After reading Ryan's comments yesterday regarding today's athlete, I've considered the scenario he described and how it reflects the values and beliefs of today's youth. I've coached kids for over 15 years and I have seen their overall level of commitment decrease. They seem less willing to put their hearts and souls into traditional sport practice and competition; it just doesn't seem to mean as much it once did.

My question is "Why?" Perhaps it is the current mindset of "instant gratification" of today's generation. Patience may become a lost virtue. We baby boomers understand the rewards of patience; how waiting for something increases it's perceived value. Now in my 50's, I've had many opportunities to experience the satisfaction of delayed gratification. I know things mean more if they don't come easy. Today's generation has less experience with waiting. With the advent of current technology, things come to us much faster than they used to. So much of what we want is now available "upon demand".

I teach PE to 450 students, grades K-6, in the course of a week. I pay attention to what they talk about. I need to understand what motivates them to engage them. Listening to their comments has provided me insights into the way their minds work. Frequently, links to their video worlds surface, particularly with boys. Anything that simulates a favorite video game is cool. I unknowingly used a couple of songs on the "Guitar Hero" play list and my PE class was instantly energized. Kid entertainment is now so video oriented, it affects the way they see the world and what they value.

When I was a kid, sports was a predominant form of entertainment with no competition from video games. I believe the video experience, where winning has little intrinsic value and there are endless do-overs affects how kids perceive their sports experiences. This may explain why Ryan's students did not seem overly disappointed after loosing their championship game...

Video games are attractive because they're "on demand" whenever kids feel like playing. There's no practice schedule, no need to leave the house. They experience the exhilaration of competition without the sacrifices required to participate in sports. They can be video game champions without developing muscular strength, flexibility or cardiovascular fitness. They spend hours developing their trigger speed and reflexes to meet the game's challenges. They win or loose in a matter of minutes... This may explain why we see less kids trying out for sports. They don't have the athletic foundation and it's too much physical work.

A Google search of video sports turns up sites such as http://www.backyardsports.com/backyardgames/f... by Wii. Kids can play simulated football in their own backyards using NFL strategies without the physical presence of a team... Does this stimulate a love of the real deal, or does it take it's place? Some of today's educational experts believe video games are a better choice in teaching kids the core values and character traits needed to survive in today's society.

Karl Kapp, consultant, speaker, scholar, and expert on the convergence of learning, technology and business operations points out the advantages of video games vs. sports. His background teaching e-learning classes, knowledge of adult learning theory, and experience training CEOs and front line staff provides him with a unique perspective on organizational learning. In 2007, he was voted as one of TrainingIndustry.com's 2007 Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.

Karl makes the following points supporting the positive traits of video games as follows:

* Many video games require players to master skills in demand by today’s employers—strategic and analytical thinking, problem solving, planning and execution, decision-making,and adaptation to rapid change.
* Video games can be used to practice practical skills and important skills that are rarely used, to train for high-performance situations in a low-consequence-for-failure environment, and for team building.
* Video Games offer attributes important for learning—clear goals, lessons that can be practiced repeatedly until mastered, monitoring learner progress and adjusting instruction to learner level of mastery, closing the gap between what is learned and its use, motivation that encourages time on task, personalization of learning, and infinite patience.

More evidence by Karl Kapp supporting the value of new sports technology can be found at http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2009/06/what-spo...

As a baby boomer, former firefighter, coach and teacher, I admit I am somewhat biased in my opinion that traditional sports provide the best vehicle for teaching kids character, ethics, empathy, teamwork, and physical tenacity. I am not convinced that video games develop the same depth of spirit and character as participating in a team sport. The overall shared team experience of setting and achieving goals would be difficult to match in a video game. However, I do agree with some of the points Karl Kapp makes supporting the value of video games in preparing our youth to survive and compete in today's world.

I believe that our youth will need the benefits of both multimedia and interpersonal experience to meet the challenges of the future. We as coaches should continue to promote an environment where invaluable social skills, character traits and general knowledge is developed by students through their participation in organized sports. It is also important that we remain abreast of current sports technology and be open to incorporating it into our sports programs.