Final Sports Page

What was your perception of US sport before you took this class?

Before this class I had a fairly good perception of sports. I grew up on the campus of the University of Oklahoma, an extremely big football school, so I have always understood how big of a deal it was to some people. Never have I been able to look at sports the way this class presented it. I was able to a different side of sports, for the paraplegic and Special Olympics athletes, as well as transgendered and homosexual athletes. It really made me think about the United States culture as a whole, and if we can’t be accepting of an athlete on our team merely because their gay, then we have a lot of work to do. My perception of sport in the U.S. was much more watered down than it actually is in reality.

-Has your understanding/perception of US sports culture changed through taking this class? if so, how and why?

Taking this class has changed my perception of US sporting culture in a very serious way. I know understand the ideas behind pride for a team, and the perception it can bring a place. The United States definitely has a large sporting culture, and this class has helped me better grasp what that means. Team loyalty, respect, and pride are all very important to the United States.

-What discussion topics/new facts stood out to you the most? why?

When doing one of the sports pages in regards to the Olympics, I came across the story of the Berlin massacre. That struck me as one of the most concerning things in regards to the sports world. That sport, whether it was a direct indicator of what happened that day or not, was able to help these terrorists with the massacre. I believe it is critical that our countries get together and unite with sport, rather than turn it into an unruly crime scene.

-Will you start to ask more critical questions about the US sports world once you move on from this class?

 I am definitely more critical about the U.S sports already after participating in class and doing research of my own. I think paraplegic and special Olympics should definitely nationally televised and it isn’t fair that it’s not. I will not be as quick to just move along and will definitely look further into the sporting world today.

-Do you think you will be able to use any of the skills learned in this class in your future career? If so, how?

My future career as a clinical psychologist will most likely not involve much sports indefinitely, but I believe I will use the knowledge I’ve gained outside of the work and classroom environment. I can now discuss athletic politics with friends and family, which allows me to think more outside of the box. If my career as a clinical psychologist does not work out, I may very well be able to use this information in a different future career.

-Would you recommend this class to a friend? if so, why/why not?

I would recommend this class to a friend for sure. I think it really offers a diverse view of sports and society today, and in the past. It is definitely a class you should take if you are interested in sports, and most of my friends are. As a student enrolled in the class, I can say that I have learned a lot about how society views different athletes, whether in regards to race, sex, sexual orientation, etc.