Strong Athletic Identity

their coaches to keep playing or return early. Although the coaches mentioned the welfare of athletes were important, these attitude toward injury does not coincide with their behaviour. As a result, the socializing agents (i.e parents, coaches, teammates) have been revealed to be most influential on athletes’ lives and be in the position of authority (Vernau, 2009). According to Perderson (2002), the media plays an important role in forms of socialization in today’s society. Athlete’s participation in games whilst feeling pain or injured is portrayed as heroes to the general public (Nixon, 1993). Aspiring younger athletes are likely to copy the role models and follow their footsteps by duplicating their actions. An iconic media moment

An individual with high athletic identity is more likely to strive for distinction and be more successful in their sport. Also, athletes with strong identity are associated with ‘’toughing out’’ an injury attitudes that may affect their health, fitness and performance (Jessiman-perreault & Godley, 2016). However, Brewer et al. (1993) identify positive and negative consequences with strong athletic identity. The benefits of strong athletic identity include the long-term involvement in sport and positive effects on their performance. In contrast, the negative with athletes identifying themselves with a strong identity might encounter difficulties when going through career transition such as injury, as a result, this may lead to becoming depressed or socially isolated (Brewer, Van Raalte, and Linder,

Athletes who participate in sports that put their health at risk can be seen as a way to prove how ‘’real’’ men are (Young, 2012). Furthermore, athletes unwilling to participate may face criticism from their peers, coaches, and fans (Young, 2012). Historically, sport has been regarded as men’s game. Moreover, sport has been viewed to transform boys into men as a way to implement masculinising values, attitudes and skills which are important in the adult world of men (Drummond, 1995). Kimmel (2005) claims sport has been built on male’s social expectations of the sport as a result athletes’ identity is associated with certain characteristics of hegemonic