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Impact of Youth Sports on Mental Health

The document contains references to two scholarly articles: one by Willi S. Railo on the relationship between youth sports and mental health, and another by John M. Swales discussing the concept of discourse communities. Railo's article highlights both the benefits and risks of youth athletics, while Swales critiques and updates his previous definitions of discourse communities in light of technological changes. Both articles are evaluated for their credibility and usefulness in understanding the evolution of research in their respective fields.

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21 views4 pages

Impact of Youth Sports on Mental Health

The document contains references to two scholarly articles: one by Willi S. Railo on the relationship between youth sports and mental health, and another by John M. Swales discussing the concept of discourse communities. Railo's article highlights both the benefits and risks of youth athletics, while Swales critiques and updates his previous definitions of discourse communities in light of technological changes. Both articles are evaluated for their credibility and usefulness in understanding the evolution of research in their respective fields.

Uploaded by

mxntwc16
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

References

1. APA Citation

Railo, Willi S. “The Relationship of Sport in Childhood and Adolescence to Mental and Social

Health.” Scandinavian Journal of Social Medicine. Supplementum, vol. 29, 1982, pp. 135–

145, [Link]

2. An objective summary of the article

In this article, Willi S. Railo examines how participation in sports during childhood and

adolescence influences mental and social health. He argues that sports often promote positive

qualities such as self-confidence, discipline, and teamwork, but he also recognizes that the

pressures of competition and performance can create stress and lead to negative outcomes for

some children. The article emphasizes both the benefits and risks of youth athletics, stressing that

importance of balance in how sports are approached by parents, coaches, and young athletes

themselves.

3. Evaluation of Credibility

Willi S. Ralio was a respected sports psychologist and professor who contributed significantly to

the study of sports and mental performance. This article was published in Scandinavian Journal

of Social Medicine. Supplementum, a peer-reviewed journal, which adds to its credibility as a

reliable scholarly source. Although the publication date of 1982 makes the research somewhat

outdated compared to more recent studies, its historical context provides a foundation for

understanding how the academic conversation on youth sports and mental heath began. The peer-
reviewed nature of the journal and Railo’s academic reputation make the article trustworthy,

even though it should be supplements with newer sources.

4. Note on Usefulness

This article is useful for my research because it provides one of the early scholarly perspectives

on the relationship between youth sports and mental and social health. While newer studies may

offer updated findings, Railo’s work helps me see the roots of the discussion and how concerns

about stress, pressure, and balance in athletics have existed for decades. By comparing this older

study with more recent research, I can show how ideas about the role of sports in children’s lives

have evolved over time. This source reminds me that even older research can be valuable in

understanding long-term issues and trends.

1. APA Citation

Swales, J. M. (2016) Reflections on the concept of discourse community. OpenEdition Journals,

69, 7-19. [Link]

2. An objective summary of the article:

In this seminal article, John Swales explains the meaning of a discourse community (DC)

and argues that the six defining characteristics that he himself previously wrote, that were

used for around 25 years without change, are stagnant and unsuitable to the present evolving

world due to the fact that it factors such as technology among other evolutions and changes

in the world were not taken into account since. Swales goes on to explain the difference

between rhetorical discourse communities and speech communities, asserting that the latter
communities may be scarce because of dispersion of families and the rise of the digital era.

Subsequently, Swales explains that discourse communities exist in local, national or focal,

and “folocal” circumstances. Then as a way of updating his work from 25 years prior, he

reconsiders some of the criteria of DC’s and summarizes that flexibility is needed to define

the language used in different communities.

3. Evaluation of Credibility

John M. Swales worked in the field of applied linguistics for over six decades with a

complex background in abroad teaching in places like Italy, Sweden and Libya. He earned a

degree in Psychology in University of Cambridge and later earned an advanced diploma in

Linguistics and English language. Swales was an advanced teacher who taught both research and

theory of complex ideas. He also developed two projects focusing on linguistics: MICASE (The

Michigan Corpus of Academic Spoken English) and MICUSP (The Michigan Corpus of Upper

Level Student Papers). Similar to how Swales’ original six defining characteristics of discourse

communities have been continuously referenced; these projects are still being used by teachers

and scholars. Therefore, he has left a legacy of works that fortify his credentials and make him

trustworthy on linguistic topics. His paper Genre Analysis was originally published in

Cambridge Massachusetts in 1980 and then “Reflections on the concept of discourse

community” was issued in 2016. However, his paper is still relevant to today because he states

that it is hard to set up “operable criteria” because of differences in the ever-changing population.

4. Note on Usefulness
This assignment was given to us to understand that research itself is always changing. In one

particular year a subject might be relevant, but the next year new discoveries could be made on

the same exact topic that could disprove the previous research. This applies to every student

because, just like Swales corrected his own work 25 years later, we are probably going to be

encouraged to edit, and peer review our papers many times throughout the year. We can apply

the concept of discourse communities to research because in this online class especially we will

connect and communicate in a different way than students in the in-person classes, and as the

year goes on, we will become proficient in using language that real researchers use in their

papers as well.

Common questions

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Swales' suggestion for flexible definitions of discourse communities allows for a more inclusive and effective approach to global communication challenges. By acknowledging the variability in how communities function and communicate, it helps cater to the diverse and evolving nature of modern interactions, particularly in multilingual and cross-cultural contexts .

Railo’s work demonstrates that concerns about stress and performance in youth sports are not new but have been part of the discourse for decades. His analysis provides a foundation for understanding how these issues were initially conceptualized and how they continue to be relevant today .

Coaches and parents should strive to create a balanced environment that fosters the positive aspects of sports, such as teamwork and self-discipline, while managing the negative pressures related to competition and performance. This involves open communication, realistic goal-setting, and providing emotional support to young athletes .

Willi S. Railo discusses that participation in sports during childhood and adolescence can promote positive qualities like self-confidence, discipline, and teamwork, which contribute to better mental and social health. However, he also acknowledges that the pressures of competition and performance in sports can lead to stress and negative outcomes for some children .

Swales’ reflections suggest that online academic classes form innovative discourse communities that shift norms of interaction and communication. These classes require students to adapt to new modes of linguistic expression and to develop language proficiency that aligns with contemporary research communication standards .

John Swales suggests updating his original concept of discourse communities by incorporating greater flexibility to accommodate technological advancements and other socio-cultural changes. He acknowledges that the original criteria were stagnant because they did not account for factors like the rise of the digital era .

Railo’s article is considered credible due to his reputation as a respected sports psychologist and the peer-reviewed nature of the journal in which his research was published. Although the data may be somewhat outdated, the article provides crucial historical context for understanding the foundational discussions in youth sports and mental health .

Swales' reconsideration challenges traditional views by advocating for a more adaptable understanding of language use in discourse communities. He suggests that the criteria for such communities need to reflect the diversity and fluidity introduced by global and technological changes, which affects how language is used in academic settings .

Railo’s historical perspective enriches the current understanding of sports and mental health by highlighting that concerns about stress, pressure, and balance in athletics have existed for decades. This continuity shows the evolution of academic discourse over time and underscores the persistent relevance of these issues .

The concept of 'folocal' discourse communities is significant as it acknowledges the unique blend of local and focal influences enabled by digital communication. This reflects the shift in how communities interact and form identities in an increasingly interconnected world .

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