EFFECTS OF SPORTING EVENTS 1

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

One of the main aims for most parents, teachers, or schools is for their children or students

to succeed academically. For this reason, it is important for them to know which factors are likely

to have an influence on a student academic achievement. Schools are usually expected to offer

learners a core academic curriculum together with other co-curricular activities. In this study,

school co-curricular activity refers to other school activities that are offered together with the

academic curriculum, particularly sport.

Sport is a contest or a game in which people do certain activities according to a specific set

of rules and compete against each other (Merriam-Webster).

Playing sport is a great past time activity. It brings good health and teamwork

For several generations, sports and education have been identified with each other, with

the result that sports culture has become embedded within academic culture on many levels.

Traditionally, participation in sports was said to make boys into men and help them appreciate

teamwork, duty, sacrifice and dedication. Sports built character, and engendered the values of

good sportsmanship in young men. As a result of this tradition, a number of researchers have

argued that organized sports can play a beneficial role in the development of children into

educated and well-rounded students (Griffith, 2004, p. 1).

In todays culture, it is very common to play sports at school. It has been one of the greatest

factors that impact a persons study. Athletes looked up to by the students, faculty and

administration as symbols of athletic excellence. Clearly theres a pressure on the athletes to win

or at least compete to the best of their ability. It is therefore not surprising that a conflict has

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developed between the academic and athletic communities on many of the nations college

campuses.

In the Philippines, sport is a nationwide operation to enhance the physical ability, mental

ability and the sociability of each person participating. Many Filipinos learn about sports in their

schools. As stated in 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article XIV Section 19 states that the State is

tasked to promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions, and

amateur sports, including training for international competition, to foster self-discipline, teamwork

and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry. As a consequence of these

articles, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) was created. The PSC is the governments

regulatory national agency responsible for coordinating all amateur sports development programs

and institutions in the Philippines, as well as, formulating policies on such programs and

institutions.

Focusing on the relationship of participating sport events and the academic performance

of athletes, the following studies were considered:

It used to be a generally presumed notion that taking part in sports activities affects

(negatively) the academic performance of the students. The Educationists and social scientists

have been working since long to determine the relationship between sports and education. The

research reveals a positive impact of sports and physical activities on education; and also in the

academic enhancement of its participants, and a far-famed saying Sound mind in a sound body

referring to the potential quality of sports in the intellectual development of its participants seems

to be endorsed.

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Similarly, it is possible that athletic communities in high schools have developed a negative

reputation with respect to academic performance. While a number of researchers studied athletic

participation and academic performance in college (Ferris & Finster, 2004; Gaston-Gayles, 2005),

few studies addressed the relationship between academics and athletic participation at the high

school level. The impact that athletics has on academic performance has been debated over the

yearssome say the impact is positive, while others say it is negative.

Conversely, it has been argued that sports participation increases students motivations and

teaches teamwork and self discipline, resulting in positive academic spillovers.

With growing research on the positive relationship between academic achievement and

sport participation, there should be increasing numbers of children participating in sporting

activities (Bailey, 2006, CorneliBen & Pfeifer, 2007, Fox, Barr-Anderson, Neumark-Sztainer &

Wall, 2010 Schlesser, 2004. Stephens & Schaben,2002, Trudeau & Stephard, 2008).

Focusing on the positive effects of participating sport events, the following studies were

considered:

However, the majority of studies around the world has found no negative impact on

academic achievement with some studies finding a positive impact (Bailey, 2006; Cornelien &

Pfeifer, 2007; Fox et al., 2010; Schlesser, 2004; Stephens & Schaben, 2002; Trudeau & Shepard,

2008).

Stead and Neville (2010) recognized that physical activity and sport have been shown to

positively impact the extent to which young people feel connected to their school, the aspirations

of young people and the positive social behaviors which exist within their schools. Similarly,

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Darling, Caldwell and Smith (2005) they also discovered that young adolescent athletes also hold

academic aspirations than non-athletes.

A range of studies also found that physical fitness was positively associated with academic

achievement ( California Department of Education (CDE), 2005; Castelli, Hillman, Buck and

Erwin, 2007; Chomitz et al., 2009; Coe et al., 2006). CDE (2005). Castelli et al. (2007) and

Chomitz et al. (2009) presented that students who were more physical fit were more likely to have

higher grades and Coe et al.s (2006) results indicated that vigorous physical activity most

effectively supported higher grades.

Athletic participation also may help at-risk students and other students who have academic

difficulties, both during high school and in higher education. Holloway (2002) found that educators

believe that athletic participation reduces the probability of school dropout by approximately forty

percent. Involvement in these activities was perceived by educators to support at-risk students by

maintaining, enhancing, and strengthening the student-school connection (Holloway, 2002).

Stead and Neville (2010) recognized that PE, physical activity and sport have been shown

to positively impact the extent to which young people feel connected to their school, the aspirations

of young people and the positive social behaviors which exist within their school.

Similarly, Darling, Caldwell and Smith (2005) also discovered that young adolescent

athletes also hold higher academic aspirations than non-athletes, when asked what was the highest

level they expect to reach in school is.

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The reviewed studies and literatures of different writers, educators thesis and dissertations

writers and others had provided the researcher deeper knowledge of the structure, processes and

content of the topic under study.

The present study is similar to the reviewed studies and cited herein. However, they are

different in subject, problem raised, time, element and setting.

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