My Athletic Experiences

My Athletic Experiences

My athletic experiences have been very satisfying and positive. In the fist paradox, Sport Unites, Sport divides; Sport unites because it brings people of different class, race and gender together. I have met some great individuals while playing sports that are still my friends today. I have learned a great deal from these encounters. Not only about sports but also different cultures. I had an African American teammate that invited me to her house for a holiday meal, because I could not go home. The diversity ranged from setting, her urban, to my suburban, to food, the smell of greens and chitterlings delighted her and upset my stomach. The team I coach now has little diversity on the team. But, the diversity that it does has, I believe is beneficial to the team. Sport is very competitive, but there is a fine line between competitive and wins at all cost. Play the game and learn from it. I believe that sport can divide also. Sport divides player and coach obliviously but can also divided player with player. Though I have never experienced this, which I know of, I do understand that it is out there. I play and coach the game for the love, competitive nature and the experience of the diversity in culture it can bring together.

2nd Paradox

I think that even though we need to be sensitive to the feelings of others with concern to names, logos, mascots and flags we must also take into consideration the context of usage. If an established one is not meant in a racist derogatory manner, but a glorified prestige's one the usage should be allowed. My parents raised me to be an extremely competitive person. In high school we were the "Lady foxes" and in college the" Lady Flashes". These labels or names never bothered me because I was also raised to be a lady. My parents raised me to possess the ability to exhibit feminine qualities while still displaying the skill, determination, drive and competitive spirit of an athlete. I feel that the woman's movement has far greater barriers to overcome than to concentrate on names and logos. If an established mascot or logo is meant to or attributed to oppression then by all means change it. But, the more educated we become the more we should understand the ways symbols can effect certain people or groups.