Short Men Stereotypes

Stereotypes about short people not being able to play sports are sometimes true in some cases. Short people can’t do certain things in sports like in volleyball you can’t be a hitter and in basketball they can’t be a post. Short people just can’t do things taller people can do, being a tall person in basketball is helpful if you’re the post because it’s an easy bucket. Being a hitter in volleyball is the easiest job for a tall person mainly because they can reach over the net easily. If a player was short they wouldn’t be able to hit because they couldn’t jump that high. Some other stereotypes are true like how they don’t get scholarships that much. Most of the athletes who get stereotypes are taller people because they can contribute more.

Short people got all these stereotypes and misconceptions just because of their looks or lack of ability to do things. Some who conversate with short athletes say that they admit things are hard for them. When word gets around that someone short admitted that, everyone keeps thinking about them the same. Short athletes rarely make it big in the NBA or MLB height is needed for basketball and baseball. If someone does make it big in one of those sports they’re the topic for a while because nobody sees that often. Misconceptions are all around short athletes mainly saying that they can’t do things

or ever be anything, but that’s the drive for them. They like proving people who doubt them wrong so they can prove a point. Short people have one of the biggest drives to succeed in life so anyone who doubted them can swallow their words.
Spectators of sports say that short people can’t play sports just because they’re smaller than everyone else. There are twenty-five male athletes who made it big when all the odds were on them to fail. Some people may not know that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is only 5’8” and for men that’s short especially for a boxer. Ivan Rodriguez who plays for the Texans is only 5’9” which is also short for MLB players because he isn’t as long as other players when they run. Gymnasts are also short athletes but in their case being short helps them in a big way. Gymnasts are able to rotate their body more than taller gymnasts because they have more air time. Shorter gymnasts have more muscle and it’s mainly upper body because there’s certain things they can’t do with their legs. Simone Biles was the shortest American Olympian this past year but her size didn’t stop her. She holds the record with 10 world championship gold medals, she also could’ve set a record at the Rio Olympics by getting gold in all her events. Joe Morgan, a 1999 BBWAA Hall of Fame Inductee, said, “Being smaller than most of the players and teammates made it harder for me but that didn’t stop me, it just pushed me to strive.”
Short athletes have more obstacles to overcome which means they have to work harder and longer than other athletes. An interview with an athlete most people know, Prodnya Bergdahl, showed me that being short than mostly all of her competitors doesn’t stop her. She’s the shortest one on the cheer team, dive team and gymnastics team. Prodnya doesn’t let her lack of height stop her though, it pushes her to excel and do more than other people. Having talked to other people about their height in the past, Prodnya is one of the few who doesn’t let her height stop her. While asking Prodnya questions she was really honest with herself and me as well, which opened up my eyes to realize that taller athletes do have it easier. She has the drive of a tall athlete and sometimes her drive is bigger than most athletes that are tall. Being short doesn’t faze her one bit as other athletes might be fazed by it just because people say they can’t compete.
Interviewing Prodnya Bergdahl proves that being short has it’s ups and downs but it all depends on how you look at things.

Her answers are self explanatory as well which makes it easier to understand. She admits that she does feel intimidated but that doesn’t stop her drive to succeed. Bergdahl states, “People tell me I can’t play sports because I’m short, but since I have a competitive drive I like to show them being small doesn’t limit me.” Height doesn’t limit people only they can limit themselves if they quit without a fight. Quitting would show that the spectators are right when they say short people can’t compete in

athletics.
This is true because height doesn’t really mean anything if they have the drive to succeed. She is the smallest person I know and being able to see her compete shows that she does have a competitive drive to succeed. Almost everyone else she competes against is a foot taller than her especially in dive which is a big difference. Competing is a big deal and it’s a bigger deal if you’re the shortest which makes it more interesting to watch.
Articles written about short people either praise them or talk down on them because they do bad or they aren’t good enough. Short athletes make some of the most money which means they get talked about a lot. According to The Richest online article David Maclntyre shows that there are ten short athletes who get paid the most. Maclntyre states, “Even if you’re 5’7” and under, you can still shoot, run and play ball with the best of ‘em – and if you’re good enough, even end up standing head and shoulders above your fellow athletes”. Short athletes do get a lot of attention and in some articles it’s great attention. Others may say that they only get attention because it’s their height when it somewhat is, but it's also the way they compete. Height doesn’t even phase the journalist’s or the commentators, it just stirs up talk for viewers. The more they get talked about the more money they make and it’s all about money for the athletes.
Livestong articles go in more depth than some articles dealing with short people. Ivy Morris explains that being a short gymnast has its advantages in her article, What Is The Advantage of a Gymnast Being Short in Stature. “In general, shorter gymnasts are more muscular than taller gymnasts are. Being short and muscular provides a gymnast with a strength advantage. Shorter, muscular gymnasts can accomplish higher-level vaults because they travel down the runway with more power.” This just shows that shorter gymnasts have more advantages in more way than one. Prodnya also showed that too when she said, “Being small helps me rotate faster and gives me a higher flip on the spring floor.” Being a short gymnast just pays off more than it would in any other sport which is great for short athletes. Even though some may not want to excel in gymnastics some can still do it if they have the heart for it. Short athletes have advantages most don’t have which makes sports for them more exciting and fun to watch.
Short people get told they can’t do certain things everyday, but that doesn’t stop people. It’s shown that smaller people have a bigger drive than most meaning that they excel more than others. Short athletes make it known that size doesn’t bug them at all or even comments people say don’t bug them either. Stuff said about short athletes saying how they can’t play is nonsense because there are a lot of short successful athletes. Most athletes who get talked about are short because it gets more people watching games. Stereotypes and misconceptions that say short people can’t play sports is completely wrong because they can play sports. Multiple sports even encourage short people to join a sport mainly so they can be a big aspect to their team. Short people can participate in sports and they can succeed no matter struggles they face.