Sport and Politics

Tucker Schmidt

          In class on February 26, 2015, we discussed political involvement in sport. Throughout this section, we were able to define politics, government, and globalization. Politics can be defined as a social process through which individuals and groups acquire, exercise, and maintain power over others. Another segment of this topic that we went over was protests. A perfect example was when Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists at the podium to stand up for the African-American population. This was important because African-Americans were looked down on and they had been poorly treated for years. Activism is a big part of this section, as people stand up for what they believe in and take action for their beliefs. These are just a few of the reasons why politics in sport is a major topic.

          Donna de Varona was an American Olympic swimmer who was named the world's top female athlete in 1964. She also is known as the person who broke the gender barrier in sport broadcasting when she became a broadcaster for "Wide World of Sports" for ABC. When she became a broadcaster, Donna de Varona became an activist in many ways. One thing that she did was that she convinced Roone Arledge to hire more African-Americans to become commentators for ABC. She also took action when she noticed several things wrong with the Olympics in 1972. She urged Congress to change amateur sports in the United States. She even worked for the Senate and created an Olympic sport structure. Along with Suzy Chaffee and Billie Jean King, the Women's Sports Foundation was founded. She also helped with the Special Olympics. Donna de Varona has made several great contributions to sport. This article makes sense for this class because it deals with political issues and activism.

Link: http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2015/03/02/Champions/Donna-de-Varona.aspx?hl=donna%20de%20varona&sc=0

Sport and Education

Tucker Schmidt

            In class on February 19, 2015, we discussed sport and education. One of the arguments that we discussed was sports having an impact on education. Some of the arguments against school sports include the creation of pressure and distraction of attention from academics. Another reason why people do not allow their children to participate in school sports is because of the price. In the United States, 43 of the 50 states require students to pay to be involved in school sports. The reasons for include enhancing fitness and lifetime participation and the development of value skills. Other positives about letting students get involved in school sports is that it is an opportunity for the students to be noticed and to be taken seriously as human beings. While there are many positives to students participating in school sports, there are also many reasons why students should not participate.

            There is an argument over how athletics impact education. One problem that is discussed is time management. Student athletes have reported that they have insufficient amount of time to complete various assignments and to study for examinations. Also, the teams may have to travel, so this causes the students some stress due to the fact that they will be missing classes. On the other hand, some students feel that the limited amount of time they have to complete their assignments gives them the urge to complete their work. A study also showed that students who are involved in athletics are able to do better academically due to their better concentration and higher self-esteem. Another study shows that students who have both academic and athletic success tend to come from wealthy areas. Gender also plays a big impact as well. According to the California Department of Education, girls athletic teams tended to have higher grade point averages compared to boys' teams. This article makes sense for this class, as athletics have a major effect on education.

Link: http://www.livestrong.com/article/540517-does-participation-in-sports-negatively-affect-academics/

Youth Sport

Tucker Schmidt

            In class on February 17, we discussed multiple reasons why children are quitting sports. Some of the reasons that children quit sports include negative coaches and negative parents. Other reasons why these children choose to quit is that youth sport puts a lot of pressure on these individuals to achieve success and there is an overemphasis on winning. It is reported that 1/3 of all children who participate in youth sport dropout each year. Approximately 70% of children quit youth sport by the time they are 13 years old. One other factor that also the affects youth sport is the cost. The cost to participate in youth sport is rising, and parents think it may be best for their children to quit youth sport. The costs don’t only affect the children, but they affect the parents as well. Some parents may become negative due to the amount of money they are spending for their children to participate in youth sport. While there are many positives for children participating in youth sport, the rising costs play a negative impact.

            John Amaechi, Mike Trombley, and Travis Dorsch are three former professional athletes that came from different backgrounds. Amaechi was a rugby player who played basketball for the first time when he was 17 only to eventually become an NBA player. Mike Trombley was a quarterback and a pitcher who made the Duke baseball team without the benefit of an athletic scholarship and eventually became a pitcher in Major League Baseball. Travis Dorsch was a soccer player who played football after a friend suggested the idea to him. Dorsch eventually became an NFL kicker. Throughout this article, all three athletes, Steve Clarkson, Bob Bigelow, and Mark Hyman all explain how youth sport has changed and they offer opinions on youth sport. According to Travis Dorsch, a family will spend approximately 10.5 percent of their gross income on their children’s participation in youth sports each year. Mark Hyman, a professor at George Washington University, stated that parents feel that the money they are spending on their children will eventually lead to an athletic scholarship. Hyman also explained that there is a small percentage of high school athletes who end up playing collegiately. He feels that it more important for parents to spend their money on education and athletics. This article makes sense for this class, as it relates to the negative effects of participating in youth sport.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/17/your-money/rising-costs-of-youth-sports.html?_r=0