Once the cheering stops: The life of a retired pro-athlete

     They are seen everywhere - TV, billboards, and magazines - "they" are professional athletes and contrary to the dream life they live as the media portrays, several athletes face an identity crisis upon leaving their sport. This identity crisis is triggered because athletes must face reality when their time at the top is over and unfortunately, "immaturity, dubious investments, profligate spending, poor financial planning and shotgun marriages," all play a role in a retired athlete's struggle to find a new normal (Wallis, 2012, p. 2). Due to the expendability of players, their careers are generally over before they anticipate and with little plan for the future. Filing for bankruptcy is becoming increasingly popular trend for retired athletes and one study found, "78% of NFL retirees have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress  within two years of their career ending because of joblessness or divorce" (Platt, 2014, 118). Another problem is the increasing number of ex-player suicides. Within a three year span, between 2010-2012, 12 ex-pros committed suicide for reasons that some attribute to excessive head injury resulting in emotional trauma and suicidal tendencies, especially when coupled with social and psychological factors (Tinley, 2012, 2). Those "social" and "psychological" factors are the result of facing the "real" world following a sports career and although cases of suicide are still uncommon enough to shock the public when they occur, the number of former pros dealing with similar issues is endless. In order to understand how athletes struggle with retirement, it is important to look at the power and place sports hold in American society (Tinley, 2012, 1). The American public places professional athletes on one of the highest social pedestals and when a younger, faster, and better athlete comes up, the initially described athletes are forced off that high ground and are sent crashing down to a reality they have never faced. 

     After committing to a time intensive routine of practice, weights, competition and rehabilitation at a young age, most athletes tend to find developing a daily routine after retirement difficult because their schedule is not outlined in detail, leaving them with more time on their hands than they have had at any point of their adulthood (Chadiha, 2012, 4). This is an issue that I have considered at times during my collegiate career because it is hard to imagine a life, or even a week, where my life is not dictated by practice schedules and team meetings. However, due to the student aspect of my student-athlete title, I am creating a plan for my post-graduate life with the hopes that I do not find myself with the problem of too much time on my hands. Another challenge athletes face as they transition from their professional lives to their retired lives is the way they have been "hard-wired;" focusing on one task, dismissing distractions, and quickly forgetting about costly mistakes are all critical components in a competitive athletes game (Chadiha, 2012, 3). However, those characteristics do not generally translate well into the business world where individuals must know how to multi-task, draw information from multiple sources, and make adjustments to past mistakes. Athletes must also adapt how they act and react to certain social situations, which can prove problematic because they were worshiped by the American public for a large portion of their lives (Barker, 2014, 261). I had not thought of this problem as part of the difficulty in transitioning, however I understand why it is common for former players because successful athletes tend to have big egos. 

     Because the majority of these superstar athletes come into a ridiculous amount of money at a young age, they are unaware how to take care of this money and blow it on materialistic items. This problem is amplified when they unknowingly put their earnings in the hands of dirty agents and entrepreneurs who end up stealing or losing the athletes massive amounts of money because they do not know who they can and cannot trust (30 for 30, 2012). It seems unfathomable to me how people can burn through millions of dollars in the blink of an eye, but due to the competitive nature of athletes to be the best and have the best, it seems to make more sense and it is obviously possible. Here, sports are a microcosm of society as players being to make more money than they have ever had before, they tend to spend it to have what is perceived as a better life, and that ultimately ends in their loss and social ruination (30 for 30, 2012). That parallel is easier for me to swallow and it is definitely a concern of mine as I head into self-supporting adulthood and through my education, future career, and proactivity, I plan to avoid that route at all costs. 

Word Count: 783

Reference List

30 for 30. Dir. Billy Corben. Perf. Homer Bush & others. ESPN, 2012. Film.

Barker, D., Barker-Ruchti, N., Rynne, S., & Lee, J. (2014). Moving out of Sports: A Sociocultural        Examination of Olympic Career Transitions.International Journal Of Sports Science & Coaching, 9(2), 255-270.

Chadiha, Jeff. (2012). Life after the NFL is a struggle for many former players. ESPN. p. 1-7.

Platt, L. (2014). Life after the game. Sports Illustrated, 121(1), 116-122. 

Tinley, Scott. (2012). Why did Junior Seau kill himself? Exploring athletes and depression. Sports Illustrated. p. 1-3.

Wallis, D. (2012). Help for Pro Athletes When the Cheering Stops. The New York Times. p. 1-5.

Sport, Politics and the Olympics

     The 1968 Mexico City Olympics were Games of national and international turmoil and have become known for the Tlatelolco student massacre and the "black power salute." Ten days prior to the opening ceremonies, the Mexican army opened fire on a group of about 10,000 students, workers and bystanders, killing about 100, during a peaceful student rally gathered due to the government's recent violent actions (Sellers, 2012). Mexico City's selection in 1963 to host the Games five years later marked the first time in history that the Olympics would be held in a developing country and for that reason, the Mexican military was not going to let anything get in the way of them, not even the lives of its citizens (Brewster, 2010). This is because the Mexican elites hoped that the Games would help project a positive image of the country across the globe, which is an example of a political use of sport in the form of propaganda (Eitzen, 2009, 198). In other words, the ruling elite in Mexico pushed to hold this international competition because they wanted to unite the masses and shed new light on the nation as a whole.
     Six months prior to this massacre, the United States faced the assassination of African-American civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr. During a time of racism in America, this murder generated additional national and international attention and activism (Sellers, 2012). Fighting for the same cause was the founder of the Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR), Harry Edwards, a student-athlete at San Jose State University. OPHR drew national attention to the dangers black collegiate athletes faced, the lack of black collegiate coaches, and the discrimination of blacks in college towns (Murphy, 2008). Tommie Smith and John Carlos were also athletes at SJSU where they ran track and supported Edwards' project. Those two men went on to win gold and bronze, respectively, in the 200-meter sprint at the 1968 Games and while on the podium, they each raised a gloved fist during the Star Spangled Banner in attempt to silently protest treatment of blacks back home (Murphy, 2008). That gesture became known as the "black power salute" and caused the two men to lose their awards due to their disrespect to America, however years later, the men are now recognized as heroes for the bravery of their silent protest on an international stage. This event was indicative of two different types of political uses of sport including sport used as a vehicle for change and the relationship between sport and nationalism. Edwards proposed black American athletes boycott the Olympics in order to raise awareness of the racism present in the US and although this was not a realistic request, that idea inspired Smith and Carlos to carry out their action on the Olympic stage, ultimately using sports as a vehicle for change (Eitzen, 2009, 210). Due to the close relationship between sport and nationalism in which sport is used to unite a nation with pride through the militaristic pageantry, when Smith and Carlos raised their fists, the United States Olympic Committee determined their gesture as disrespectful and punished the athletes, despite their claim that the Olympics are not a political event (Murphy, 2008). 
     These two examples in sports are indicative of the inaccuracy of the claim that sport is pure and devoid of political interference. Although these are two extreme cases in which politics and sports are intertwined with negative repercussions, I believe that sports require some degree of politics in order to exist as a social organization. 

Word Count: 595

Works Cited

Brewster, C. (2010). Changing impressions of mexico for the 1968 games. Bulletin of Latin American Research, 29, 23-45.

Eitzen, D.S & Sage, G.H.  (2009).  Sociology of North American Sport.  Boulder, Paradigm Publishers: Chapter 9: 195-213.

Murphy, A. (2008). John carlos. Sports Illustrated, 109(2), 84-86.

Sellers, Susan. (2012). Remembering the XIX olympiad mexico city 1968. Horse Sport, 45(9), 42-45.

     

China Factor: The Globalization of the NCAA

     In late August 2012, the UCLA men's basketball team went international and played in China against local competition, whom they beat in all three scheduled contests (UCLA Bruins, 2012). There has been a recent push to expand the NCAA globally due to its ability to do so and the benefits of doing so. That ability largely comes from the massive amount of money - nearly $1 billion - the NCAA makes in a year, of which, over 80% comes from the Men's Division I Basketball Tournament (Alesia, 2014). Quite obviously, the NCAA's push for globalization is a refusal to accept limits, which is an aspect of the Sport Ethic, as it promotes schools, conferences and American sports beyond our borders (Hughes & Coakley, 1991, p. 309). The opportunity to travel across the globe is a unique experience that has the potential to set athletes, schools, and conferences apart from others, which is also a dimension of the Sport Ethic due to the desire to strive for distinction (Hughes & Coakley, 1991, p. 309). From experience, I know that certain games are capable of generating a unique eagerness to hit the field, whether it is who we are about to face, what is on the line, or even the very field that we are about to step foot on. It is for this seemingly innate excitement that the UCLA men's basketball team looked forward to their China trip with the hope that it would kickstart their year following a disappointing 2011-2012 season (Katz, 2012). Additionally, giving athletes the chance to immerse themselves in another culture is generally an unforgettable experience that may give rise to new interests and thoughts as well as reflecting well upon the university and organization that made such a trip possible.
     Though the UCLA men's basketball team could have received a cultural experience elsewhere, China was chosen as their destination because basketball is the most popular sport in China (Katz, 2012). For this reason, Chinese teams offer good competition for American teams, as well as a potential tap for new, young talent. Recent trends in collegiate sports, including basketball, have coaches recruiting foreign talent to fill out the best teams possible, and the globalization of basketball has allowed coaches to find high-quality players in minimally exposed places (Winn, 2010). The Pac-12 commissioner also chose China due to the diverse demographic profiles UCLA and other conference schools possess, with the intent to help spread the NCAA outside of the US (Katz, 2012). Essentially what the commissioner did by choosing the recognizable flagship program UCLA men's basketball is, was generate a more diverse crowd overseas containing both alumni and current students, so as to spread popularity internationally. In order to help with this expansion, the commissioner has also made a few important hires including that of a Shanghai-native who now serves as a Pac-12 senior manager (Katz, 2012). This was done in order to help the NCAA in the business realm of the globalization process and I would not be surprised if the UCLA players and staff were taught certain cultural behaviors prior to the trip, as well as being provided with a few translators on the trip to help knock down the language barrier. Each of these assets costs money, however as previously mentioned, the NCAA has a rather deep wallet and the globalization of basketball is proving to be a priority of theirs. 
   Though all of this is being conveyed optimistically, there are certainly consequences of this globalization process. When facing another school, the players are playing for the name on the front of their uniform, however as soon as international borders are crossed, they are now representative of their home nation. This can be problematic because a new degree of emotion is mixed into the game for these young collegiate athletes, so much so that it could lead to violence as was seen when Georgetown's men's basketball team brawled with a Chinese team on Chinese turf (Katz, 2012). That fight was spun positively as a "bonding moment" for the team, but it ultimately reveals another element to the dark-side of this expansion - despite what may seem like bringing two nations together via sport, is actually more about the selfish betterment of the American school, conference and sport (Katz, 2012). As mentioned before, the unique opportunity of traveling outside the country gets people energized, however that excitement can also result in harm to the player due to the heightened feeling of needing to play through pain. For example, three months prior to UCLA's big trip, an incoming freshman had thumb surgery and although the coaches explained that they were not counting on him to make a return in time, they also did not count him out because the surgery was not as serious as anticipated (Katz, 2012). This is indicative of the "accept risks and play through pain" mentality that is an omnipresent dimension of the Sport Ethic (Hughes & Coakley, 1991, p. 308). With all of this in mind, it will be interesting to watch the globalization of NCAA basketball, as well as other sports, and the problems that may arise.

Word Count:  856

Works Cited

     
Alesia, M. (2014, March 27). NCAA approaching $1 billion per year amid challenges by players. Retrieved September 10, 2014.


Hughes, Robert, and Jay Coakley. (1991). Positive Deviance Among Athletes: The Implications of       Overconformity to the Sport Ethic. Sociology of Sport Journal, 8, 307-12. 

Katz, Andy. (2012). Trip to China Will Jump-start UCLA's Season. ESPN.

UCLA Bruins Official Athletic Site. (2012, August 29). Retrieved September 10, 2014.

Winn, L. (2010). The Luxury Imports Are Here. Sports Illustrated, 112(9), 58-61

Sport, Society, & Me

     I grew up on sports - watching, playing, and dreaming. What started as a group of four years olds following around black and white ball developed into a lifestyle centered around hitting a yellow ball as hard and as far as possible. Upon entering my double-digit years, I decided that softball was the sport for me and to this day it has not let me go. My eldest sister was and still is the most influential person in my athletic career as she is the one who initially sparked my interest in the sport and developed that spark into a full-fledged, fiery passion for the game. As I got older and more competitive, softball began to root itself deeper and deeper into my life by means of taking over my time, social group, and career interests. It went so far as to control my decision of which university I would attend and it was at this point that I experienced the greatest barrier of my athletic career. Growing up I was called a "tomboy" for playing sports and "unimpressive" for playing the feminized version of baseball, but the task of finding how and where I would continue to play the sport I love was by far the most challenging obstacle of all. I was constantly told that I was "too skinny," "not strong enough," "not fast enough," essentially, not good enough, to play at the competitive Division 1 collegiate level. Though at times that knocked me down, it ultimately fueled my fire and paid off with a spot on Pacific's softball team.
     It was not until I reached college that I realized how much more there is to life than softball and sport and it was at that point that softball no longer played the most prominent role in my life. Entering my collegiate career may seem like the wrong time for that realization to take place, but I actually found it to ground me personally as I became more open to meaningful relationships and in a greater pursuit of my future, as well as connected to my game in a whole new way. Now I use softball as more of an outlet, an escape from academic and personal stress, whereas in high school it was just the opposite due to the multitude of stresses generated from softball. More generally, my love and interest in sports as a whole have led me to pursue an undergraduate degree in Sport Medicine and a career in physical therapy or some other profession involving athletes.
     Sport clearly plays a large role in my life and it is due in part to the positive image shed on the sporting world during my upbringing. However, with age I have started to develop a greater understanding of the negative role sport plays in US society in terms of exploitation, cheating and general selfishness. I was always taught to be a team player, act courteous to all players, respect my elders and the game, dedicate myself, and above all - have fun. But in order to succeed at higher levels, an athlete in most cases is forced to put oneself ahead of the team, treat the opponent as the enemy, and handle the game as a job. Due to the pervasive manner of sport, it is no surprise how large a role it plays in American society, but it is surprising, to me at least, how omnipresent its "dark side" is, which takes away from the self-fulfillment, excitement and pure joy of sport, while uncovering the paradoxes of sport (Eitzen, 2006, pg. 4-6). With that said, I still believe that sport is of critical importance in American society because it has the potential to offer a multidimensional outlet from everyday life and social standing, an outline for the youth's character, and a sense of belonging. Additionally, sports introduce children to the importance of exercise and health and in organized sports, the requirement of a pre-participatory physical examination gives families more knowledge of their child(ren)'s current health status, which may prevent future injuries (Headlee, 2014, pg. 277).
     Currently, athletes hold an important position in society due to how highly publicized sports are. Male athletes, especially those who play football, basketball, baseball, or hockey, collegiately and professionally, garner the greatest value and respect of the American public, which is made blatantly obvious through the massive amount of media coverage they receive. However, sociologists recommend that individuals critically examine all social arrangements that sports encompass so that they may reevaluate their perception of sport (Eitzen, 2006, pg. 5). That examination includes the myths, stereotypes, media claims and paradoxes that surround sports and due to this recommendation, I am going to challenge myself to see sports differently so that I might develop new attitudes.

Word Count: 792

Reference List

Eitzen, D.S  (2006).  Fair and Foul: Beyond the Myths and Paradoxes of Sport (2^nd Ed.).  Oxford,      Rowman & Littlefield: Chapter 1

Headlee, D., Nord, W., & Huntington, M. (2014). Preparticipation physical evaluations in youth sports: a systematic review of current recommendations. South Dakota Medicine: The Journal Of The South Dakota State Medical Association, 67(7), 273-277.