Parents On Sideline “Bad For Children”

Press, Volume C, Issue 29535, 9 June 1961, Page 14

Parents On Sideline “Bad For Children”

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 8. Screaming parents on the sideline were a bad thing in several ways for small children, said the Education Department’s Superintendent of Physical Education, Mr D. R. Wills, of Wellington, today.

Mr Wills said he was in agreement with the statement made by Mr A. B Campbell at a meeting of the Kamo (North Auckland > High School Parent-Teachers' Association about ‘‘screaming parents,” and children playing Rugby too early in life. “Studies of power and running speed of persons of different ages, and of time efforts expressed as a percentage of their adult capac ity a stone of body-weight, lead to the conclusion that physical endurance in the young child is high at low levels of effort, but drops sharply during hard and prolonged physical activity,’’ said Mr Will?. ‘This means that small children can trot around all day in pursuit of their own small interests, and often amaze us at their ability to do so, but they tire very quickly when great effort is required from them.” said Mr Wills. “It is often overlooked by sports enthusiasts that children require a great deal of energy for growth and development and that basal-metabolism is higher during childhood than in adulthood. “Strenuous Exercise" "Subjecting young children to the prolonged and strenuous exercise required in Rugby and similar games is running the risk of reducing their rate of organic development. This can affect their motor ability later on. and may well account for the fact that many children, thrust into such adult games too young, drop these activities about 11 to 12 years of age. “The possibility of injury in heavy body-contact games is another factor often over-

looked by the enthusiastic adult.’’ These factors alone should give cause for pause. Mr Wills said, but other aspccls were just as important. “Young children who are forced to take part in adult games are missing the fun of a wide range of minor games much more suited to their age." Mr Wills said. "These minor games often contain the basic skills needed later on In the bigger sports. It would be far more sensible to let children be children, and play games appropriate to their physiological development. “The fundamental fitness and skills of more strenuous activity could be laid at the same time. Tn any case, the game usually played, although called Rugby, consists of 15 individuals massed on one spot trying tn kick or run with the ball. Thus, at a very early age. a wrong idea of the game itself is developed. “The spectacle of screaming parents on the sideline is not a very pleasant one. This is a conservative description of some of the games. Unfortunately, quite often it results in the development of adult-play concepts at a very early age. A win-at-all-costs attitude, rough and careless play, and questionable tactics, begin to appear quite early. “This is why some head teachers have dropped Rugbv altogether In their schools in recent years. I think this trend will continue.” Mr Wills said. “Children need plenty of exercise, and I believe that many are not getting enough, but they .need a great deal in small doses, suitable to their physini-ci-cal develooment. Thev should be allowed to be children, and not expected to be small adults “1 appeal to those responsible for these games to put the needs of the children above their enthusiasm for the sport” Mr Wills said.