Sociology of Sports
Sociology of Sports
Charles Howard
Colorado Technical University Online
SOCL215
03/16/2012
I believe the most useful way to look at sports is to look at it from a Functionalist View and an Interactionist View. I grew up playing sports my whole life. I played organized sports since I was in 6th grade all the way through my senior year of high school.
I believe that sports bring young people together in competition which is also a value lesson in life. The lesson the competition brings is that some people win in life and some people lose in life. With sports you eventually taste defeat and don’t want that taste again so you thrive to be a winner in life. I agree that sports help to maintain people’s physical well-being. By playing sports people get in great shape and don’t become fat and lazy. When you become fat and lazy your physical well-being tends to decline because you don’t feel like doing anything strenuous. Then by becoming fat and lazy your organs start to shut down slowly. Then the individual will start to get diabetes and other health concerns that will eventually lead to death. I do believe sports bring people together to bring a sense of pride to the group. I tend to watch the Olympics every time there is an event on TV. I always root for team USA and cheer them on and when I go to work the next day that’s wall we talk about.
From the Interactionsit View sports do heighten parent-child involvement. I noticed my parents were more proud of me doing well in sports than getting an A on a test. They would acknowledge my good grade but when I told them I got a 99 yard touchdown they seemed more excited over that. People make a lot of friends while playing sports. They tend to build a friendship network because you grow up and compete against these people throughout you high school sports career. I believe these 2 views best represent sports way more than the Conflict View and the Feminist View.
I selected football
Charles Howard
Colorado Technical University Online
SOCL215
03/16/2012
I believe the most useful way to look at sports is to look at it from a Functionalist View and an Interactionist View. I grew up playing sports my whole life. I played organized sports since I was in 6th grade all the way through my senior year of high school.
I believe that sports bring young people together in competition which is also a value lesson in life. The lesson the competition brings is that some people win in life and some people lose in life. With sports you eventually taste defeat and don’t want that taste again so you thrive to be a winner in life. I agree that sports help to maintain people’s physical well-being. By playing sports people get in great shape and don’t become fat and lazy. When you become fat and lazy your physical well-being tends to decline because you don’t feel like doing anything strenuous. Then by becoming fat and lazy your organs start to shut down slowly. Then the individual will start to get diabetes and other health concerns that will eventually lead to death. I do believe sports bring people together to bring a sense of pride to the group. I tend to watch the Olympics every time there is an event on TV. I always root for team USA and cheer them on and when I go to work the next day that’s wall we talk about.
From the Interactionsit View sports do heighten parent-child involvement. I noticed my parents were more proud of me doing well in sports than getting an A on a test. They would acknowledge my good grade but when I told them I got a 99 yard touchdown they seemed more excited over that. People make a lot of friends while playing sports. They tend to build a friendship network because you grow up and compete against these people throughout you high school sports career. I believe these 2 views best represent sports way more than the Conflict View and the Feminist View.
I selected football
References: Hill (September 30, 2008). Whatever happened to the white tailback? Retrieved from http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/080926 Saperecom (2012). History of Football: The Early Years. Retrieved from http://www.historyoffootball.net/history_of_football.html Street and Smith (September 26, 2006). Scarborough Research Date on NFL Fan Demographics. Retrieved from http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2006/09/Issue-11/The-Back-Of-The-Book/Scarborough-Research-Data-On-NFL-Fan-Demographics.aspx Ameriwire (September 27, 2004). American football as a metaphor for American society. Retrieved from http://everything2.com/title/American+football+as+a+metaphor+for+American+society Scott Linesburgh (October 07, 2007). ECHL players have to sacrifice a lot to try to make it to the NHL. Retrieved from http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071007/A_SPORTS04/710070330