For some time now there has been a lot of debate whether or not sportsmen and women should be held as role models. Are sportsmen adequate enough to be held by today’s youth as role models. What makes athletes different compared to the every day people is that they are blessed with a magical left foot, a stronger right arm, quicker muscles or are fast. Aside from these attributes, sportsmen do not display many other attributes that make them greatly different from any other person. So why do we hold sportsmen in such a regard that they are deemed in today’s society as role models. Many of the NRL’s stars today are younger then 21 years old. Sonny Bill, Benji Marshall, Greg Inglis none of which are older then 21 years old are deemed by many young Australians and New Zealanders as role models. So because these guys are able to pull out an amazing left foot step, shoulder charge or beat their opposition every time that warrants the tag role model.
Sonny Bill has been caught drink driving and recently caught in a cubicle with a girl not his girlfriend engaged in acts captured on camera. When these incidents came out many people damned Sonny Bill because of his role model status to many young children. Doctors, police are rarely mentioned as role models but sportsmen are constantly being named as role models. When a star athlete makes a mistake such as drink driving or bad behavior off field during his public apology they acknowledge that they are role models and how they have let down many youngsters.
Having a younger brother who idolizes Benji Marshall who is often found trying to emulate Benji famous side step it becomes obvious that these athletes are role models but why?? Understandably it is these athletes that get younger players into sport. After watching Terry Lamb and many other athletes take the field, score the winning try score the winning goal or taking that vital wicket was what got me interested in sport. I too like many youngsters idolized athletes wanting to be like them. One of my friends had his last name tattooed on his back like his idol Sonny Bill Williams and Roy Asotsi.
I wonder whether we place too much emphasis on these young athletes? Should these people who are not to much older then many teenagers role model status? Because they are able to reach great heights on the sporting field should we make them role models. Willie Mason who is one of the most talked about players in the NRL and has always seemed to have caused trouble off the field. Recently he has changed his attitude citing that he understands he is a role model to young people all over this country. Two years ago a Newcastle Knights player was fired from the team after a night on the drink with fellow team mates involving a university. The activities that he and his team mates where involved in where no different to what many students at many university do on a regular basis. But because that these players are role models they where fined and punished heavily.
So what constitutes role model status? How many NRL games or AFL games does an athlete have to take part in before they are deemed role models?? Are all athletes role models? Or just the popular ones that play for the big teams and the popular sports. Is it because these athletes are able to make the big time that so many of us aspire to that they are given role model status? Why is Willie Mason deemed a role model but Robert Relf is not? Do athletes only get role model status because they appear on television??
