You are so wrong. But part of that character building experience INCLUDED learning that it is just a game. It is not life and death. it is not my family ( though good friendships were developed and still exist). It is a game. It is a chance to learn to accept winning with some grace and dignity and to turn loses into an opportunity to improve.
But in the end IT IS JUST A GAME
>>It is not life and death.
For many young athletes the lessons learned on the playing field reverberate in exactly that.
Whether you want to deal with the fact is irrelevant. Professional athletes ARE what many young folks have as role models because those individuals on the screen are the models of success they’re exposed to and/or want to relate to — and that is who will try to emulate sans other constructive influences.