Sports as a Socialization Tool in Minority Groups

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
Reference

Introduction

The debate about racial dominance in sports has been ongoing for several years. African-Americans, for example, are the dominant racial group in sports like basketball and football. According to Klimowicz (2018), 73.9% of the 2017-2018 NBA roster and 69.7% of the 2016-2017 NFL roaster were made up of African-Americans. However, in the lower leagues, African-Americans represent a relatively smaller percentage. In turn, there have been several studies aimed at understanding why African-Americans dominate specific sports at the professional level. While some might suggest it is genetics, others have suggested that the environment is the most important factor (Klimowicz, 2018), In the current research, it is suggested that environmental factors play a major role in the uptake of sports among minority groups.

Discussion

Arguably, environmental factors such as poverty play a major role in the uptake of sports among minority groups. Klimowicz (2018) indicates that most African-Americans see sports as a way out of poverty rather than a recreational sport. In his comparison of white and black athletes in sports such as basketball, Klimowicz (2018) observes that African-Americans are likely to come from poor backgrounds. In the study, it was revealed that white athletes are likely to come from hometowns where the per capita income is approximately $ 51,759 while African-Americans are likely to come from hometowns where the per capita income is $ 37,495. In terms of people living in poverty, white athletes come from hometowns where 7.6% of the individuals live in poverty while black athletes come from hometowns where approximately 11% of the people live in poverty. In turn, minority groups such as African-Americans see sports as a way of escaping poverty.

Parents from minority groups play an important role in ensuring that their children engage in sports. Because of the association between the environment and childhood behavior, most parents serve to ensure that their children can engage in sports because of developmental concerns (Klimowicz, 2018). This means that parents do not necessarily focus on the future stardom of their children but on their need to escape such environments. At some time in their development, parents can encourage their children to take up sports because of benefits such as college scholarships. The research by Klimowicz (2018) indicates that there is a decrease in the number of African-Americans in College Divisions 1, 2, and 3 because of the changes in scholarship structures. This is because, in Division I, colleges are allowed to offer several athletic scholarships as compared to Division II. In Division III, because scholarships are not permitted, African-American children see little benefits in college sports. In essence, parents are integral when it comes to the increase in the number of children from minority groups who engage in sports.

Youth coaches represent another agent of socialization that encourages children from minority groups to take up different types of sports. According to Klimowicz (2018), youth coaches focus on their status and recognition being associated with emerging talent. Like parents, they believe that playing a role in child development gives them the motivation to pursue long-term goals in sports. They provide structured programs where children from minority groups can engage in different types of sports. For example, Keith Dambrot has an elevated status in the basketball community because he influences Lebron James. Dambrot coached Lebron while he was still in high school and turn, James has acknowledged him as one of the most influential people in his career. In turn, youth coaches enhance skill development among children from minority groups because of the possibility of status elevation.

Accordingly, children from minority groups prefer sports that are less expensive because of their financial limitations. Basketball, track sports, and football represent some of the least expensive sports while ice hockey and skiing are some of the most expensive sports. Klimowicz (2018) observes that basketball requires only a pair of sneakers and a basketball while a pair of cleats is the only necessity in football as all other tools are provided by the teams. Lebron James represents one of the finest examples of why children from minority groups take up basketball because of financial constraints. Born of a teenage mother, James lived in Akron where they moved from apartment to apartment because of poverty (Klimowicz, 2018). He was later on sent to live with a football coach because he showed great interest in basketball. It was his youth coach who provided him with the relevant financial resources to engage in basketball. Overall, it is clear that African-Americans are likely to take up sports that have the lease financial requirements.

Conclusion

In conclusion, environmental factors play a major role in the dominance of African-Americans and other minority groups in sports such as basketball and football. According to the study, parents and youth coaches might be the most important agents of socialization during the development of African-American athletes. Parents push their children to take up sports to escape poverty while coaches engage the children because of the status associated with having coached a future star. Accordingly, African-Americans will take up sports such as basketball and football because of the minimal financial requirements when compared to other sports. Some of these sports require little financial investment and therefore provide an important opportunity for sports engagement.

Reference

Klimowicz, E. J. (2018). Nature or nurture? The concentration of African Americans in specific sports (Publication No. 690) [Doctoral dissertation, Gettysburg College]. Student Publications.

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Sports as a Socialization Tool in Minority Groups

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