Young Athletes Getting Tattoos?

Is it cool or novelty or rebellion or self-assurance or boosting self-esteem? More and more people in the general population and more and more younger athletes are following the trend of showing off tattoos on various visible and non-visible body parts. What has me concerned is the trend by younger children starting to imitate and moving in the same direction.

a young boy with a mohawk showing off a temporary tattoo of a skull

Sport sociologists propose that every issue or event that plays out in society finds itself replicated at about 10% in sports, be it consumption of alcohol, drugs, eating disorders or tattoos among other things! Observing the past Olympic Games, many athletes displayed various markings, emblems, designs, or their country’s flags. TV of course is a social medium that easily transmits those trends as groovy, fashionable, and socially acceptable.

I personally do not care what one does imprint on their body parts but my concern has always been the health factor or infection potential. I for one, having a weak immune system due to chronic lymphatic cancer, would never attempt to have a tattoo because my system is weakened and potentially would create havoc. Besides, if the human body was meant to have a tattoo we would have been born with one, right? My thinking is not amiss is supported by the following announcement over the last few days by an announcement of the New York Yankees’ baseball operation.

Fact: Aroldis Chapman became the latest Yankees pitcher to go on the injured list Saturday, joining All-Stars Nestor Cortes and Clay Holmes. The difference? Chapman’s injury didn’t occur on the field. The left-handed reliever has an infection in his leg, caused by a recent tattoo, manager Aaron Boone said. Asked if he was frustrated Chapman would put himself in this position, Boone said, “I don’t have tattoos. That’s a personal choice. It’s usually a safe thing to deal with.” Frost level … medium?

So, what are the real advantages and disadvantages of getting a Tattoo?

Here is a collection of statements by those, who worship tattoo art:

Pro Tattoos:

  • You can show what you like

  • Can be the mirror of the soul

  • Are attractive to people

  • Big variety of designs available to choose from

  • Feeling accepted within the tattoo community

  • Are custom art

  • Can help to keep a ‘loved one’ in your heart

  • Can help to cover up parts of the body

  • Increases level of self-confidence

  • Can increase overall level of motivation

  • Leads to interesting conversations

  • Can get a tattoo on almost every part of the body

  • Tattoo removal has become possible due to modern technology

And the Counter arguments:

Con Tattoos

  • Tattoos can be expensive

  • May lead to infections

  • Diseases may be transmitted through tattooing

  • Allergies regarding tattoo ink can be a problem

  • They last for a lifetime

  • They fade out over timeMay choose the wrong design

  • Feelings change but tattoos don’t

  • They can be problematic in the corporate world

  • Getting a tattoo can be painful

  • Tattoos may be considered as dodgy in some regions

  • Quality of tattoos greatly variesTattooists can make mistakes

And there you have it! I do think that coaches ought to discuss the potential issue if one or several teen athletes decide to boost the team’s ‘power image’ for motivation by deciding to make tattoos part of their swim outfits.

References:

Beardsman, U. (2018, November 9). First tattoo tips for beginners: read this before you get inked. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://www.beardbrand.com/ blogs/urbanbeardsman/first-tattoo

Koirala, B. (2021, March 9). 13 Advantages and Disadvantages of Tattoos. HPC (Honest Pros and Cons). Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://honestproscons. com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-tattoos

Sevick, K. (n.d.). Pros and Cons on tattoos: What you need to know before inking. Retrieved August 28, from https://www.tattoomachinecritic.com/pros-and-cons-on-tattoos

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It’s All in the Name of the Game - A Reflection on the “Nature and Meaning of Sport”