Should AFL players be major role models for children?

[mikeythemoocow]

AFL player are often considered role models for children, and while it is disputed, in reality children do look for heros. While this is the case, should it be accepted that as an AFL player they have to accept the responsibility of being a role model or should they be able to live their life without consideration of the example they are "expected" to set?



My personal thoughts are that AFL players only duty is to show good sportsmanship. Their off field discretions,while unfortunate, are their own folly's. If a parent is expecting an AFL player to be their child's role model they are negligent as a parent. AFL players are payed to kick a ball around and that is all. Their parents should be their number one role model. Anything less is a cop out.

thoughts?

 

[Damon_3388]

My personal thoughts are that AFL players only duty is to show good sportsmanship. Their off field discretions,while unfortunate, are their own folly's. If a parent is expecting an AFL player to be their child's role model they are negligent as a parent. AFL players are payed to kick a ball around and that is all. Their parents should be their number one role model. Anything less is a cop out.

I wholeheartedly agree with this

Parent your own kids, and don't rely on other unrelated outside parties (eg. footballers) to do the parenting and set the example, because it's simply not their job. That being said, if a footballer consciously chooses to go out of his way and be a role model for young people, then good for him.

 

[pinion]

ah, this old chestnut. my dad loves to rip the old 'role model' story out whenever a player is in trouble

i think it's important to remember that there are both positive and negative role models. maybe 10% of AFL players are genuinely positive role models who are good people, good sportsmen, and go out of their way to do some good work in the community. unfortunately though, these deeds aren't as newsworthy as pissing on a police station

while it's certainly something i wouldn't want my club to be associated with, and is bad for the AFL brand as a whole, i actually think that footballers' indiscresions can be a GOOD thing for society. but the worst thing that can happen is for it to be looked upon in isolation. too often AFL players are involved with drugs, sexual assault, and alcohol related indiscretions and it's seen simply as a problem with cashed up bogans.

yet, we all saw ben cousins' life fall apart due to a drug addiction, we saw fevola publicly humiliated several times and have his marriage on the brink of collapse, what lovett did should be a reminder to every young woman to make sure you trust who you go home with, and remind every man of what's coming to you if you take advantage of women. these sorts of events should give parents the opportunity to talk to their children about the issues, not just tut-tut those directly responsible.

AFL players f*cking up isn't a blight on society, it is part of society. when i was in high school i had a drug dealer in my class, saw or heard stories every week about classmates doing stupid things while drunk and saw fights on the oval at lunchtime a couple of times a week

 

[TempleKelvington]

They don't get to choose whether or not they are a role model...because of what they do and the profile they have they become one. If they can't fulfill whats required in that area then they will cop criticism and if they don't like that then I guess they need to do something else that doesn't put them up as a public role model...it's just a case of you can't have cake and eat it too...they earn a lot of money, they have a great lifestyle...and there is a price that needs to be paid for it all...like it or not.

So it's not a case of should or should not..they just are. Parents/family members need to be good role models also to balance it out. I think that's where we fall down a bit.

 

[tigers_of_old_08]

.. .. If a parent is expecting an AFL player to be their child's role model they are negligent as a parent. AFL players are payed to kick a ball around and that is all. Their parents should be their number one role model. Anything less is a cop out.

THIS.

 

[The Fireman]

No, as a kid I saw sports stars , politicians, teachers and many more so called role models mucking up all the time which only reminded me that they are just normal people , everyones role models are their parents, good or bad you learn from them and then you guide your own destiny.

 

[Ando727]

Good parenting should limit the extent to which an AFL is made a hero, but there's no question that part of the job of an AFL footballer is to ,put forward a healthy positive image. It's just one of the conditions of the job. The club requires it and the league requires it. Add to that the fact that anyone in the public spotlight who earns a lot of money is going to be scrutinised - there really is no excuse for any player to complain that they should be left in peace to behave however they like. It's no different to hundreds of other jobs - there are certain expectations that go beyond the job and bringing embarrassment and shame on your employer and upholding decent community standards is high on the list. That said, I don't think they should be required to be saints or heros. First, do no harm, is the name of the game. The bulk of it is up to parents and teachers to instill good values.

 

[Demonheart]

Since when do any aprents have a say over who their kids choose as a role model? That's laughable, it just doesn't work like that

 

[ballanFYNE]

You shouldnt let a kid directly worship a player but, players should behave knowing that kids are looking up to them. You have to take responsibility as an AFL footballer.

 

[Hoops]

No more than anyone else

 

[Ando727]

Since when do any aprents have a say over who their kids choose as a role model? That's laughable, it just doesn't work like that

It's not a question of choosing role models for your kids, but instilling some values in them so they choose decent role models for themselves. That may well be a footballer, but hopefully a footballer with a healthy lifestyle and attitude because those are values you have emphasised while raising them. I mean, would you choose Brendan Fevola as a having the qualities you would emphasise when raising kids? No, the best you could say is he is a good footballer but a bit of a dill off the field. There are plenty of talented footballers who exhibit great character off the field too. I firmly believe that if you have raised your children with good moral standards, they will gravitate towards role models with similar values - like James Hird, Nathan Buckley, Adam Goodes, Michael Voss etc. Conversely, if you raise children with no morals or suggest that they idolise people like Brandan Fevola, there is a good chance they may get the wrong idea about how to behave as they get older and they may run off the rails. You can subtlely guide your children by talking up the good attributes of certain players (including their talent) rather than just focussing on a guy who kicks bags of goals but is a mess off the field.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Since when do any aprents have a say over who their kids choose as a role model? That's laughable, it just doesn't work like that

Firstly, I would look at whether I had provided enough guidance to my child if they had chosen to look for an example set by a footballer instead.

Secondly, if they choose a footballer ... my daughter loved Fev incidentally, then you need to take an active interest in tempering their expectations and explaining when things go wrong. I knew about Fev's issues before she did and I gave her a heads up. I told her that Fev was leaving and explained what he did wrong, that he is still usually a nice guy and likes to work with kids and all, but has a problem in one area.

Just know who your kids look up to, and use their example to educate your kids, good and bad.

 

[ballanFYNE]

someone like Adam Gilchrist

Someone like Shane Warne

 

[jim boy]

It would be great if AFL footballers could clock off and disappear into normality, the reality is they can't. If they could, then they wouldn't be worth 1 cent in sponsorship so really they can't complain.
Also while its easy to pontificate and say that parents should do this or that, again the reality is that many parents don't or can't and that aint going to change anytime soon.
The AFL is more orientated to being an entertainment than a sport and the players are the very public stars. Good or bad, being a role model is part of the job description.

 

[damochandler]

parents should be kids role models as everyone else has said. i am sick of the media saying these players are biggest role models to kids around australia. it's ridiculas

 

[vonn]

I am kinda in both minds.

I mean logically - everyone is equal bla bla bla it's not their responsibility bla bla bla.

but in reality, anyone with a high media profile will either be scrutinised or idolised.. i guess it's a matter of how big an influence it is on the kid...

but to be honest.. if brett kirk went and got 30847 tattos it's not like i would either.. I think the issue is a little exaggerated by the media... how many ben cousins fans went and did all that crazy stuff he did?

of course their suppose to act civilised - its pretty basic and abiding by the law and stuff is a given but if they don't they cop the punishment like anyone else... full stop.

 

[DrTomSwift]

Why are there so many fatties?

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Of course they should have a public responsibility. The public pay their exorbidant wages.

If they dont want the pressure of responsibility that goes with fame and fortune then they dont have to play in the AFL.

 

[NAUGHT5]

Parent your own kids

Just off topic, anyone see that story on today tonight (or a current affair) about kids not being minded by staff in their playgrounds? Or not being minded in a store?

Wanted to hit those parents. They are your f*ckin kids!

Sorry just wanted to vent some outrage.

 

[footylover18]

Whether or not they should doesn't really matter. Fact is they are and always will be.

 

[Godzke]

Not often a parent is a direct role model for their child but rather the child idolises someone else they see on TV or come into contact with. Parents have to be facilitators of morals and establish an ethical framework for the child to grow in and develop their own opinions and perspective on life. A child that has such an upbringing is then able to objectively critique a footballer's actions (or some other person they identify as a role model) and recognise right from wrong.

Too many wrongs and the child, in theory, should disown that role model.

 

[jim boy]

A child that has such an upbringing is then able to objectively critique a footballer's actions (or some other person they identify as a role model) and recognise right from wrong.

Too many wrongs and the child, in theory, should disown that role model.

I think you missed the point of what a role-model is. If a child is critiquing rather than aping, then the subject moves from being a role-model to something else, eg someone they admire.

 

[mattys123]

My thought always has been that players are role models more on field then off field, as this is where most children see them anyway.

I have thought that the best example that AFL footballers can give is to be fit and active in life, both in and outside of school.

The problem seems to be is our kids are getting fatter, because simply they aren't participating in sporting activities as much as they should.

I know from my experience I paid attention to what my heroes did on the field, while paying little attention to what they did off it, especially when I was a kid.

So to put it simply, yes, AFL footballers are role models, but more on the field then off IMO.

 

[Woodson]

I think you missed the point of what a role-model is. If a child is critiquing rather than aping, then the subject moves from being a role-model to something else, eg someone they admire.

For a child, you'd think that there is a very fine line to admiration/ role-model so I don't think the child is ever going to learn any better if the consequences aren't duly dealt with on a personal level that means the parents actually putting the kid on notice if he/she behaves out of character. How I see it, there are parents who are lousy communicators and let their kids do what they please... it's no different when AFL players gets in trouble.. I don't see anything wrong with children opting to choose an AFL player as their kinda role model... it's the job of the parent to keep tabs of what their child is up to/ communicate with them. That's the real issue.

 

[Godzke]

I think you missed the point of what a role-model is. If a child is critiquing rather than aping, then the subject moves from being a role-model to something else, eg someone they admire.

If the child is aping rather than admiring (bearing mind there are numerous degrees to which someone can admire someone else) without distinguishing what's considered right and wrong [by the broader community] then the parents are clearly at fault.

If Shane Warne smokes and the child idolises him but isn't educated as to what smoking involves nor its consequences then the parents are to blame. If the child chooses to smoke but is educated as to what hazards exist with smoking then the parents are not to blame but should perhaps be more disciplined (depending on the age of the child). In any case, Warne is not to blame.

If you substitute smoking for adultery or even murder ... the "role model" is NOT to blame. They are a role model for what they achieve on the field (or whichever environment they perform) but not outside it. Adequate parenting should always ensure what the child deems to be morally correct regardless of their "role model's" actions.