By Natalie Medhurst
May 15th 2009 @ 6:56am
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Footystars aren’t role models; parents are
Sydney, February 20, 2002. Cronulla Sharks rugby league new recruites Matthew Johns (centre) and Brett Kimmorley (right) share a joke with Jason Stevens (left) at team training at the Sutherland Police Citizen Youth Club. AAP Image/Dean Lewins
Athletes, and in particular those within Australia who play football (whether it be League, Union or AFL), live in a world where they are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to play their chosen sport and where their actions, both on and off the field, are under a large scale microscope.
For the majority of society, it is hard to imagine the world that they live in, as the scrutiny, media frenzy, god-like status and pressure these players face is hardly a reality for most.
As the nation hears about the alleged sexual assault on a New Zealand woman by former rugby league player Matty Johns and his teammates, many people question their status as role models in today’s society.
When it comes to athletes, in reality, should they even be given that title to begin with, rather than having it automatically thrust upon them?
Surely a role model should be based more around a person making a difference in society and being someone who people want to emulate, rather than being given that title just because of person’s chosen career or the amount of money that they earn.
Whilst many athletes have worked hard at making a difference through the likes of charity work and raising awareness for such causes, for a vast majority, being given this title just does not seem to fit with the actions and attitude that role models should possess.
Perhaps the focus should be more on their responsibility of just being good citizens, rather than having to deal with added the pressure of being positive role models for children.
After all, drug use, sexual assault, physical assault and the like should not be acceptable in society no matter who you are, not just because a particular person has a somewhat ‘celebrity status’.
How do athletes get to thinking that these actions are ok? Does it come from their parents, their teammates, or the club culture?
Clubs also need to take responsibility in helping to mould these players into being good ‘role models’ and decent members of society, especially as many of them are brought in to this type of scene at such a young age.
However, too often do we hear or see clubs defending a player’s action or not taking enough control of a situation and creating a club culture that is accepting of indiscretions.
Perhaps NBA Champion Charles Barkley had it right when he said, “I don’t believe professional athletes should be role models. I believe parents should be role models…. It’s not like it was when I was growing up. My mom and my grandmother told me how it was going to be. If I didn’t like it, they said, “Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.”
Parents have to take better control. And perhaps the sporting clubs should too.
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(13)
Steffy said | May 15th 2009 @ 7:57am | Report comment
What alleged sexual assault? The police investigated it, they interviewed about 80 people and decided there was no case to answer. It’s trial by media again. The Police have said they have no intention of reopening the case, they are happy their investigations were thorough and that no assault happened. The media seem keen to act as judge and jury here based on the accusations of somebody granted anonymity on a TV programme. Let’s leave these matters to the police and the courts or does that not sell papers or generate TV ratings or web site click throughs? What happened to innocent until proven guilty? Does that not happen in Australia? Is the media so powerful in Australia that hearsay can bring somebody to their knees or even an entire sport? The media in Australia has to look at itself because the way it works at the moment stinks.
Kento said | May 15th 2009 @ 9:36am | Report comment
Steffy, I think you miss the point of Natalie’s article. She’s making a simple point from her own perspective as a professional athlete. This is that professional athletes aren’t necessarily role models. A role model should be someone who’s earned the respect and maybe we need to adjust our thinking a little.
I think it’s a valid point.
The other element is that clubs need to take some responsibility in this matter. Cronulla have been pretty quiet really on this issue.
fred said | May 15th 2009 @ 9:42am | Report comment
even good parents come second to peers.
far too simplistic and unresearched to take seriously
Redb said | May 15th 2009 @ 9:47am | Report comment
Many young footballers leave the family home at 16-17 years old to join a sporting club (or move towns/cities) which when they are at their most impressionable. At 16-17 most of us were pretty silly, parents simply aren’t in the picture for budding sports starts, the clubs have to take on that responsibility.
Redb
alex said | May 15th 2009 @ 10:07am | Report comment
Footie players are not role models? Yeah right? Who do you think pays their big salaries? It is the well resourced clubs cashed up by big advertising and marketing deals. The money comes into the sport because of the brands that utilise them. This is even before we consider the massive government funding the sports get.
The price for enjoying the benefits of this gravy train is being public property. If players don’t want the attention then they need to find another sport, like lawn bowls. Lets remember that no one forces them to play. So if you can’t stand the heat then get out of the kitchen.
As to the legalities around this case, some issues to consider are that something not being illegal does not make it right. But the really tough one is whether consent was given, was it given for all players in that room, did that consent change during the situation and was the woman able to make that decision. In other words, was it a fair contract (which is what consent fundamentally is).
This case is so polarising because these are not easy questions.
Then we have the issue of Australia being the most competitive footbal market in the world with four contact codes. Lose the support of families and you will lose the next generation of players, supporters and therefore advertisers. Channel Nine acted because they were terrified by anxious advertisers.
If all this is unfair on Mr Johns well consider that he is happy to take the money these brand executives give him; so these are the rules he has implicitly agreed to abide by.
Of course the rest of us are free to reject advertising support but if we do then we better not expect to see any footie on TV because no broadcaster could afford to show it.
Chop said | May 15th 2009 @ 10:52am | Report comment
Hey Alex, you need to consider that they employed Matty Johns AFTER the incident. It’s only the media re-hashing the story (with considerable bias IMHO) that’s led to this second wave of hysteria.
As I’ve said in other posts on here, what he did was immoral and in my opinion fairly disgusting but he has not been charged with anything after a thorough investigation, but has absolutely been convicted, sentenced, hung drawn and quartered by the court of public opinion for his immorality and it stinks of double standards.
If you were in that position would you have lost your career? Faced such public ridicule? I doubt it. She could only pick him out because of his profile. Matthew Johns has taken the fall for so many other unnamed people on this incident.
Alex Said:
Then we have the issue of Australia being the most competitive footbal market in the world with four contact codes. Lose the support of families and you will lose the next generation of players, supporters and therefore advertisers. Channel Nine acted because they were terrified by anxious advertisers.
If all this is unfair on Mr Johns well consider that he is happy to take the money these brand executives give him; so these are the rules he has implicitly agreed to abide by.
Of course the rest of us are free to reject advertising support but if we do then we better not expect to see any footie on TV because no broadcaster could afford to show it.
Bulldog said | May 15th 2009 @ 1:17pm | Report comment
Natalie – I totally agree with you. Why is it that the media and a large slice of the public are so obsessed with tagging sports stars (particularly football codes) as role models and the holders of the moral compass. As a public we seem to want to pin the responsibility of societies ills and poor morality on this particular group of individuals, hoping in some way to take the guilt away from our own lack of personal responsibility and the poor standards we instill when raising and nurturing children as decent members of society. It is this sort of “nanny” state society behaviour where we point the blame at others and insist on the Government telling us what to do that leads to this sort of break down in community standards. Repect yourself first and then others, take reponsibility for your own life and your chooses, and instill this self respect and personal responsibility into your children and grand children. Do not expect others – particularly sport stars to fill that gap for you.
Also why it is that we expect such high moral standards from particularly sports stars? why is it that society gave our prime minister a tick in the box and a pat on the back when he admitted to being drunk in a strip club. Is he not a role model? should he not be allowed to govern our country because of this moral indiscretion?
why was the former president of the USA allowed to continue his role and status in society after having sexual relations with a younger woman as a married man. Is he not a role model?
Why is it that movie stars and rock stars are not judged and ex-communicated from the media and society for there low moral standards. They seem to get away with hanging babies out windows, driving drunk with kids in the car, having no pants on in public, why does society not turn their back on these people and strip them of their livelihood rather than making them richer and more famous because of the behaviuor…
Dario SImpatico said | May 15th 2009 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
Many Athletes are cultural icons in Australia. They help shape our culture and trade off their name lucratively. Once you enter that realm of cultural icon you forfeit your claim to ‘not being a role model’. If you chose to trade off your name and iconic status as a means of supporting yourself they you are subject to the whims of the general public. This is how celebrity works.
You cannot have your cake and eat it too. If you don’t want to be judged by media scruitiny and the general public, get a day job, stay off the telly and don’t trade off your name.
Michael C said | May 15th 2009 @ 2:19pm | Report comment
re the role of parents.
A. parents must NOT see sports clubs as glorified child minding – (granted if you’ve got 5 kids all going off in different directions on Saturday morning, you can only be in so many places at the one time).
Parents must help their children in relating to ‘role models’ outside of the family unit – whether via interaction at the local sports club or via observing from afar on tele.
no different to rock stars etc.
Don’t tell your kids yes or no – - but, give them the tools to extract positive elements and to reject negative elements. Allow kids to have a broad exposure – then, there will be both negative and positive role models.
The main thing is to avoid ‘god worship’ of single individuals.
Nird99 said | May 15th 2009 @ 6:25pm | Report comment
It is all well and good to say parents should be the role models and help their children choose role models, but who is a 12 year old boy going to look up to. The football star who earns big money or his parents. What about the parents who have those same role models. Dad’s saying “hey son, you should be like this person”.
Let us, if you do not like to term “role model” caal it something different. How about someone who thousands of adults and kids alike look up to and try to emulate.
I am not talking specifically talking about the Johns case, but what sort of message are we sending to our children that the players they look up to and seen as gods do something wrong and the community condone their actions because of who they are and what they do.
I am a teacher. I am seen by many as a role model. Would a parent group still want me as a role model for their children if it was revealled that I did something unmoral (not illegal). Sports stars should not be held to any different standard, just the same as anyone else that holds a position of power or trust in the community!
C.A.Smith said | July 6th 2009 @ 2:41am | Report comment
Professional athletes are completely useless human beings who contribute nothing to benefit our society. Sure, many are paid huge salaries but this fact does not establish real value. The American public simply does not understand what these people are, A DIVERSION, something to distract one’s focus from meaningful things. Pro athletes sell alcoholic drink and trash food. This does not serve this country and we’re already seeing the bad effects of the hero worship of the least likely role models of pro athletics. The prisons and hospitals are packed with violent and sick people and it isn’t going to get better.
Play ball while you’re a kid and then grow up and have a life.
The Answer said | July 6th 2009 @ 5:33am | Report comment
C A Smith, the fact that you have made your first statement proves that you have no followed your last. ie have a life.
kevin from glebe said | August 5th 2009 @ 6:05pm | Report comment
C.A.Smith… i can see your point to an extent in that all sports have become a marketing whore house where everything is being flogged off (no pun intended).
but i think that the idea that sport being just a diversion is pretty sick mate. i think people play sport for varying reasons and if any sportsman decides to take up a sport they are passionate about and love im nearly 99.9% sure they would not be doing it in the premise that they intend to distract the public.