Schools spend hundreds of thousands of dollars every year in an attempt to reduce violence in their schools. They adopt "zero tolerance" policies that teach children violence is never appropriate, even when provoked. It seems ironic that, given this stance, violent sports still are part of nearly every school's athletics programs. However, these violent sports might have something to teach that other school policies can't.
Degree of Violence
One aspect that lends acceptability to violent sports is the degree of violence involved. Martial arts teacher Dave Coffman draws a line between "fighting" and "violence." Coffman says that sports like wrestling, football and karate all involve fighting: physical confrontation between two athletes who volunteered to be there and play by agreed-upon rules. Violence is when one person violates another by attacking without consent, or without rules, Coffman says. Contact and combat sports allow students to deal with their aggression in a safe environment, rather than in the context of the classroom or school hallway.
Patience
Perhaps surprisingly, violent sports can build patience. A 1989 study by Michael Trulson found that at-risk children who participated in street basketball or tae kwon do classes showed a reduction in their incidence of violent behaviors outside the structure of the game. Some of this, Trulson speculated, was simply because of the workout: vigorous exercise actually improves mood and reduces depression and anxiety, two common causes of violent behavior. However, Trulson also reported that violent contact in sports helps participants handle conflict outside of the game. If you successfully took a solid hit in a sparring match, the small insults of day-to-day life seem less important.
Camaraderie
Oregon-based wrestling coach and combat veteran Andy Brick reports that people who share a violent experience, such as a combat unit or football team, become closer to each other and to others who experienced similar violence. This can immediately help students feel more attached to, and invested in, their school experience. Later in life, they can make friends and contacts in adulthood by sharing that commonality with people they meet.
Confidence
For better or for worse, our culture values combative ability -- just look at the social reception of Bobby Fisher versus that of Bruce Lee. Participating in a violent sport can give youth a degree of confidence by demonstrating that they can succeed at something the media says they should value. Coffman notes that even students who aren't particularly skilled or talented seem to improve their confidence simply from being able to say they participated. This fact might not speak well of our society as a whole, but it does speak to the value of violent sports for youth.
References
- Dave Coffman; Martial Arts Instructor; Hillsboro, OR
- Andy Brick; Wrestling Coach; Hillsboro, OR
- Abstract of Michael Trulson's 1987 Study
- "Healthwise Handbook"; Kaiser Permanente; 2009
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