Be sure to check out the link and see their theme picture: cheeseburger guy. Among the range of topics addressed at the "NCAA Gender Equity and Issues Forum" this week was childhood obesity. How so?[NCAA] administrators are wondering whether increased obesity rates may have an adverse effect on the quality of prospective student-athletes in years to come.Somehow I doubt the NCAA needs to worry about this. Youth sports are seemingly endless in number and yearlong in availability. The pool of quality athletes talented enough to compete at an NCAA level is more likely determined by young people's interest in those sports than obesity factors. It's a self-selecting phenomena. Obese kids truly passionate about sports and who have talent should and will generally find a way to be fit and compete.
Plus, at least with football, bigger kids are always in demand. Healthy kids are an important issue, but the NCAA is both over-extending itself considering this topic and is making much ado about nothing as far as future pools of quality athletes. High-level athletics requires fitness, and if kids are truly passionate about competing at the NCAA level, they'll be fit. The NCAA's focus should be on directing passion and energy into these sports which leads to able bodies, not hand-wringing over the larger obesity issue.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. The NCAA needs to SHUT UP! Of all of the crap they issue, "concern" about obesity should be limited to their own obese opinions of themselves and the role they attempt to play!
Posted at 3:36PM on May 5th 2008 by Freeman
2. i disagree. childhood obesity is a MASSIVE problem. and it will affect NCAA athletics. the kids who would have had the inclination and drive to play sports at that level may never get the opportunity based upon the quality of food the receive as a child. The fact of the matter also stands that the lowest socioeconomic classes are only able to provide the lowest quality of food. I think that anyone, including the NCAA, who is willing to stand up and point out the stark reality the future holds for our current generation of kids should be applauded.
Posted at 6:59PM on May 5th 2008 by dr. q
3. Thank goodness someone is taking notice! Brian Grummell is mistaken and is walking around with blinders on.I really believe the future high quality athletic pool is being compromised by the diets of todays youth.Just look at their parents and you can get a good indicator of what kind of athletic they will become.Over 1/2 of our population is considered obese today,so what does that say about the future of our children as athletics.They will be bigger thta's for sure but they will not be better!Our future sports are going to resmeble golf.Just look at the "athletics" on the golf courses today and I'm talking about the major championships.Up to 1/3 of the participants can't pass the obese test?I choose golf as an example because over 1/2 of the people who play the game are considered obese.All you have to do is look!It's a sad state of affairs! That's why golf will never be in the Olympics because it is a game and not a sport!
I know something about sports as I qualified for 3 Olympics Trials in Wrestling and I have won 2 Veterans World Championships in Freestyle Wrestling in Freiburg,Germany(2000)and Budapest,Hungary(2003).I am 59 years pld and have maintained a life of fitness!
Posted at 8:36PM on May 26th 2008 by Dwain Burkholder