During the past 10 to 15 years, we have seen an alarming change in behavior and attitude among athletes, the most glaring examples among professional athletes. Not only are these young men and women having more trouble with their own behavior, they set the tone, as role models, for much of our country’s youth.

The downward slide in sportsmanship, team spirit, and in the understanding of the essence of sporting endeavor have been matched by an increase in violence (both on and off the field), unethical practices, breaking the law, and self-aggrandizement. There is no doubt among knowledgeable sportspeople that the huge amount of money which has become increasingly available to athletes and teams, even at the college level, is a major cause for the increased pressure to win, score, and defeat your opponent at any cost.

Athletes today are bigger, stronger, more self-centered, use more drugs, and are more prone to violence and antisocial behavior than ever before in the history of sports. Walk through any high school today and see with your own eyes the way our young people mimic the pro athletes: hair of all colors, pierced body parts, idiosyncratic clothing, gang membership, anti-authoritarian attitudes, and other statements of negative individuality are now admired by too many students.

The National Institute of Sports Professionals (NISP) believes that today’s athletes need the help of more capable, better-trained professionals in order to deal with the changes in pressure, competition, and the prevailing attitudes. The primary mission of NISP is to develop and provide a systematic approach to counseling for athletes at all levels of competition, and build a nationwide association of professionals trained and certified to counsel athletes in performance, behavior, financial management, and career planning.

Sports Systems International (SSI) is dedicated to stopping violence, dishonesty, and criminal behavior in sports worldwide. We plan to sponsor workshops for athletes, parents, coaches, personal trainers, health care professionals, and counselors at all levels of competition, in all states, in every sport, for both men and women, to raise the level of awareness regarding the problems, pressures, and issues relevant to sports, and athletes.