But I Took Him to Soccer and Hockey

This sounds kind of strange but University of Toronto researchers claim that getting troubled kids into organized sports may actually increase their chances of becoming juvenile delinquents.

From the National Post:

"In fact, there is probably "much in common" between playing sports and deviant behaviour, including violence, confrontation and the masculine ideals of toughness, heroism and sacrifice, says the paper in the Journal of Behavioural Medicine.

"'Perhaps some physical activity in a sporting context actually promotes what we would broadly call anti-social behaviour: cheating, maybe being aggressive,' said Guy Faulkner, a U of T physical education professor and the study's lead author.

"'Look at hockey: fighting and so on. I think there are clear links between sporting activities and maybe developing less than positive attitudes.'"

Predictably, the study didn't long go unchallenged:

"...one expert on young offenders voiced skepticism about the study, saying that, while physical activity in general may not curb juvenile crime, organized, orderly team sports can help turn around errant teens.

"'Young males have tremendous drive and aggression. If you channel the aggression in an organized way, where you have referees, where you have coach mentors, where you have positive role figures -- captains, teammates ? it gives a positive identity, it teaches you discipline,' said Raymond Corrado, a criminologist at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver."