ABSTRACT
Developmentally, schoolchildren have different levels of connection to advertising and sport. Younger children, especially at the elementary level, may have no understanding of competition and simply model the media and sport-related images they see. Older children, from middle school age on, may be drawn to different elements associated with sport and competition. Parents, coaches and teachers must also be aware of how to discuss media images effectively and how student athletes use them for motivation and/or further interest regarding academic, personal/social, and career development. Furthermore, with the advent of faster and more mobile technologies by which media coverage of sport exists, it appears that such discussions are going to be more necessary in terms of frequency and depth. It is also important to bear in mind that commercialism exists in American schools and related athletic programs as well, and that the college level does not always parallel the K-12 level or vice-versa.
