Winning is everything : myths and realities in selected contemporary adolescent novels of sport

The purpose of this study was to determine how the authors of a selected group of contemporary adolescent novels of sport portray certain themes and issues of sport for young people. Central to this analysis was an examination of these three questions: (1) To what extent is the "winning is everything" ethic present in the novels? (2) What effect does competition have on the protagonist's character? (3) What effect does the role of the coach have on the protagonist?

In an effort to be objective in selecting the novels included in this study, the assumption was made that the sixteen novels listed under the topic "Sports Stories" in G. Robert Carlsen's Books and the Teenage Reader comprise a representative sample of adolescent novels of sport. For the purpose of analysis, these works were divided into two categories: novels of individual sport and novels of team sport.

Several observations were made based on the analyses of these sixteen adolescent novels of sport. Among the observations were these: (1) In most cases the novels include some sense of the "winning is everything" ethic. (2) The protagonist is usually affected in some way as a direct result of athletic competition, and the effect is often positive and rewarding. (3) The coaches tend to influence the protagonist in some way, usually by encouraging the character to do his or her best Job and bring victory to the team.

The author noted that teachers may find these novels valuable for prompting some reluctant readers to read. The suggestion was made that teachers could use both these novels and the analyses found in the study to develop students' critical reading and thinking skills. It was also suggested that some teachers might have students explore the issue of whether sports participation builds character.