Essay On Teenage Identity

Identity is the most important force that affects teens during their development. As teens enter high school they are confronted with the idea of who they are and who they will become. The world famous psychologist Erik Erikson also found this conflict prevalent during the adolescent stage in which teens are confronted between establishing an identity or being lost in a state of role confusion. Many outside influences can have a factor in this stage of teens. From parents to peers and teachers to role models, all individuals can greatly affect the identity that a teen will assume. This is where the power of sports come to light. Sports in high school provide teens with a setting in which a productive identity can be formed and caring adults who will help guide them on the right path. Once the identity is formed, likely in the latter years of high school, the student can then turn to be being a role model for the younger athletes, forming them into productive athletes, students, and later citizens. Sports in high school had a large affect on me. While attempting to find my identity, it was the constancy that sports provided for me that had shaped me most. Having played baseball since I was six years old, spring time always meant baseball. Growing up on a military instillation in Germany meant that my time playing baseball was restricted to when the school sponsored team was allowed to play. Every March though, baseball would captivate me. Each week, practices and games