Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media for Athletes The world is constantly changing and creating faster ways to communicate with each other, especially with the use of social media. Social media impacts the average person's life every day. In the world of sports, social media is very valuable. Coaches, sports-affiliated businesses, and athletes use social media for many reasons. However, athletes do not recognize the advantages and disadvantages of using social media. Athletes need constructive and strategic education about the benefits and risks of social media to protect them from dire consequences. Social media has many positive benefits for athletes. When they are off the field, athletes like to stay connected with supportive fans and friends (Van Schaik). According to a Sports Illustrated article, "Some American athletes have successfully used social media to improve their social lives" ("America's Tweethearts"). This allows the athlete to relax and lose some stress. Additionally, they like to share their experiences with their fans through photos and posts to show the “other side” of their lives. For example, athletes can upload photos of their location, family, sports team, and anything else to Instagram. Tweeting on Twitter is commonly used by athletes because it is quick and easy to post photos and comment on whatever is on their mind (Ford). According to a feature article on social media, YouTube is another way to share videos with fans and supporters of a team or organization. It can also publicize a player's talents and abilities to sports coaches or employers of major sports agencies and companies (Ressler). For example, some high school athletes use social media to showcase their ath...... middle of paper ...... the symbiotic relationship between athletics and social media work well together. As they progress to higher stages of their sport, they must ensure that people are watching them, both physically and online. Young athletes look up to these “role models” and observe everything they do. Not only are the children watching them, but the parents of those children are watching them as well. Not to mention the many leaders and directors of sports organizations, programs and schools who also demand intelligent choices from the athlete. Constructive education is valuable for an athlete's career. Knowing the pros and cons of using the web is essential to athlete development and can provide significant benefits. Responsibility for web-savvy behavior lies with athletes and those who teach them. Education is the best way to ensure athletes use the web beneficially..