Student-athlete gambling: the invisible problem.Gambling is well-accepted in our adult culture, particularly in sports. But it is hardly confined con·fine v. con·fined, con·fin·ing, con·fines v.tr. 1. To keep within bounds; restrict: Please confine your remarks to the issues at hand. See Synonyms at limit. to adults. It has definitely become a hidden or at-risk behavior on both the high school and college levels, and it merits a lot of extra attention as an administrative and coaching issue. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Allow us to shed a little stronger light on this "invisible" problem and provide a few recommendations for the coach and athletic administrator. IS GAMBLING A PROBLEM? Several factors have set a stage for the problem. An increase in legalized forms of gambling in some states, the sharp rise in internet gambling opportunities, the recent commercialization of gambling in the media (e.g., ESPN ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network ), the mixed messages sent by accepted gambling practices in our culture (e.g., raffles Raffles leading Victorian criminal-hero. [Br. Lit.: Herman, 19–20] See : Thievery , lottery, etc.), and an increased emphasis on competition at younger ages are all factors behind the rise of gambling behaviors and problems among adolescents. Recent research findings point to an alarming trend in youth gambling. Consider these interesting results reported in the literature: * Approximately two-thirds of our college athletes gamble--one-third of collegiate col·le·giate adj. 1. Of, relating to, or held to resemble a college. 2. Of, for, or typical of college students. 3. Of or relating to a collegiate church. male athletes and 10% of female athletes bet on college sports in the last year. * Division III
Division III (or DIII) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association of the United States. college athletes are the most likely to gamble. * Gambling behavior increases significantly from ages 16-18. * Adolescents are more likely to be pathological 1. pathological - [scientific computation] Used of a data set that is grossly atypical of normal expected input, especially one that exposes a weakness or bug in whatever algorithm one is using. or addictive ad·dic·tive adj. 1. Causing or tending to cause addiction. 2. Characterized by or susceptible to addiction. addictive ( gamblers than adults. * Most adult problem gamblers developed their addiction during their adolescent years. * College athletes in non-revenue sports were most likely to wager on college sports. Logic suggests that our high school athletes require special help for their gambling proclivities. First, the trends in high school sports usually follow trends at the college level. With the alarming increase of gambling on the higher levels, especially Division III, you have to worry about the scholastic setting. Second, while the Division I athletes are monitored closely for gambling, little policing is done with DIII athletes. The apparent lack of monitoring probably accounts for the bad statistics in DIII--its athletes have produced the largest increase in gambling problems. A similar landscape probably exists in scholastic sports. Third, many athletes are risk-takers and competitive, perhaps predisposing them to gambling. Finally, since we are assuming that most adult gamblers develop the habit in their adolescent years, can we deduce de·duce tr.v. de·duced, de·duc·ing, de·duc·es 1. To reach (a conclusion) by reasoning. 2. To infer from a general principle; reason deductively: that it all begins on the high school level? WHAT'S WRONG WITH GAMBLING? Gambling is the invisible addiction. While alcohol and drug abuse are often easily detected, gambling behavior is not. At the moment, it may not even be on the radar of administrators or coaches as an at-risk behavior. An athlete who is performing poorly because of alcohol or drugs is much easier to detect than one who is spending too much time gambling. To be sure, many youths gamble harmlessly harm·less adj. 1. Not causing or incapable of causing harm. 2. Not intended to harm or offend; inoffensive. 3. on certain activities with no negative effects (e.g., cards, lottery, golf, etc.). The concern arises primarily when athletes bet on sports at their level of competition and, in the worst-case scenario worst-case scenario n → Schlimmstfallszenario nt , bet on the contests in which they are involved. Attention should also be given to the addictive nature of gambling. We should be concerned about the two areas that are dearest to the hearts and minds of all scholastic coaches and administrators. ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT Our current national coaching standards (National Association of Sport and Physical Education) maintain that all coaches should adopt an "athlete-centered" philosophy. For the scholastic coach, this means promoting behaviors that develop young athletes positively and in preparation for their adult life. The problem gambling Problem gambling is an urge to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. The term is preferred to compulsive gambling among many professionals, as few people described by the term experience true compulsions in the clinical sense of the word. trend is one with potentially negative effects in personal, family, and career pursuits. In short, gambling can get in the way of normal and positive adolescent development. With current gambling rates higher in adolescents than in adults, there is cause for concern. The values, attitudes, and character traits learned in adolescence adolescence, time of life from onset of puberty to full adulthood. The exact period of adolescence, which varies from person to person, falls approximately between the ages 12 and 20 and encompasses both physiological and psychological changes. (and during adolescent sports) are most transferable to adulthood. Remember, most at-risk behaviors reported in collegiate athletes (substance abuse, gambling) begin in high school. The thrill thrill (thril) a vibration felt by the examiner on palpation. diastolic thrill one felt over the precordium during ventricular diastole in advanced aortic insufficiency. of competition and the striving for victory in sports is a potential breeding ground for the development of risk-taking behaviors. If we are to argue that we teach through sport, and that it has the potential to develop positive values and behaviors, we must accept that it also has the potential to develop negative ones. Coaches and administrators should stand tall as a leader of fair competition and positive and appropriate risk-taking behaviors. ETHICS OF THE SPORT Athletes gambling on sports threaten the moral fiber and integrity of sport. While high-profile cases such as Pete Rose For example, lower profile DIII athletes and college athletes in non-revenue sports such as golf, lacrosse lacrosse (ləkrôs`), ball and goal game usually played outdoors by two teams of 10 players each on a field 60 to 70 yd (54.86 to 64.01 m) wide by 110 yd (100.58 m) long. Two goals face each other 80 yd (73. , and wrestling wrestling, sport in which two unarmed opponents grapple with one another. The object is to secure a fall, i.e., cause the opponent to lose balance and fall to the floor, and ultimately to pin the supine opponent's shoulders to the floor, through the use of body are more prone to wager on college sports. High school athletes wagering wa·ger n. 1. a. An agreement under which each bettor pledges a certain amount to the other depending on the outcome of an unsettled matter. b. A matter bet on; a gamble. 2. on sports threaten the educational purpose of sport in the school setting. If we are to lobby the role of sports as an integral part of the educational system, the integrity of sport at this level is paramount. While professional sports The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. may be a different animal altogether, we must not permit a compromise of the values and integrity of sport at the educational levels. WHAT'S A COACH OR ADMINISTRATOR TO DO? Coaches might ask themselves, "Why should I worry if my athletes want to gamble in their free time on activities such as cards or billiards billiards, any one of a number of games played with a tapered, leather-tipped stick called a cue and various numbers of balls on a rectangular, cloth-covered slate table with raised and cushioned edges. ?" Most research suggests a progression of gambling behaviors in athletes, with gambling starting at the recreational or social level (e.g., cards and dice) and escalating to more high stake forms such as sports in which they have involvement or inside information. For most young athletes who bet on sports, recreational gambling no longer satisfies their desire to take more and greater risks. We should be aware of this natural progression of gambling behaviors, beginning at middle and high school ages. The NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association is taking a leadership role at the national level to address this problem before it reaches "crisis" proportions. NCAA president Myles Brand Myles David Brand (born May 17, 1942) is executive director of the United States' National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and prior to that served as the sixteenth president of Indiana University. established a national task force to study and recommend strategies to curb gambling habits among athletes. We suggest a similar position for high school athletics athletics or track and field also track-and-field games Variety of sport competitions held on a running track and on the adjacent field. It is the oldest form of organized sports, having been a part of the ancient Olympic Games from c. . At the very least, readers of this magazine should be aware of the emerging problem, and be prepared to recognize preliminary warning signs of problem gambling in young athletes. These "visible" warning signs are often similar to other addictive behaviors Addictive behavior is any activity, substance, object, or behavior that has become the major focus of a person's life to the exclusion of other activities, or that has begun to harm the individual or others physically, mentally, or socially. , and are presented in Table 1. Armed with an awareness and recognition of gambling behaviors, coaches and administrators can begin work on addressing and preventing the development of negative gambling behaviors. A five-step prevention approach is provided in Table 2. If gambling among young athletes is ignored, their behaviors may easily escalate es·ca·late v. es·ca·lat·ed, es·ca·lat·ing, es·ca·lates v.tr. To increase, enlarge, or intensify: escalated the hostilities in the Persian Gulf. v.intr. into habits and negative actions that can harm both the well being of the student-athlete and the integrity of scholastic sport. By Dr. Gib Darden & Dr. Don Rockey, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC
Table 1. Top 10 Warning Signs of Problem Gambling Behaviors for High
School Athletes
1. The athlete seems preoccupied with gambling and/or betting, even if
not with sports, and even if just with "harmless" recreational
activities such as cards.
2. The athlete seems all too willing to "bet" on anything during a
normal day.
3. The athlete shows a need to gamble with increasing amounts of risk
or money to achieve satisfaction.
4. The athlete resists or avoids suggestions to control or stop
gambling, and may act agitated if attempting to cut back.
5. The athlete uses gambling as a way to escape other problems, replace
work, or relieve stress or depression.
6. The athlete gambles on consecutive days, perhaps trying to get even
on earlier losses.
7. The athlete tries to hide the extent of his/her gambling involvement
from family members, teammates, and coaches.
8. The athlete jeopardizes a significant relationship, job,
educational, athletic, or career opportunity because of gambling.
9. The athlete loses sleep or study time due to gambling or betting.
10. The athlete asks others to help finance gambling or betting.
Table 2. Five-Step Approach to Address Problem Gambling Among High
School Athletes
1. Increase Education Among Your Players.
Include gambling among other ethical or at-risk behaviors such as
drug use, eating disorders, cheating, and sportsmanship. Share
videos, web sites, and reading materials on the topic.
2. Communicate with Other School Personnel.
Athletes are often skilled at hiding behaviors from their coach. Make
school personnel aware of the issue of gambling. If it is becoming a
problem for an athlete, someone else in school likely knows about it.
3. Inquire.
Ask your local, state, and national associations about what is being
done to address gambling in high school sports. Apply available NCAA
guidelines and strategies if appropriate. Seek assistance from state
or national gambling agencies who specialize in problem gambling.
4. Revisit Team Policies.
Review current team rules and conduct policies to assure that they
address team expectations with regard to gambling behaviors.
5. Review Mission of Team and High School.
Review current school policies with respect to gambling and fund-
raising to assure that they support the high school's and team's
mission and values. Forms of gambling such as raffles are commonly
used to raise money for sporting teams. Does this send mixed signals?
At the very least, work to emphasize forms of appropriate gambling
and gambling in moderation.
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