Citizenship and Asset Building Through Athletics

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), the national governing organization of high school activities, has taken an active role in promoting citizenship through athletics and fine arts since it began in 1920. With the creation of the TARGET program in 1984, the NFHS became a national leader in preventing tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use among youth. The NFHS provided resources for its state associations and thousands of their member schools. These resources included national teleconferences, numerous publications and videos, and training for athletic administrators, school activity staff members, students, and parents. The success of these efforts led the NFHS to expand its efforts to include information on a variety of health, safety, and sportsmanship-related topics, all with a focus on the opportunities presented through school activities to set positive standards.

Over the past decade, new national initiatives have emerged that encourage communities to invest in youth. These new initiatives – often called youth, character, asset, or citizenship development – have overlapping goals and target audiences. This document has been established to help state associations and their member schools:

1. see how school activities are already promoting the healthy development of youth according to these models;
2. increase the ability of their sports or fine arts activities to promote citizenship, or develop positive character, and
3. link to other helpful youth development resources.

In January, 1999, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) convened a group of professionals (including its own Student Services staff and trainers) who are familiar with programs that promote youth development and foster citizenship through athletics. This group thoroughly examined two current models of youth development to determine how the assets and qualities are imparted by sports participation. (Note: Most of these concepts can also be extended to the students and adults who participate or lead fine arts activities, but discussion in this document is focused on the role of athletics in promoting these assets and characteristics.)

1. The Citizenship through Sports and Fine Arts Initiative, launched in 1994 by Robert F. Kanaby, executive director
   of the NFHS. The NFHS unites its sportsmanship, citizenship, and health promotion programs under one
   educational umbrella. This initiative is intended to promote seven citizenship characteristics.
   
2. The Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth initiative's mission is to "motivate and equip individuals, organizations,
   and their leaders to join together in nurturing competent, caring, and responsible children and adolescents."
   This initiative is based on research conducted by the SEARCH Institute, a leader in youth development research
   which has identified 40 developmental assets that contribute to healthy youth development.

They examined these models in light of five questions, which are the basis of this document:

1. Which of the assets and citizenship characteristics are developed just through basic participation in a sports program regardless of its quality?
   
2. Which of the assets and citizenship characteristics are likely to be developed or reinforced in a good quality program that goes beyond teaching sports specific strategies and skills?
   
3. Which of the assets and citizenship characteristics could be reasonably developed or facilitated through special programs or strategies?
   
4. Which of the developmental assets and citizenship characteristics are not likely to developed by participating in sports or are simply unrelated to sports?
   
5. What conclusions can be drawn about the involvement of school activities in promoting or enhancing these assets and characteristics?

The 40 Developmental Assets and the 7 Citizenship Characteristics, along with the NCHSAA's rating of the potential of these to developed through sports, is included for your reference.

For more information about other NFHS programs and services, contact the NFHS Resource Center, at PO Box 20626, Kansas City, MO 64195-0626.