Canadian sport figures Sport in our Society Canadian sport figures

Definition of Sport “ Sports are institutionalized competitive activities that involve vigorous physical exertion or the use of relatively complex physical skills by individuals whose participation is motivated by a combination of personal enjoyment and external rewards.” (Coakley, 1998)

Definition of Sport Breaking down the definition… physical activity competitive institutionalized – formal rules & organizational structures that people use to frame & guide their actions from 1 situation to another personal enjoyment & external rewards   Defining sports in this way enables it to be distinguishable from pure play and dramatic spectacle.

Definition of Sport Play – motivated exclusively by personal enjoyment (e.g. kids playing tag)  Dramatic spectacle – motivated exclusively by a desire to perform for the approval of others (e.g. WWF)‏ This does not mean that sports do not involve both play & spectacle but rather involve a combination of both.

Sports & Socialization Socialization – an active process of learning & social development that occurs as people interact with one another and become acquainted with the social world in which they live, and as they form ideas about who they are, and make decisions about their goals and behaviours.

How do people become involved in sports? Sponsored recruitment – parents/family usually enter child into sports based on their own interests, experiences, etc. Or child decides to try a sport in connection with support & encouragement that occurred over time in their relationships (friends/siblings)‏ Also relates to…         Person’s abilities & characteristics Availability of opportunities to play sports & experience success as they play – socio- economic factors, culture, religion, etc

Why do people stay involved in sports? Developed commitment – this process occurs as a person does 3 things: 1. assesses their potential for achieving success in their sport, 2. forms a “web of personal relationships” connected with their participation, and 3. gradually establish personal reputation & identity as an athlete in that sport.

Changing or Ending Sport Participation When people drop out of particular sports, they do not drop out of all sports forever, nor do they cut all ties with sports; Many play different & less competitive sports or move into other roles (i.e. coach)‏ Part of a process involving changes & transitions in the rest of a person’s life (changing schools, graduation, marriage, new job)‏ Not always the result of victimization or exploitation, although negative experiences can & do influence decisions to change or end participation

Burnout Burnout – young athletes with potential to succeed in their sports made the decision to quit playing their sports. The adolescent athletes complained of losing control over their lives and having no identity apart from sports. As stress increased & fun decreased, they burned out.

Sports build character…or do they? A Good Sport

Sports build character…or do they? Studies have not been able to prove that sport participation actually contributes to reputable character building in participants. So why do people continue to believe in this, and go as far as to use it as a way to get kids to participate?

Sports build character…or do they?         “halo” effect – if an athlete does such great things on the field, he/she must be a great person off the field; easier to see the athlete as a hero or role model         character traits often determine whether or not a person becomes an elite or pro athlete; highly competitive sports are organized to attract & select people with high levels of self-confidence and other attributes valued by those who select the athletes         sports provide people with opportunities to display character traits that they have developed over a number of years and across a variety of different experiences; not simply that the sport developed that character         attention is focussed on limited media portrayals of athletes and conclude that this knowledge & self- confidence must extend to all areas of life outside the athletic arena

Role Models

Sports build character…or do they? This logic leads people to expect athletes to be role models, to condemn athletes when they fail to exhibit model behaviour, and to ignore problems related to the structure & organization of sports. Also develops a gender inequity b/c character developed by sport is associated to traditional “male” attributes. “Go out and prove what kind of man you are” says the coach. A female must be aggressive, unemotional, willing to play in pain, and willing to sacrifice her body for the sake of victory in order to show “character”. The meaning of “character” is tied to a long history of male participation and female exclusion.

Character Building Moments http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNmPybFK2_o

Sports build character…or do they? Sport participation appears to have positive character effects when it is associated with the following:         increased opportunities for testing & developing new identities         increased knowledge of the world & how it works new experiences going beyond sports         formation of new relationships apart from sports        clear lessons about how sport experiences can be used as a basis for dealing with challenges outside of sports         expansion of how others define, see, and deal with a person (that is, as more than just an athlete)‏         expansion of opportunities to develop competence and become responsible in activities apart from playing sports

Questions What has sport participation given to you? Hypothetically, would you want your child to participate in sports? Why or why not? What age is appropriate? When should it be up to the child to continue participation? What expectations are appropriate?