.6% (2.4% males and 0.8% females) of the athletes they surveyed reported the use of anabolic steroids, while 72.1% admitted the use of at least one supplement (protein powder, multivitamins, and high-energy drinks). The most striking finding of this study may be that approximately 6% of male 12th graders reported anabolic steroid use while only 1% of the 9th graders reported such use. In other words, “reliance on nutritional supplements increases as adolescents mature.” This calls for the involvement of teachers, coaches, parents and physicians in the education of adolescent athletes about the implications of steroid use.
Studies have clearly shown the negative effects on a person’s physical and psychological health. Use of anabolic steroids by adolescents can cause premature puberty leading to short stature, acne, testicular atrophy, breast enlargement in males, excess facial hair and the increased risk of heart attack and liver damage. Also, the psychological effects include chronic aggression or depression and the increased risk of suicide.
However, arguments that emphasize the physical riskiness of the use of banned substances often fall on deaf ears because high performing athletes willingly take risks to excel at their sport. A far more compelling argument for refusing to take banned substances is a moral argument that taking such substances gives one an unfair advantage over others. In the Hoffman study, the majority of the steroid users (60%) felt that taking steroids was not cheating. If athletes do not see steroid use as cheating, then they will be more inclined to risk hurting themselves to win.
Coaches should address this issue in the context of a team meeting as well as in one-on-one conversations. When doing so, be sure to touch upon the moral implications as well as the personal health risks. If you address only the physical and psychological effects of steroid use, then athletes may only be motivated by fear of personal harm. Although this may be a good reason, true Champions are motivated to serve others rather than themselves. Remind the athletes of the values of fair play and competition (i.e. “competing with”). These are the fundamentals to becoming a true Champion.
Studies have clearly shown the negative effects on a person’s physical and psychological health. Use of anabolic steroids by adolescents can cause premature puberty leading to short stature, acne, testicular atrophy, breast enlargement in males, excess facial hair and the increased risk of heart attack and liver damage. Also, the psychological effects include chronic aggression or depression and the increased risk of suicide.
However, arguments that emphasize the physical riskiness of the use of banned substances often fall on deaf ears because high performing athletes willingly take risks to excel at their sport. A far more compelling argument for refusing to take banned substances is a moral argument that taking such substances gives one an unfair advantage over others. In the Hoffman study, the majority of the steroid users (60%) felt that taking steroids was not cheating. If athletes do not see steroid use as cheating, then they will be more inclined to risk hurting themselves to win.
Coaches should address this issue in the context of a team meeting as well as in one-on-one conversations. When doing so, be sure to touch upon the moral implications as well as the personal health risks. If you address only the physical and psychological effects of steroid use, then athletes may only be motivated by fear of personal harm. Although this may be a good reason, true Champions are motivated to serve others rather than themselves. Remind the athletes of the values of fair play and competition (i.e. “competing with”). These are the fundamentals to becoming a true Champion.
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