Essay Instructions: Outline and paper
Sports observation, incorporating each or the previous weeks' assignments and adding sections on analysis and personal experience.
1. Introduction: What is the field of sociology of sport?
2. What sport did you select and why? Describe it as you did in Week 2.
3. Description of your field observation: Explain why you selected this event, and submit your finalized observation report.
4. Analysis: What did you learn from your experience in field work? What conclusions can you draw about the sport from the sociological point of view?
5. What did you learn from conducting field observation research? What do you think of this as a methodology?
6. Reflect on sports and the field of sociology of sport. Why do people participate in such large numbers and with such fervor? What role does this play in society?
? Reflect on your own experiences (with sports in your own life as a player, fan, or both) and in this assignment.
? What role does this play in your life?
? How does your experience connect you to others who are sports fans and participants?
Assignment that are being referred to:
Weeks 2
American football is a professional sport that was derived from the game of Rugby by Walter Camp in 1879 (Bellis). Walter played football at Yale University where he attended college. He was involved in developing the football rules as we know them today. The rules of football were taken from the sports of Rugby and Soccer. Football has grown into a sport that is widely viewed and attended in the American society. Today, people go to football games at middle schools, high schools, and college stadiums. The college games have become professional games that are attended and viewed through media by millions of fans across the American nation.
The rules that were adopted and changed included; one side, or team, retained the undisputed possession of the ball until that side gives up the ball as a result of violations. The line of scrimmage was also created. The number of team members on the playing field changed from 15 members to 11. Walter created the quarterback and the center positions. The forward pass was also implemented as well as numerical scoring. Walter created the safety, interference, penalties, and the neutral zone. Tackling as low as the knee was permitted starting in 1888. A touchdown increased in value to six points and field goals decreased to three points starting in 1912. The National Football League (NFL) was formed in 1920 for professional college teams.
Football fans today range from about 18-64 in age and are both male and female. They come from all walks of life and are equal mixes of all the races. Most of the fans have been to college. They live in urban and suburban cities. The players are of different races as well. They are male that range in age from 19 to about 50. They have been to college and live in urban areas. A lot of the players have also gone into other businesses as they play football.
Football is a very competitive sport that seems to drive more competition, not only between teams and players, but between fans as well. Fans have their favorite teams that they support from game to game and from season to season. Because football is a professional sport, it is widely covered in media, TV, and radio, etc. When fans cannot go to games, the TV is the media they usually use to watch the game and keep up with the scores of their chosen teams. The more media coverage, the more that competition seems to drive the fans to support their favorite team.
The competition is not just about the teams, it is also driven between players. NFL has a Hall of Fame for the best football players who produce the most winning points in the games (Ormeland, 2012). Players can compete to be accepted in the NFL Hall of Fame by competing for the most points in the games for a given season. The teams also compete to be able to play in the Super Bowl, the last big game of a season.
Football as a social institution has a lot of drive for competition and determination for success. Everyone wants to be successful, both in personal life and business. The determination creates the competition. And, at the same time, the competition drives the determination for success. Football is very exciting when the favorite team is winning. It can be very frustrating when the favorite team is losing. As fans and cheerleaders cheer on the teams, it gives more encouragement to the players to drive harder for determination in winning.
References:
Bellis, M. (n.d.). History of Football. Retrieved from About.com Inventors: http://inventors.about.com/fstartinventions/a/HistoryFootball.htm
Ormeland, B. (2012, July 10). NFL Dynasties and Hall of Famers. Retrieved from Sports Central: http://www.sports-central.org/sports/2012/07/10/nfl_dynasties_and_hall_of_famers.php
This is the observation report:
Setting/environment: Because this assignment took place during the summer and most football teams are still engaged in off-season practice, I elected to watch a football practice of a local, high school team that was preparing for the fall, at the football stadium. The practice began very early in the morning to take advantage of the somewhat cooler air. Water stations and Gatorade containers were set up nearby, to encourage the players to remain properly hydrated.
Participants: There was not many participants that attended. Approximately 20 players on the field. The coaches participated in some of the drills.
Attendees/Fans: Some parents and younger children were there with the players. The coach and several assistants were present and watching , given that this was a practice and school was not yet in session.
Dress/Attire/style: The players came with shoulder pads and other protective gear, ready to ?suit up? into their uniforms. Jerseys and helmets and were on the field without delay. All players wore helmets, but it is hard not to think of the negative press football has received regarding head injuries.
Behaviors Observed: The young men were friendly with one another. Despite the early hour, long before most students would arise in the summer, they seemed eager to play. . Given the extreme heat, the players were clearly exhausted after several bouts of these drills. The coaches seemed to give the players a meaningful look instead of saying good job when players did an outstanding job.
Ambiance/Atmosphere: Although the players were engaged in a game, the practice was clearly treated as a ?sacred space.? Players did not question any of the guidance of the coach or complain, and any resistance was fairly muted, such as eyes being diverted to the ground in weariness. When the players rested during a break, the coach began to give a speech that was clearly designed to inspire the players, talking about the team?s newfound strengths this year and how it was looking forward to besting its past record. The young men were exhorted to work as hard as possible. There was talk about showing respect to others and values, which were linked to making a commitment to working hard at practice. Despite their sweatiness, the young men listened in silence.
Symbols: As soon as the practice uniform and padding was donned, a new identity was symbolically assumed by the players, no one saw age or race. They became a team known as the Riverton Rams.
Other Observations: This bonding has a cost. It excludes girls and non-members of the team. No women were helping out at the practice, and no girls were watching. The sacrifices demanded to play football were clearly masculine in character. And there are physical risks. Given that this was a practice and somewhat controlled, there was no spectacular helmet-crashing but players were clearly willing to push themselves in terms of speed and effort beyond their comfort zones in the name of excellence.
HOPE THIS HELPS LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANYTHING!!
