The process of finding out who we are and where we fit in this ever-changing world is an unending and complicated dance of discovery. Through family influence, social norms, experiences and interaction with our environment, we define ourselves. However, this definition is not one that stays the same forever. Our identity develops, changes, strengthens and solidifies as we reflect on our lives. Through exploring the athletic identity of two individuals I will reflect on the differences in expectations and meanings attached with the shared identity type. I examined the development of two different athletic identities—a basketball player turned track and field runner (myself) and a male basketball player (Rick)—by looking at the influence of significant others and the social and institutional forces at play.
The greatest influence on my life has been my family. Thirty-eight family members over four generations have graduated from Cal, fourteen as athletes, with two in Cal’s Hall of Fame. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life when I was little, and that desire never changed. My athletic identity started to form at a very young age due to my family’s strong influence and their athletic connections. According to Mead, young children form their initial self-image based on engagement with their significant others. I grew up with athletic parents and grandparents, two older brothers and all guy cousins. With a very close-knit family, living only 5 to 10 minutes away from each other door to door, all I did when I was young was go to sporting events. From these individuals, “we learn the basic knowledge of our society, and we internalize this knowledge as a coherent set of expectations, feelings and attitudes” (O’brien,...
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...te because the extent to which I feel and think like an athlete will never change. Additionally, I will always be known and recognized by others as an athlete. Although our situations were different, the process and interaction to reach our final decision and destination was the same. Our sense of who we are, and our development into identifying as an athlete strongly solidified through our respective environments.
From an early age the identity of an athlete begins to form and is heavily influenced by significant others. Social interaction, social norms and institutional frameworks provide different areas of discovery and meaning for two athletic identities. The development and maintenance of the identity differed due to the relationship with their social and physical environment, but ultimately was the driving force in solidifying their athletic identity.
Most student-athletes grow up as very innocent lads bedecked with tremendous talents and become very promising in sports. Thus, they become rays of hope for their families, neighborhoods, and schools yet to be determined. Like the lamb in William Blake’s poem The Lamb, they are fed “by the stream & o’er the mead; gave…clothing of delight, softest clothing, wooly, bright…making all the vales rejoice.” (Smith 24) Then they are exposed to the life of hard work in which only the fittest survives. This makes them ready for the different challenges in the sports scene.
Society has always had the idea that males should participate in masculine activities and females in feminine activities. These activities define the lifestyle that person would have. It was also believed that if a male was not involved in masculine activities, that male was not a man. Sports is a field that has been dominated by males in the past years, and more recently has had a lot of females take part in it. But does playing a sport define one’s masculinity? Michael Messner, the author of Boyhood, Organized Sports, and the Construction of Masculinities, discusses the effect sports has on upcoming young men of different races. The effect of being introduced to a sport at a young age allowed males of different races to gain a sense of masculinity,
The influence of sports activities on boys’ identity and socialization experience remains a major interest in gender studies today. Michael A. Messner wrote an article called Boyhood, Organized Sports, and the Construction of Masculinities. The article examines the way sports focus and define what it is to be a masculine, studies variation in sports’ influences across social classes, and depicts lessons sports participation impacts for relationships beyond sports. Each area Michael A. Messner examined directly relates to three key concepts of psychology theories. The concepts consist of observational learning (social learning), conformity, and social identity. The research methods in the article are also a major factor contributing to the
Sports play a large part of an athletic student’s life, weighing heavily on one’s identity. In his essay, “Cut”, Bob Greene relays how he and several others are cut from their middle school sports team because “[they weren’t] good enough” (Greene 58). Because of this cut, Greene and his peers end up pushing harder than ever in other areas of their life. He notes, “an inordinately large proportion of successful men share… the memory
When I was accepted into the University of Oklahoma, I was not aware of the tradition or prestige that the football team carried. Moreover, I had no idea about the honor it was to don the crimson and cream in the arena of athletics. And, I never envisioned rooming with them. I enjoyed sports, but I loved reading and writing more. Initially, I was focused on building a collegiate career that one day would propel me to my goal of studying law. Yet, the more time I spent interacting with the athletes, the more parallels I noticed between their personalities and mine. Their diligence, perseverance and compassion were all traits that I could identify with since they were reflective of me. For the most part, the majority of the athletes were hungry to achieve and they desired knowledge at all costs; a combination that still resonates with me today.
As Miller and Wilson revealed, athleticism is not always analogous with success. Willy regarded Biff highly because he observed Biff’s presence and athleticism, and he believed these qualities would result in immediate success. Today many parents associate sports with success and therefore pressure their children to excel in sports. In today’s society it is very rare that fears of discrimination would cause children to not pursue a lucrative career in sports. Both Miller and Wilson knew the impact of sports on family dynamics, and how sports have evolved from a leisure time activity to a full-time commitment. Clearly, many of the qualitative aspects of sports--competition, teamwork and physical dexterity can contribute to being a success in almost any career.
As I became more familiar with my identity, it became obvious that I am not just an aficionado of softball, but that I identify as a softball player, and that my sport constructed my character as a whole. Softball began forming my identity the day I joined a team. From a very young age, I learned how to efficiently manage my time, cooperate well with others, and accept failure; however, many of my peers fail to recognize the impact this sport has made on my life.
Athletes in times of difficulty can be important role models.” This shows that sports are in fact helpful because they can grow children into being important role models for the rest of society. Studies have shown time and time again that playing sports can be beneficial to children and we also believe this to be true. Many people still think that sports cause “too many injuries”, or coaches “are not fair enough”, but adolescents will experience these things all throughout their lives because injury can happen anywhere and they will not always be the best at what they are doing. Sports are beneficial to the youth because they can teach children and teens important life skills, help them maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle, all while improving their mental health.
High school sports are approached with clashing opinions. Some of these opinions are positive, and supportive of athletics. “Athleticism, among many activities, offers teens a physical outlet to exert their troubles, anger, emotions, and other feelings” (Chen 1). This can be observed in nearly all of the football players in Friday Night Lights. This can also be noticed in the world today. “Athletics help high school students understand their own abilities and talents” (Chen 1). This piece of evidence is very accurate when describing high school athletes. Sports can make a high school student humble. As can be seen by the preceding information, high school athletics can have a positive impact on a student’s life.
It goes without saying that a person's gender, racial and social origins influence their participation in sports. Particular races and genders often dominate certain sports. African Americans, for example, tend to dominate football and basketball, while Caucasians tend to dominate ice hockey. The same holds true for gender as well. Football is an entirely male dominated sport, while horseback riding, gymnastics and figure skating are much more female oriented. How and why did these divisions come about? Determining the origin of gender goes beyond the scope of this paper, however one can speculate about how gender classifications and stereotypes affect one's role in the sports arena.
Parents and teachers have preached that getting an education is important since students first entered Kindergarten. Although there is proof that athletes have endured success from both pathways, academics and athletics, it’s the financially safe and most logical choice for a student athlete to solidify his or her future after athletics. Becoming a professional athlete is a high-risk high reward situation but receiving a college education lowers that risk. A college education could potentially increase the knowledge further to enhance their athletic abilities intellectually also (Clary Dec. 13, 2009). Most of the time if the athlete is good enough to go pro it’s likely that they have athletic full–ride scholarships from major college programs. With college expenses the way they are today one might argue that this is a better deal especially if the chance of going pro remains after the athlete graduates from college. After retiring from...
Participation in sports has proven to increase self-discipline and self-esteem, and can teach athletes to learn from their mistakes and move on (Issitt). Athletes playing team sports also develop the ability to work well with others and use teamwork in their everyday lives. Teammates form relationships that are strengthened over a common passion and goal. These relationships can last long after high school is over (Chen). These social skills translate into better communication used with an athlete’s family, peers, and in the community. Likewise, “A 2006 study in Maryland found that student athletes are 15 percent more likely than non athletes to be involved in their communities and to take the time for civic engagements, including participating in voting and volunteer activities” (Issitt). The same study also concluded that athletes are far more likely to be comfortable with public speaking than non-athletes. This study provides concrete evidence that high school sports can help to gain mental and social skills that will be used later in life
“The Effects of Sport Participation on Student-Athletes’ and Non-Athlete Students’ Social Life and Identity.” Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics. College Sport Research Institute. 2010, 3, 176-193. Cosh, Suzanne. Tully, Phillip.
Everyone has a special event that determines our life journey. This event can give us identity, happiness or even pain and sadness. The special event that changed my life was deciding to play basketball because basketball helped me find peace, happiness and gave me identity. When I was ten years old my grandfather succumbed to cancer. His death created hatred inside of me.
College is a fun, exciting and challenging time for young adults. Trying to figure out who you are, what you want to be when you grow up and ultimately how to make it through life can be an overwhelming ordeal. In today's world with social media, movies and the news, student athletes tend to be grouped together and all given the same stereotype. African American males and white males are the most common of these athletes to have to overcome the pressure of society and their stereotypes. These different stereotypes can hinder identity development and academic success.