Coaching Still Lacks Diversity

   Although encouragement of hiring  women there has not been a dramatic growth of either them in professional coaching.  Title IX stimulated women's introduction and participation in sports, a small percentage is involved in coaching. With few women coaching women's sports, they are almost never seen coaching men's sports on the professional or college level.
  There are a wide array of reasons the number of male coaches could significantly outnumber female ones.  One reason offered is that males play a more dominate role in sports because the role the athlete's dad played in their childhood. Often dads are the more athletically driven one in parenthood, that drives their young child to participate in sport.  They grow up coaching them, so when they arrive at the professional level the athlete is used to having the male figure play the coaching role in their life.
  Many assume men are just overall better coaches than women.  Women do not have the same great stats as some men have, but women have had less opportunity to prove their potential as coaches. Usually males are seen as fiercer, more competitive, and have a greater edge that makes them better coaches.  I do not believe this is true.  Women can be just as competitive and driven as their male equivalent.
  Is it possible that fewer women are interested in becoming coaches and aren't drawn to the sidelines?  This I see as a definite possibility. With few women in professional college positions, I could imagine few see this a career option.  I can also imagine its hard to hold a professional coaching positions while being wife and mother. The coaching job is very demanding and requires a large time commitment.  I believe fewer women are interested in making that sort of commitment.  I feel we can do more to bring in women to the coaching world. Although t gender equality has grown significantly with the passage of Title IX there is still a long way to go.

Unfair Advantages

    There is much debate in sports over creating equality of the playing field. Drug testing for steroids, gender testing, age groups all help even out competition in sports. Not much thought however, is given to disabled athletes.  The few leagues that do exist are not given much credit. People that are born with physical disabilities, blind or death, or with mental disabilities have almost no hope of becoming athletic superstars.
    At schools for the blind and deaf they have sporting events for their students to participate in.  These sports are not given much attention by the public.  Rarely do they lead to college university scholarships. I feel many of these students have a lot of potential.  But since they are handicapped, they need more help.  I feel if more attention is given to these athletes many could go somewhere. Just because they are disadvantaged does not mean they are incapable of being champions. Working in the sports field, I would want to work to provide these handicapped children more opportunities. It would bring me great pride to give a child, with lost hope of becoming professional athletes, that hope again.
   Some organizations such as, the Special Olympics, work towards incorporating people with special needs into athletic events.  They want to make dreams for these children possible.  They create acceptance, grow courage, teach teamwork, and build pride in the young athlete.  Not only do they build each child's self-esteem do they construct stronger communities. They involve a diverse group of people and individuals to volunteer and organize the events. Bringing together a multitude of people for a good cause creates lasting friendships and trust.  I think this a great idea and could be modeled for other disciplines of the sporting world. The Special Olympics focus on the true values in sports.  I hope this aspect will widen to more areas of sports because there are many other disabled and disadvantaged athletes who never get the same opportunity to experience these values and all sports have to offer. I want a broader range of athletes capable of participating in the sporting world.

Aggression in Football

Aggression in football is what makes the sport so likable. The combat draws in millions of fans. Its a sport for tough men.  Athletes know it is an aggressive sport going into it.  For this reason, very few girls desire to be apart of it.  When young boys sign up for this sport in high school they are fully aware its physical.  That being said I do not think it is right to compare the people who allow football to be played as equals to those who allow dog fighting.
    Football players enjoy their sport. They have a great passion for it. Take away that passion and they will not be happy. The meaning of life is to live it to the fullest, not the longest.  The football team brings great spirit to schools.  Homecoming is centered around it.  We can alter such a central American theme. Yes, football players may receive some long-lasting injuries. But this is the same case in all sports. There is always a risk for trouble. Cheerleaders, volleyball players, soccer players, anything physical can result injury. We can live our life in fear of what could be.  Football players are glorifies. They enjoy their high role in American culture.

Athletic Scholarships

   I just finished reading John R. Gerdy's article "For True Reform Athletic Scholarships Must Go." I found it very interesting and really got me thinking. I had never before attributed the negative consequences of sports to something as simple as athletic scholarship. The points Gerdy makes, are very clear and make sense, but I think it goes further than athletic scholarship. I feel the real route to the problems in sports are money. By problems I mean doping; fighting among parents, referees, and coaches; lying and cheating.
    From the time a child can walk parents can now have them participate in sports. They want them to grow up and be the next athletic superstar. Parents will not hesitate at the chance to pull their child out of school so they can focus solely on their athletic pursuit. According to http://usa.usembassy.de/sports-youth.htm, in 2003, 58% of boys and 51% of girls in high school played sports. This is an outstanding number. Not all of these student athletes can go on to be professionals, but I am sure almost all of them have dreams of being the best. This has caused the "win at all costs motto" children abide by. This dreams of stardom leads to the crazy parents on the sidelines screaming at their kids and starting fights with rules officials. Is this what sports should be about? Absolutely not!
   I firmly believe sports are great for kids. Its an easy outlet for their built-up energy, builds cognitive skills like problem solving, and teaches dedication. Sports should also be about (which at current times I feel they aren't)  honesty and learning to work together as a team. If every athlete is in it for himself, to win and accept nothing less, they lose these essential values. Setting goals and achieving them builds confidence. Winning is not the problem. Its that poor idea stuck in the kid's mind that if they lose all hell breaks lose that is wrong.
  From the points presented above,  I think too much emphasis is placed on the money aspect of sports. Eliminating athletic scholarships in favor of need-based financial aide is a radical, awesome idea. I feel one of the biggest critics of this idea is that little money will be given to minorities who use sports as an outlet to escape the poor conditions they grow up in. This is where people are wrong. If it is still need-based, the poorer students (many who are of minority status) will still be given financial assistance. The only difference will be academics must come first. If athletes are held to the same standards as the rest of the student body they will grow up knowing they must work hard in high school to go on to play collegiate sports.  These student-athletes who succeed will be more well-rounded because they know how to handle schoolwork and sports.
   The athletic scholarship requires a player to play, be the best no matter the circumstances. Players can miss time on the athletic field or their scholarship could be dropped. This leads to players playing when they are injured and would be better off resting. The athlete believes they are at the school only to play ball and quite frankly when athletic scholarships are given that is their sole purpose.  The stereotypes around jocks assume they have no expectation to make good grades are even have more than minimal intelligence at that.  If colleges switch over to need-based financial aid, athletes will feel they have other options at the school. If they do not like the college coaching tactics, they do not have to play and their financial assistance will not be revoked. I understand this is hard concept for Americans to accept, but I believe the sporting world is in need of a desperate makeover.

The Sports Hero

     Our discussion this week in class about Joe Louis made me give a lot og thought to what we consider a sport's hero.  Is it their dominence on the field or in the arena? Is it what they do for scoiety outside of athletism? I find it hard to admire a person who is not a good person.  Recent scandal with Tiger Woods has created much debate in the athletic world.  He is a world-class golfer. He has won numerous majors more than anyone else. He is a golfing legend. Now debate has errupted over him cheating on his wife with many women.  He just had a baby girl too. I do not considerate this right. As a golfer, before this incident I had a lot of respect for Tiger Woods but now I can't say that I do.
     Another athlete under scrutiny is Lance Armstrong. He has done so much good for the world in terms of cancer research. He has raised millions of dollars and proved that a cancer survivor can accomplish anything. He is a great role model. However, many people our questioning his success because accusations of gene doping. Even if he has I still respect as a person. In my eyes he is a hero.