Minnesota State High School League

Minnesota State High School League Listening to Students Survey Results 2008

In the fall of 2008, more than 5000 students from around the state completed the Listening to Students survey, a survey that is conducted every four to eight years. Some of the questions remain the same from year to year, while others change based on current issues and trends. Athletic directors from member schools were asked and encouraged to facilitate survey-completion by approximately 10% of their students who participate in athletics. They were asked to select a wide range of students, 9-12 graders, both genders, and not strictly team leaders or captains. Although schools were not required to participate, a wide variety of schools did participate: large and small, metro and outstate, well known schools in state tournament play and less frequent tournament visitors, etc. Following are the results of the survey, along with percentages and rankings for top answers.

Positive and Negatives Outcomes from Participation in Athletics: Questions 1-3

Qualities in Coaches: Questions 4-6

Qualities in Parents: Questions 7-8

Length of Seasons/Number of Games: Questions 9-10

Non-school Teams, Specialization and Pressure: Questions 11-16

Equity in Participation: Questions 17-20

Sportsmanship: Questions 21-24

Coach Working Year Round: Question 25

Alcohol/Drug Use: Questions 26-29

Energy Drink and Caffeinated Beverage Use: Questions 30-34

Performance-Enhancing Drug Use: Questions 35-39

AED Use: Questions 40-42

Hazing/Initiation: Question 43

Community Participation and Transferring: Questions 44-47

Benefits of School Activities and Athletics: Questions 48-50 Gender Grade in School 2533 (48%) A. Female 809 (15%) A. 9th 2730 (52%) B. Male 1196 (23%) B. 10th 1553 (30%) C. 11th 1685 (32%) D. 12th

1. From the following items, select up to THREE positive outcomes that you feel SHOULD result from athletic participation. 3640 (#1 – 23%) A. Teamwork and cooperation with peers 1646 B. Confidence and positive self-image 734 C. The ability to learn how to win and how to lose 2510 D. Good sportsmanship 1038 E. Self-satisfaction in setting and accomplishing goals 2656 (#2 – 17%) F. Self-discipline, commitment, responsibility, time management, respect for authority 558 G. Desire to compete as an individual 680 H. Potential for a college athletic scholarship 2617 (#3 – 16%) I. Fun

2. From the following items, select up to THREE positive outcomes that you HAVE experienced through athletic participation. 3077 (#1 – 20%) A. Teamwork and cooperation with peers 1508 B. Confidence and positive self-image 1137 C. The ability to learn how to win and how to lose 2245 D. Good sportsmanship 1233 E. Self-satisfaction in setting and accomplishing goals 2501 (#3 – 16%) F. Self-discipline, commitment, responsibility, time management, respect for authority 995 G. Desire to compete as an individual 471 H. Potential for a college athletic scholarship 2562 (#2 – 16%) I. Fun

3. Select up to THREE negative outcomes that you have experienced through athletic participation. 2432 (#1 – 20%) A. Too much time away from studies 1494 (#3 – 12%) B. Too much pressure to win (from parents and self) 1172 C. Too many hours of practice and training 610 D. It wasn’t fun 964 E. Too much pressure from coaches 1048 F. Conflict between sports 1198 G. No breaks between seasons 1530 (#2 – 13%) H. People expect more from an athlete 1047 I. Being stereotyped as an athlete 522 J. Too much competition

2 4. Select what you feel are the top THREE qualities that a coach SHOULD demonstrate. 2430 (#2 – 16%) A. fair, consistent, and positive 2378 (#3 – 15%) B. ability to communicate with players 1653 C. good role model 455 D. give players a lot of his/her time 1534 E. encourage players to have fun 2237 F. care about and respect players as individuals 1789 G. knowledgeable teacher of skills and technique 3013 (#1 – 19%) H. inspire and motivate players to perform at their best

5. Select the top THREE qualities you enjoy MOST about your coach/es. 1386 A. fair, consistent, and positive 1911 B. ability to communicate with players 1496 C. good role model 2039 (#3 – 14%) D. gives a lot of his/her time 1625 E. encourages me to have fun 2147 (#2 – 14%) F. cares about and respects players as individuals 1889 G. knowledgeable teacher of skills and technique 2398 (#1 – 16%) H. inspires and motivates me to perform at my best

6. Select the top THREE qualities you like LEAST about your coach/es. 2100 (#2 – 19%) A. thinks his/her sport is supposed to be my whole life 1347 (#3 – 12%) B. expects me to go to practice/compete year round 2855 (#1 – 26%) C. has favorites who get special treatment 600 D. does not have a healthy perspective on winning/losing 1312 E. gives very few compliments when we play well 425 F. swears at players 1115 G. when we are ahead, my coach doesn’t let substitutes play enough 503 H. doesn’t set a good example of what sports are all about 247 I. uses motivational tactics that violate my personal beliefs 435 J. thinks running up the score will make him/her look good

7. Rank the THREE things that you appreciate MOST about your parents’ attitudes toward your participation in athletics. 4105 (#1 – 27%) A. They encourage me 1076 B. They don’t push me 3177 (#2 – 21%) C. They attend most of my games 2452 (#3 – 16%) D. They let me choose those sports I want to participate in 1512 E. They are supportive when I lose 1412 F. They give me constructive criticism 1208 G. They believe that participation in sports is an important part of my high school education

3 8. Rank the THREE things that you appreciate LEAST about your parents’ attitudes toward your participation in athletics. 1543 (#3 – 20%) A. They are too involved in my activities 1914 (#1 – 25%) B. They try to control my participation 761 C. They seldom/never attend my games 392 D. They behave poorly when they attend my games 838 E. They don’t respect my coach 1731 (#2 – 22%) F. They criticize every mistake I make 629 G. They feel participation in high school sports is not important

9. Your feelings toward the length of the sports seasons are best reflected by: 577 (12%) A. Seasons are too long 1807 (36%) B. Seasons are too short 2631 (52%) C. Season length is just fine

10. Your feelings toward the number of games/meets/tournaments during the season are best reflected by: 305 (6%) A. Too many 1846 (37%) B. Too few 2875 (57%) C. Just enough

11. Do you participate on non-school teams? 2936 (58%) A. Yes 2088 (42%) B. No

12. If yes to the above, please select the top THREE reasons you participate on non-school teams: 2226 (#2 – 33%) A. for fun 2723 (#1 – 41%) B. to improve my skills 477 C. my high school coach tells me I should 626 D. my parents encourage me to 545 E. my teammates want me to 74 F. there is pressure from the community to be involved 1308 (#3 – 20%) G. the level of competition is higher 668 H. to get noticed by college coaches

13. Do you feel pressure from non-school groups (i.e. Junior Olympic volleyball, Junior hockey, American Legion baseball, club swimming, etc.) to be on a non-school team? 877 (18%) A. Yes 4038 (82%) B. No

14. Is specialization in one activity good for you while in high school? 2569 (52%) A. Yes 2384 (48%) B. No

4 15. Is specialization necessary in order to participate in the activity at your school? 1034 (21%) A. Yes 3944 (79%) B. No

16. How much pressure is there on you to win? 645 (13%) A. Too much 3676 (73%) B. About right 500 (10%) C. Not enough 193 (4%) D. None

17. I believe there is fairness/equity between my school’s girls’ and boys’ athletic programs. 761 (15%) A. Strongly agree 2971 (59%) B. Agree 995 (20%) C. Disagree 276 (6%) D. Strongly disagree

18. The athletic activities offered at my school are available to all students regardless of race, class or religious affiliation. 4649 (93%) A. Always 235 (5%) B. Occasionally 45 (1%) C. Rarely 49 (1%) D. Never

19. Have you or do you know anyone who has not been able to participate in high school athletics because of financial reasons? 1437 (29%) A. Yes 3541 (71%) B. No

20. If yes to the above, which of the following financial factors caused you or a friend/teammate to not be able to participate (choose any that apply): 1019 (1 - 38%) A. The cost of registration 876 (2 - 32%) B. The cost of equipment, shoes, uniforms 242 C. The cost of non-school teams and/or clinics to improve skills 580 D. Lack of time to participate because of a need to have a job

21. What do you think are the most critical sportsmanship issues in high school sports? Select up to three. 648 A. Violence 1585 B. Win at all costs 1594 C. Verbal abuse from fans 1322 D. Loss of respect for coaches 2291 (#2 – 19%) E. Loss of respect for officials 2311 (#1 – 19%) F. Loss of respect for the players on the opposing team 1791 (#3 – 15%) G. Competition between teams getting carried beyond the field/gym 387 H. Other

5 22. How frequently do you observe fan behavior that you consider to be inappropriate or that makes you uncomfortable, either from your school or the opposing school? 225 A. Every game 828 B. Often, but not every game 1856 (#1 – 37%) C. Occasionally 1562 (#2 – 32%) D. Rarely during the season 486 E. Never

23. Have you ever been taunted, personally attacked, and/or verbally harassed due to race, gender, or physical attributes by the opposing team’s fans or student cheering section? 1117 (23%) A. Yes 3828 (77%) B. No

24. If you have witnessed taunting, personal attacks and/or verbal harassment from fans (particularly targeting one player, not an entire team), how do you think these issues should be dealt with? Choose all that may apply. 1746 (#1 - 38%) A. Loss of game attendance privileges 1063 B. Increase in crowd supervision 1437 (#2 – 31%) C. School-based consequences (detention, suspension, referrals, etc.) 1006 D. It shouldn’t be dealt with; it’s part of the game 334 E. Other

25. Would you like your coach to be allowed to work with their high school athletes at any time during the year? 3780 (77%) A. Yes 1157 (23%) B. No

26. Among athletes in your sport, is there alcohol, tobacco or drug use? 561 (11%) A. Yes, it’s widespread 2088 (42%) B. Yes, among a small amount of athletes 1219 (25%) C. No 1093 (22%) D. Unsure

27. If yes to the above, is your coach aware of this? 547 (15%) A. Yes 864 (23%) B. No 2271 (62%) C. Unsure

28. Does your coach/administrator take appropriate action to address drug/alcohol/tobacco use? 2561 (56%) A. Always 1069 (22%) B. Sometimes 370 (8%) C. Seldom 209 (4%) D. Never 700 (14%) E. Unsure

6 29. Do you use drugs/alcohol/tobacco? 117 (2%) A. Regularly 276 (6%) B. Sometimes 460 (9%) C. Seldom 4098 (83%) D. Never

30. How often do you consume energy drinks (Red Bull, Rock Star, Monster, Full Throttle, etc.) during your sport season, on average? 52 (1%) A. More than once a day 73 (1%) B. Once a day 310 (6%) B. Couple times a week 238 (5%) C. Once a week 1433 (29%) D. Less than weekly 2845 (57%) E. Never

31. If you consume energy drinks during your sport season, which TWO best represent your reason for use? 570 (#3 – 14%) A. To stay awake while studying or doing homework 548 B. For a jolt of energy before practice or a competition 510 C. To stay awake during school 954 (#2 – 23%) D. Recreational (on the weekends, with a meal, at a movie, etc.) 90 E. To mix with alcohol 1273 (31%) F. I like the taste 213 G. Other

32. If you consume energy drinks, have you ever consumed them mixed with alcohol? 342 (8%) A. Yes 3731 (92%) B. No

33. How often do you consume caffeinated pop, coffee or tea during your sport season, on average? 262 (5%) A. More than once a day 547 (11%) B. Daily 1103 (22%) C. Couple times a week 622 (13%) D. Weekly 1665 (34%) E. Less than weekly 728 (15%) F. Never

7 34. If you consume caffeinated pop, coffee or tea during your sport season, which TWO best represent your reason for use? 610 A. To stay awake while studying or doing homework 232 B. For a jolt of energy before practice or a competition 489 C. To stay awake during school 2349 (#2 – 32%) D. Recreational (on the weekends, with a meal, at a movie, etc.) 81 E. To mix with alcohol 3103 (#1 – 43%) F. I like the taste 370 G. Other

35. Have you ever used any of the following performance-enhancing drugs? (Choose all that apply.) 46 A. Steroids 20 B. Andro (androstenedione) 280 (#2 – 6%) C. Creatine 41 D. Ephredrine 110 E. other 449 (#1 – 90%) F. none

36. If yes to the above, where did you get them? (Choose all that apply.) 39 A. a coach 48 B. a teammate 54 C. another peer 71 D. parent 80 (#2 – 13%) E. ordered on internet 316 (#1 – 52%) F. other

37. Has someone ever offered to provide or sell you any performance-enhancing drugs? (Choose all that apply.) 58 A. Human growth hormone 28 B. Andro (androstenedione) 216 (#2 – 4%) C. Creatine 25 D. Ephredrine or ephedra 26 E. DHEA 33 F. other steroid 126 G. Yes, but not sure which 4465 (#1 – 90%) H. No

38. If yes to the above, who offered to provide or sell you any of the above? (Choose all that apply.) 131 A. teammate 138 (#2 – 25%) B. other peer 33 C. parent 48 D. coach 39 E. other school personnel 171 (#1 – 31%) F. other (use comment box, if desired)

8 39. Are you aware of teammates who have ever used any of the following performance-enhancing drugs? (Choose all that apply.) 80 A. Human growth hormone 23 B. Andro (androstenedione) 631 (#2 – 12%) C. Creatine 35 D. Ephredrine or ephedra 22 E. DHEA 58 F. other steroid 349 G. Yes, but not sure which 3880 (#1 – 76%) H. None

40. Have you been trained in AED (automated external defibrillator) use? 1161 (24%) A. Yes 3715 (76%) B. No

41. If yes to the above, where did you receive your training? 808 (#1 – 58%) A. a school class 54 B. a school group (sports team, student council, captains’ club, etc.) 112 C. a community group (Scouts, 4-H, a leadership group, etc.) 245 (#2 – 17%) D. for a job 184 E. other

42. Have you been part of an emergency situation where an AED may have been useful/needed for the victim? 174 (4%) A. Yes 3753 (77%) B. No 925 (19%) C. Unsure of the use of AEDs

43. Have you ever witnessed or been a part of hazing, initiation, or behavior that emphasized the difference of power/age/experience between members on an athletic team? 1453 (30%) A. Yes 3428 (70%) B. No

44. Do you think athletes should compete in the community in which they live? 1525 (31%) A. Strongly agree 2179 (44%) B. Agree 313 (6%) C. Disagree 890 (18%) D. No opinion

45. Have you ever been asked or invited to transfer schools for the purpose of athletics? 735 (15%) A. Yes 4169 (85%) B. No

9 46. If yes to the above, who asked or invited you to transfer schools? 266 (35%) A. The other school’s coach 203 (27%) B. An athlete from the other school 154 (20%) C. An administrator or other personnel from the school 112 (15%) D. A community or elite program coach not affiliated with a school 30 (4%) E. Other

47. If the main sport in which you compete was cancelled at your school, what would you most likely do? 1448 (34%) A. Transfer/move to another school that offers the sport 1383 (32%) B. Stay at my school and play the same sport for a non-school team 897 (21%) C. Stay at my school and try out for a different sport in that season 530 (12%) D. Stay at my school and quit playing sports that season

Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements.

48. School activities and athletics instill a sense of school pride. 3068 (62%) A. Strongly agree 1653 (33%) B. Agree 81 (2%) C. Disagree 113 (2%) D. No opinion

49. Students who participate in school activities and athletics tend to be school leaders. 1981 (40%) A. Strongly agree 2336 (47%) B. Agree 305 (6%) C. Disagree 299 (6%) D. No opinion

50. Participating in school activities provides an opportunity to develop self-discipline not necessarily found in the classroom. 2523 (51%) A. Strongly agree 2065 (42%) B. Agree 125 (3%) C. Disagree 197 (4%) D. No opinion