Should AFL players be major role models for children?

[GarnerSmash]

They shouldn’t be, but they are.

This perception has a lot to do with the media saturation of the sport and the pedestal that sports people are placed on in this country. Therefor if the media in Australia is a reflection of popular opinion and public interest then we have no-one to blame for this role model hero worship but ourselves.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

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?

Whether they should or shouldn't is irrelevant - the fact is kids do look up to them.

However - I'm yet to see a stat of large hordes of WA school children taking up an ice addiction because Benny got into it. I think the effect of off-field actions on kids is minimal.

However i think their onfiled antics are far more relevant to what junior kids do on a footy field - i.e abusing umpires etc.

Edit: and if they moral-filled journos are so worried about the effect on kids, how about they just don't report it - and that way the kids can't be lead astray!

 

[MarkT2]

I think the government should do something! The school should explain it to my kids and I should be allowed to have another beer and watch TV in peace.

 

[Bartel]

Well, I'm still a kid and my role model is Jimmy Bartel. I look up to him everyday and every night.

 

[wedgetail]

Regardless if we want it, players want it, its expected or not... they ARE.

'Should' is irrelevant - its just the way it is.

 

[Jie_Hodge]

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?

Didn't have to read past your post, couldn't agree more with your views on the debate

 

[Jie_Hodge]

Now i have had a chance to read the whole thread, my opinion has not changed much.

Footballers are rarely seen by children outside the sporting arena, so by all means then yes on the field they can be seen as role models and as a parent i wouldn't be too disheartened by this as they are the best at that given sports. With my upbringing and education, I would hope my child would chose the right role model on the field.

But in every day life and events the adult most around the child growing up will be their parents, and they will see how their parents act and behave. Thus as a young parent with a young child, I believe and hope (by being myself that) that i be a good enough role model and install my child with values so that into the future, me and her mother will instinctively be the main role models in her life. That's how I my parents have became the main role models for me.

Until I was older (into my teens) I never saw a footballer as anything but a footballer, (although there does seem to be more media scrutiny of 'stuff ups' these days) and by this stage of my life I had enough values and education also my parents were my main role models for everyday actions and behavior that I didn't need to see a footballer as a role model for that type of thing.

That's not to say I condone footballers actions, if they break the law then they should be punished just like the rest of us, but for minor things to bring out the old role models line is just a cope out.
I think if you are a good enough parent the child will pick better role models that they are actually around and act accordingly than to see footballer as a behavior role model

 

[eldorado]

When they are on public engagements, football clinics, fronting the media...most definitely YES

All other times...most definitely NO. They have no more obligation to live their lives in accordance with "the public's" expectation than the rest of us.

 

[madmug]

When they are on public engagements, football clinics, fronting the media...most definitely YES

All other times...most definitely NO. They have no more obligation to live their lives in accordance with "the public's" expectation than the rest of us.

Agree, they shouldnt be roll models except at specific public events, but yes they are because of the voracious media monster & the cult of celebrity we have here in this country. Both of these are destructive elements in our society.

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

If they follow the code of conduct and are forever conscious of not embarrassing their employer they will be role models without trying to be.

The home and then schools should be where it all starts though.

 

[speedpeck23]

Regardless if we want it, players want it, its expected or not... they ARE.

'Should' is irrelevant - its just the way it is.

Agree... Everybody is a role model, whether you're an AFL footballer, politician etc etc, the bloke next door.... its inescapable. Sometimes we're good role models, sometimes we're not so good.

 

[demonsboy888]

Agree with first article. No, they should play footy and what they do in their private time is up to them. But they should have to behave ON THE FIELD, as kids will copy that. But off field, meh. Same laws as applies to everyone else apply. But it isn't that way and it never will be. Do worry some players might rather not play than be so restricted.

 

[timthefish]

public exposure carries an unpredictable burden and for those that merely wish to play their preferred sport at the highest level and find themselves encumbered by the interests of others i feel sorry.

those sportsmen, however, that accept any kind of additional sponsorship cash or other similar incentive have bought directly into the whole wheel of public adoration and must accept their new-found role-model status. if they can tolerate accepting money for lying to kids so that they buy particular clothes, boots or whatever they can damn well behave themselves and try to set a good example at the same time.

tiger woods, for example, did not get most of his money by hitting a little ball in the right direction but rather by maintaining a totally false squeaky-clean image. as such he deserves every withdrawn sponser he cops (and every past and present sponser deserves their loss of bullshit income)

that said, any parent that is outshone as a role-model by a billboard, ad on tv or a video game is a failure.

 

[Asgardian]

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.

I do not believe any replies of this ilk see the whole picture.

Yes, parents should do the parenting, and be worthy role models for not only their own, but all children they come into contact with.

However this comment can only be viewed in the small microcosm within which a parent operates.

Parents do not have control, nor major input, whilst the child is at school,

Parents do not have control, nor major input, whilst the child is involved in sporting activities.

Most importantly though, parents do not have control of the peer groups at school, sport, or leisure time, that a child may be drawn towards.

You hope as a parent that you have provided the guidance that will steer your children away from negative influences, but children, by their very nature, will want to exert a degree of independence, how much and how soon is of course a variable.

Once in a group situation children will tend to gravitate towards a leader, or leaders, and those leaders without life experiences will be drawn towards whatever trend, hype, style, public figure, media influence etc that best suits their purposes.

This is the part where any highly paid performer in the glare of the public eye would hopefully have the common sense to be a good role model.

These performers are actors, singers, sportspeople, etc

To deny this is like saying the Beatles never caused fashion trends to dramatically change, or that Michael Jordan never influenced any sales of sport shoes, or that Oprah has never influenced any book sales.

In the real world these people in the spotlight do influence younger minds, and whilst they are paid larger amounts of money than is the norm, they should respect the reason they earn such dollars and take the responsibilities delivered to them because of public adulation.

So yes, AFL players have a part to play as role models.

 

[madmug]

I do not believe any replies of this ilk see the whole picture.

Yes, parents should do the parenting, and be worthy role models for not only their own, but all children they come into contact with.



Most importantly though, parents do not have control of the peer groups at school, sport, or leisure time, that a child may be drawn towards.


This is the part where any highly paid performer in the glare of the public eye would hopefully have the common sense to be a good role model.

These performers are actors, singers, sportspeople, etc

To deny this is like saying the Beatles never caused fashion trends to dramatically change, or that Michael Jordan never influenced any sales of sport shoes, or that Oprah has never influenced any book sales.

In the real world these people in the spotlight do influence younger minds, and whilst they are paid larger amounts of money than is the norm, they should respect the reason they earn such dollars and take the responsibilities delivered to them because of public adulation.

So yes, AFL players have a part to play as role models.

The problem is that the media will do their best to hunt out & show footballers in a negative way at every possible opportunity. I dont think they show enough regard for the vast majority of young footballers who are positive role models. Or indeed do positive things most of the time, then get photographed having a few beers on a certain monday. The media have a lot to answer for. I remember Ray Martin going of his **** some years ago when filmed outside his house. Its differenent for the media gods.