According to Robert Putnam, social capital “refers to features of social organization such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit” (65-78). The amount of social capital is not at the same level as it was in the past. This is due to a change in the amount of civic engagement throughout communities. In most areas and organizations today, either a higher degree or a lower degree of civic engagement is observed. In my community, a lower amount of civic engagement is evident in children’s involvement in youth-related activities and adult involvement in youth-related activities when compared to the amount of civic engagement present in these two areas when I was nine or ten years old.
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The local Little League organization in McConnellsburg has experienced a severe decline in participation since my playing career ended. Before I was of eligible age to participate in Little League and during my playing years, Little League excited me as it did in many people in the community. However, Little League is not nearly as big in McConnellsburg as it was when I was nine or ten. Nowadays, the league struggles to maintain itself. When I played six years ago, a new team had to be created to fit all of the children who wanted to play. Now, not only has the aforementioned expansion team been eliminated, but another team had to be removed too. One reason this decline in participation has occurred is that children are lazier than they were when I went through Little League. Back then, children were motivated to go out and compete and make new friends. Presently, kids are becoming more inclined to stay inside and make virtual friends through various forms of video games and social media. Also, parents are no longer pushing their children to be physically active and participate in youth-sport organizations like Little League. However, a decline in parent involvement in youth – related activities is more profound in the next …show more content…
When I was ten through twelve years old, I played in the local Pop Warner football team. Our team had three or four coaches who worked with different positional groups of players as well as a head coach who oversaw everything. Also, a concession stand was run by parents of players on game days. There was never a shortage of volunteers. However, beginning shortly after my final season as a player, the adult involvement rapidly declined. First, not enough parents would volunteer to work the concession stand so it had to be discontinued. Then, the number of coaches dwindled down to two. Eventually, the two remaining coaches determined they did not have the capability to continue to run the team. The team folded because there was no one to coach it, not because there were not enough kids who wanted to play. Thankfully, not all areas of civic life have experienced a decline over the past six to eight
The local Little League organization in McConnellsburg has experienced a severe decline in participation since my playing career ended. Before I was of eligible age to participate in Little League and during my playing years, Little League excited me as it did in many people in the community. However, Little League is not nearly as big in McConnellsburg as it was when I was nine or ten. Nowadays, the league struggles to maintain itself. When I played six years ago, a new team had to be created to fit all of the children who wanted to play. Now, not only has the aforementioned expansion team been eliminated, but another team had to be removed too. One reason this decline in participation has occurred is that children are lazier than they were when I went through Little League. Back then, children were motivated to go out and compete and make new friends. Presently, kids are becoming more inclined to stay inside and make virtual friends through various forms of video games and social media. Also, parents are no longer pushing their children to be physically active and participate in youth-sport organizations like Little League. However, a decline in parent involvement in youth – related activities is more profound in the next …show more content…
When I was ten through twelve years old, I played in the local Pop Warner football team. Our team had three or four coaches who worked with different positional groups of players as well as a head coach who oversaw everything. Also, a concession stand was run by parents of players on game days. There was never a shortage of volunteers. However, beginning shortly after my final season as a player, the adult involvement rapidly declined. First, not enough parents would volunteer to work the concession stand so it had to be discontinued. Then, the number of coaches dwindled down to two. Eventually, the two remaining coaches determined they did not have the capability to continue to run the team. The team folded because there was no one to coach it, not because there were not enough kids who wanted to play. Thankfully, not all areas of civic life have experienced a decline over the past six to eight