Why Americans Are Losing Athleticism

While I can't argue the fact that Americans as a whole are less athletic than they used to be, I feel it is a cop out to lay the blame at the feet of the schools.

 

The reason kids are less athletic is because parents do a crap job of raising their kids.

 

We shouldn't need to turn over the responsibility for our children's fitness to the schools.  If they get a PE class of some sort - all the better, but the ultimate responsibility lies with us.

 

It's not the McDonald's for dinner several times a week, or sitting around all afternoon playing XBox that makes kids out of shape - it's not getting 20 minutes of PE a day?

 

We have a generation of parents that wants to lay the blame for their children's shortcomings anywhere but on those who are truly responsible - themselves.

 

 

Go talk to a PE teacher of how many kids refuse to dress out even if it means they fail.  Ask them how many "Dr. Notes" they get from parents saying Little Johnny and Little Susie are not able to participate in PE for however long.

 

Schools have their problems but piss poor parents make the problems we have worse and a whole new batch of problems themselves.

Who became athletic in gym class? It was twice a week for fifty minutes. We became athletic climbing trees and jumping fences. We became athletic playing pickup football, basketball, hockey, baseball, tag, chase, etc. until we figured it out. Until we dropped from fatigue. Then we hung out in the shade until we realized since we were wrestling we must be rested up to get back out there and play some more. We didn't learn how to play a sport mechanically at an academy. We learned from older brothers. We threw and swung a bat until we got it right. Along the way there wasn't an adult on our backs we were doing it wrong. 

This is very interesting.  Modern technology has to share in some of the blame.  Not as many young kids go outside and play all day.  That has been replaced by using fingers rather than the whole body.

 

Fast food has added to convenience, but also helped create a problem with obesity.  I'm too far removed from PE classes to have an opinion on that.  My last PE class was 50 years ago.  Though I don't recall PE really developing athleticism.  I always looked at PE as a form of exercise.  In fact, sometimes the athletes weren't even required to take PE.  

 

Here is the confusing part to me.  Are we talking athletics or health.  I for one believe today's athletes are better than ever.  Bigger, stronger, faster, etc.  The advancement in training and conditioning are unbelievable.  

 

Guess I have never considered everyone when thinking of athleticism.  My first thought is about the actual athletes.  They didn't even have girls sports at my old high school.  Now girls sports are nearly as big as boys sports.  So I'm sure there are more female athletes than ever.  

 

I see this more as a health issue.  Because the actual athletes just keep getting better and better.  Looking at it as a health concern for the entire population, it makes a lot of sense!  I also find it hard to blame the educational system.  Parents are the ones in control.

Don't forget running from the cops! At least where I'm from. 

soulslam,

 

LOL Running from the cops must be what many of these NFL players did when they were   younger.  In fact, some of them are still doing it.

RJM, a lot of my memories are in your post. THAT WAS my childhood!

However, we are different parents, as well. We ran around all day in the summer. Played pickup basketball, football, baseball. That's hardly possible today. heck my wife still won't let my 6' 2" 165 lb. 14yo leave the house alone because she seems to think there are pedaphiles running around the neighborhood looking for overgrown 14yo's and he's too stupid to bypass the guy in the van with the candy bar. There aren't enough parents who let their kids out enough to play a pickup game and, even if they did, good luck finding a field.

 

We played on the high school fields. Where I live now, you can't find a baseball field that is unlocked to play on. They all require permits. We're a paranoid society that just don't let kids be kids.

Roothog, started laughing out loud when I read about your wife not letting your son out alone. Reminds me of my wife with our son and he is college junior. Yea, society has changed some.

sing to participateTo add to coach 2709's comments and point the finger more at the parents...a few years ago one of my kids mentioned that they were taking advanced basketball for P.E. at their high school. I asked what the differance was between adavanced and regular basketball, and I still have to shake my head at the response. In advanced basketball, the coach (teacher) has to sign off on your attendance and he only does so for the kids who won't refuse to dress down. In other words, it's the same class, but he won't put up with the kids who sit down  against the gym wall and refuse to participate.  They do fail the class, but I guess their parents don't care.

Life didn't become more dangerous. Statistically there aren't more abductions now. What has changed is 24/7/365 cable news and the internet bringing every tragedy in the United States into our homes, often live from the scene. Before cable news and the internet we didn't know what was going on in the next state. What we did find out was limited to a half hour if you were in front of the TV at 6:30pm.

Well not all is lost.  My kid came home today.  His friends texted him.  He grabbed his bases, an old glove, a couple of old bats and went to the local field.  They are actually playing baseball.  Must be some girls around -- they want to show off.   

Why? People like having kids. They don't like being a parent. They don't want to give up their life to raise a young person. So what do they do? Instead of cooking a healthy meal which would require some effort. They stop by McDonalds, Burger King, Hardee's, KFC, BoJangles, etc etc. Instead of having healthy snacks for the kids its junk snacks and soft drinks. Instead of taking away from their free time to go outside and actually play with the kids or creating games etc for them what do they do? Get them gaming systems where they can occupy themselves. Computers, smart phones etc. Dad cuts the grass while Johnny plays Xbox.

 

Why should the parents be responsible for this anyway? Its the schools job right? Its not their responsibility. The schools should provide a healthy meal. The schools should have PE for them. The school should make sure their kid is taken care of. We have lazy fat kids because we have lazy fat Mom's and Dad's. And we have a society that wants someone else to be responsible because they don't want to take responsibility for what they made.

 

The athletes are fine. Better than ever. In better shape than ever. Work harder than ever. More dedicated than ever. The gap has just gotten bigger between the athlete and the non athlete. As long as we have people that have kids who don't take responsibility for properly raising them nothing will change. The schools? The Government? Really?

Less athletic?  Have any of you watched any sporting events lately.  The athlete today is a lot bigger, a lot faster and can jump higher.  How is that less athletic?  The elite athlete is better today than ever.  

Yes they are. And the non athlete has never been fatter, lazier and less athletic. Instead of going outside and playing Army they pick up the control and play Army. Instead of an Apple it's a bag of chips. Instead of a cool drink of water from the water hose between breaks between playing its a Coke and a Twinkie between games on the xbox.

Kids learn from their parents. When their is no guidance from the parents what do you expect? When people rely on the school, government and others to do what they should be doing this is what you get.

The parents need to get off their butts and set the proper example. Instead of setting the current example. When my kids saw me working in the yard they wanted to help. From the time they were old enough to safely do so they did. We got outside and played. We were active. We have a soft no disciplined society because we have turned over our responsibility of raising our children to others who are incapable of doing what a parent must do. And we're setting all the wrong examples for our kids.

Bu the athletes are taking advantage of better nutrition, training, etc. And the gap will continue to get bigger.

So yes America is getting fatter and lazier. And this generation of looking at a phone, computer and xbox all day long are the parents of tomorrow. It isn't looking good for the non athlete. And that's the majority of kids in this country.

When my son was a preteen other parents were telling us he was ADD. What they saw was our son at their house wanting to get everyone outside to play whiffle ball, basketball or football rather than play Xbox. We never hung around the house when it was nice out. We got out and did something. Coach May has it right. Unless kids grow up and make a conscious effort to be different, if you want to see yourself look at your kids.