Sports are an important part of our culture, and they clearly affect the lives of our children
and youth. Just what that effect is, however, is not as clear-cut. Certainly, there are benefits.
Young people enjoy the exercise, social interaction, and feeling of accomplishment they
derive from success in sports. And adults point to young athletes' experiences with
collaboration, problem solving, and leadership. However, there is a more disheartening
side to youth sports. Nearly three-quarters of young athletes drop out of sports by age
13, largely because of performance pressure from adults. Our studies of sports explore
how participants manage pressures while striving to succeed in their fields.
- Young Athletes Study (1997): As part of the Young Professionals Project, we
embarked on a small study of the obstacles and pressures that exist in the
youth sports arena. We conducted interviews with young professionals (ages
10-15) in gymnastics and skating.
- Lineages in the Martial Arts (1998-2000): As part of our Transmission of Excellence
Project, we interviewed three generations of professionals in the martial arts.
