American football and masculinity go hand in hand. Young boys are taught from the very beginning of their childhood that tough men play football. Typically the coaches sending the messages about manliness and teaching them how to play football are commonly men themselves. A common belief is that it takes a man to raise a man. However, for Calvin Coolidge High in Washington DC their head football coach is female. Natalie Randolph has undertaken the responsibility to teach high school boys not only how to play football but to help them become men on and off the field.
So why has it taken so long for a woman to become a head football coach and why is it such a big and surprising story. Coach Randolph along with many other women in the popluation have just as much experience and knowledge in football as well as coaching experience as their male counterparts. Males coach female sports and it is not uncommon. Are males capable of teaching females how to be athletes and women any better than female coaches can teach males? Gender should not play a role in jobs other than coaching, if a person is qualified for the position they should receive that position and coaching should not be any different. Maybe females have not necesarily taken the steps to push to become football coaches but if women have the desire to coach a sport dominated by males they should learn from Natalie Randolph and push for the jobs they want regardless of socieites idea about gender and coaching. Women are capable but are enough willing to help change the tide and make female football coaches more common?
Marc R.
kin 338
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Divisions in Society
Why is it that as an American society certain type of divisions or groups are created? These different types of divisions create ideologies or acceptable ways that a person needs to look like or act. It also creates a hierarchical system where one group will be more dominant and have more control than the other.
For example, there is a division between people that are thin, fit, and slim and people that are obese or overweight. What does society think about the people who are thin? Society creates these ideas that make thin, slim, and fit people more acceptable. We see this in the magazines, TV, commercials, the mass media, where thin, slim, and fit bodies come out all the time to sell the image and the product. For instance, when are we going to see an overweight man on commercial selling Polo underwear? Most likely we will not because they will not look good and will not sell the product. Who knows?
Also thin, slim, and fit people are perceived as being healthy. It makes people think that in order for them to be healthy they need to have this thin, slim, and fit body. Like we discussed in the women in sport class, these ideas create what’s called fat phobia, the fear of being fat, obese, or overweight. This makes people go to extreme limits to fit these norms in whatever possible way. In either way this creates stress on that person because they can’t meet the criteria of that perfect body image.
So if we see an overweight person, assumptions are already made that this person is lazy, and that they don't care about their bodies. We make the assumption that an overweight person cannot run because he is too heavy, he is not athletic enough. In one of the articles discussed in class, “Unbearable Lessons: Contesting Fat Phobia in Physical Education” it mentions that these obese and overweight bodies lack the discipline and control over their bodies. This is not true; it’s a matter of shaping the body in the way you want it to perform through practice, conditioning, and dedication.
Overall, the way I see it is that if these divisions or groups in society continue to exist there is always going to be that group that would be seen as greater or more important than the other. Then again creating this hierarchical system and this makes it hard for people who go out of the norm to not be seen differently. It becomes hard for that person that steps out of the box because they will be criticized. Also, there are more divisions in society such as gender, racial, and sexual preference that we also need to think about. So the question is what can we do to eliminate or change these ideas?
Andres A.
Kin 338I t/th 9:30
For example, there is a division between people that are thin, fit, and slim and people that are obese or overweight. What does society think about the people who are thin? Society creates these ideas that make thin, slim, and fit people more acceptable. We see this in the magazines, TV, commercials, the mass media, where thin, slim, and fit bodies come out all the time to sell the image and the product. For instance, when are we going to see an overweight man on commercial selling Polo underwear? Most likely we will not because they will not look good and will not sell the product. Who knows?
Also thin, slim, and fit people are perceived as being healthy. It makes people think that in order for them to be healthy they need to have this thin, slim, and fit body. Like we discussed in the women in sport class, these ideas create what’s called fat phobia, the fear of being fat, obese, or overweight. This makes people go to extreme limits to fit these norms in whatever possible way. In either way this creates stress on that person because they can’t meet the criteria of that perfect body image.
So if we see an overweight person, assumptions are already made that this person is lazy, and that they don't care about their bodies. We make the assumption that an overweight person cannot run because he is too heavy, he is not athletic enough. In one of the articles discussed in class, “Unbearable Lessons: Contesting Fat Phobia in Physical Education” it mentions that these obese and overweight bodies lack the discipline and control over their bodies. This is not true; it’s a matter of shaping the body in the way you want it to perform through practice, conditioning, and dedication.
Overall, the way I see it is that if these divisions or groups in society continue to exist there is always going to be that group that would be seen as greater or more important than the other. Then again creating this hierarchical system and this makes it hard for people who go out of the norm to not be seen differently. It becomes hard for that person that steps out of the box because they will be criticized. Also, there are more divisions in society such as gender, racial, and sexual preference that we also need to think about. So the question is what can we do to eliminate or change these ideas?
Andres A.
Kin 338I t/th 9:30
Natalie Randolph...The Chosen One
About three weeks ago I was watching ESPN after I had gotten home from our Women in Sports class, and coincidentally, ESPN Outside the Lines did a piece on Natalie Randolph. Natalie just so happens to be the first woman to coach football at the high school level. She applied for the position after the coaching position opened up. In the interview, Calvin Coolidge Senior High School principal admits that she didn't consider Natalie for the position when she saw her name but once she interviewed her and saw her proposal, she knew she would be the one. What was appealing about her was the fact the she gave more importance to school than to the game of football, something that most coaches overlook. Coach Randolph says that she wants to change the world and hopes to be the best at what she does.
I feel that Natalie is doing a great thing for the sports world whether you are male or female. I personally find her story to be inspiring primaraily because I coach as well and I like how she is breaking down barriers. I admire the fact that she is a woman doing it in a "man's sport" but also for what she stands for. She is completely focused on changing the norm in school athletics by putting a priority on academics rather than on the sport. She has also pushed on even though people are doubting her. Some of the schools players transfered to a different high school when she got hired but that did not turn her away. Because of what Natalie is doing, pretty soon we will start to see more women coach men's sport. It will probably have to start at the high school level but and maybe one day at the professoinal level.
Shusaku Isagawa
KIN 338
t-th 9:30-10:45
I feel that Natalie is doing a great thing for the sports world whether you are male or female. I personally find her story to be inspiring primaraily because I coach as well and I like how she is breaking down barriers. I admire the fact that she is a woman doing it in a "man's sport" but also for what she stands for. She is completely focused on changing the norm in school athletics by putting a priority on academics rather than on the sport. She has also pushed on even though people are doubting her. Some of the schools players transfered to a different high school when she got hired but that did not turn her away. Because of what Natalie is doing, pretty soon we will start to see more women coach men's sport. It will probably have to start at the high school level but and maybe one day at the professoinal level.
Shusaku Isagawa
KIN 338
t-th 9:30-10:45
"Improving women's basketball"
Cindy Yorba
KIN 338I
t/th
9:30am- 10:45am
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/columns/story?columnist=voepel_mechelle&id=5662243
This article covers a lot of what we have discussed in class. It mentions how little coverage women basketball receives in comparison to men, particularly for the association FIBA. FIBA is trying to figure out ways to make get more coverage and more fans. They are proposing getting new uniforms. They want to make the players look more like "women", therefore trying to feminize the sport. They also want to lower the rim so that the women can dunk more; in theory, more people will become interested because dunking seems to be very popular and desirable.
All these things have a common theme, the women are being pressured to play for others instead of themselves. The women are being pressured to get more fans, instead of being motivated to train. They are changing their uniforms to be more appealing to others, instead of feeling good about themselves in their current uniforms. They are also going to have to change their shooting techniques if the rim is lowered. Its evident that FIBA wants to make profit off these women, and are less worried about having these women play a sport that they love.
KIN 338I
t/th
9:30am- 10:45am
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/columns/story?columnist=voepel_mechelle&id=5662243
This article covers a lot of what we have discussed in class. It mentions how little coverage women basketball receives in comparison to men, particularly for the association FIBA. FIBA is trying to figure out ways to make get more coverage and more fans. They are proposing getting new uniforms. They want to make the players look more like "women", therefore trying to feminize the sport. They also want to lower the rim so that the women can dunk more; in theory, more people will become interested because dunking seems to be very popular and desirable.
All these things have a common theme, the women are being pressured to play for others instead of themselves. The women are being pressured to get more fans, instead of being motivated to train. They are changing their uniforms to be more appealing to others, instead of feeling good about themselves in their current uniforms. They are also going to have to change their shooting techniques if the rim is lowered. Its evident that FIBA wants to make profit off these women, and are less worried about having these women play a sport that they love.
The Use of "Octagon Girls" in UFC
Cindy Yorba
KIN 338I
Tue&Thur.
9:30am-10:45am
I found it very interesting that women are being used to sell tickets to men sports. These women prance around in bikini for the simple viewing pleasure of the spectators. Her body is described as fit and sexy, her body image is very much liked and preferred. It made me wonder if men would still want her to pose for them as an Octagon Girl if she was much more muscular or if she was fit but not "physically attractive".
Should women be involve in this type of work? UFC is about mixed martial arts, but some how womens bodies were introduced to the sport and used a marketing tool. UFC is going to help her out financially for her fitness ideas, which is great. But it is obvious that they are using her for money. This woman's participation in Playboy is going to bring UFC fans up and people will soon tune in just to watch the Octagon/ Playboy beauty walk around the ring.
Women Coaching
After reading "She Is The One", it is very evident that women can coach just as well, and if not better than male coaches. This reading was a huge eye opener for me and i would think it did the same for the other classmates as well. To judge and say that women cannot coach a men's team is just selfish. Throughout history women have proven that they have just as much knowing in sports as men. In this reading, a great point is proven as a women's coach does a very good job in a lead head coaching position for mens football. I admire Natalie Randolph in this reading very much as she had to prove herself that she could do just as good of a job as that of a man, and she did. Readings such as "She Is The One" and Natalie Randolph's story i believe can be a very big benefit to women and their place in sport. I think that society should think more about what is best for sport instead of constantly believing that coaching a men's team is strictly for men, the story of Natalie Randolph would seriously make them reconsider their view on women coaching men's sports
Corey Nagle
Kin 338i t/th
9:30-10:45
Corey Nagle
Kin 338i t/th
9:30-10:45
Women Coaching Male Sports...
I totally think it is ok for a woman to coach a male sport. i mean what is the difference? is it because she is female and she may not know as much as the male? or is it because men are just to embarrassed to accept the idea/fact that a woman can just as easily coach a male sport, such as football. I think our world is so wrapped up into what life should be, and people portrayed it in the past and how they may portray it now that we take the time out to observe how much the world is changing infront of us. Things are never going to be the same. so we must now sit down and take note of the changes occurring and accept them, which include women coaching male sports and women even participating in male sports.
JM,KIN 3381, section 01
JM,KIN 3381, section 01
Coach Randolph!!!
When we think of a typical high school football head coaches, we think of old Caucasian man right away. But in the article “She is the one”; an African American woman by the name of Natalie Randolph was hired as a head coach of a high school football team.
There are plenty of women out there are well qualified to coach a team, but they were being passed on by white male, because school administrator still cannot see how a woman can run and coach a team of men. And for the first time, it was nice to see that there are now people out there that will actually look at what the person has to offer, rather than looking at their gender or race. This is a great breakthrough in women in sports. And hopefully this will bring attention to many of us, that male are not the only one that should be allowed to coach a male’s sport team. I just hope that Coach Randolph will have a very successful season this year, so that those people who have decided to hire her will not think that they made a bad decision.
GO COACH RANDOLPH!!!
- Arbhie Guce
-332i
-t/th 930-1045
There are plenty of women out there are well qualified to coach a team, but they were being passed on by white male, because school administrator still cannot see how a woman can run and coach a team of men. And for the first time, it was nice to see that there are now people out there that will actually look at what the person has to offer, rather than looking at their gender or race. This is a great breakthrough in women in sports. And hopefully this will bring attention to many of us, that male are not the only one that should be allowed to coach a male’s sport team. I just hope that Coach Randolph will have a very successful season this year, so that those people who have decided to hire her will not think that they made a bad decision.
GO COACH RANDOLPH!!!
- Arbhie Guce
-332i
-t/th 930-1045
Reality!
Before this class I didn't realize the disadvantages women had faced in sport and education and how Title IX changed all of that. I really didn't know that existed. I did know women struggled for equality. I grew up participating in many things. I even played T-ball with the boys in 1985. Never did I once get treated differently in high school because I ran cross country and track or swam on the swim team. To this day, I can't even think an incident that would involve a female playing a sport. I may have not notice if there was anything of that nature occurring at my school.
In the few weeks in this class I've learned that women and girls have struggled for fairness in athletics and still do. Men are still coaching women's sport, which I read about one that was forced to coach a female's soccer team in New York but had no interest to do so. He wanted to coach male's soccer instead. This is happening a lot and female's are not getting the opportunity they deserve to participate in sports and in coaching. There's still more money going into a male's athletic team over a female's athletic team.
I think what made me realize everything is the one reading was, "Just Do...What? Sport, Bodies and Gender", this had a major effect. The talk of how men are mostly coaching female and male athletics, which is causing injuries to female athletes due to them, being encouraged to continue when injured. I never realized the risk of injury until I got involved in athletics at OCC. In high school there wasn't much information put out on injuries and prevention and how to take care of an injury if one was sustained. We did have male coaches. It’s amazing what we learn in life and still learn even when we didn't realize what was going on in that particular moment of our lives but down the road we do.
In the few weeks in this class I've learned that women and girls have struggled for fairness in athletics and still do. Men are still coaching women's sport, which I read about one that was forced to coach a female's soccer team in New York but had no interest to do so. He wanted to coach male's soccer instead. This is happening a lot and female's are not getting the opportunity they deserve to participate in sports and in coaching. There's still more money going into a male's athletic team over a female's athletic team.
I think what made me realize everything is the one reading was, "Just Do...What? Sport, Bodies and Gender", this had a major effect. The talk of how men are mostly coaching female and male athletics, which is causing injuries to female athletes due to them, being encouraged to continue when injured. I never realized the risk of injury until I got involved in athletics at OCC. In high school there wasn't much information put out on injuries and prevention and how to take care of an injury if one was sustained. We did have male coaches. It’s amazing what we learn in life and still learn even when we didn't realize what was going on in that particular moment of our lives but down the road we do.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Women Coaches
In the article "She's the one", it is pointed out that Natalie Randolph is a female has nothing to do with her ability to coach high school football. I completely agree with this. The administrators picked who they thought was best for the job and male should not be one of the requirements to be a football coach. The one thing I might argue is that she has never played on a high school football team. I did not notice until I reached high school that it really makes a difference whether your coach has actually played at the level you are playing at. My coaches prior to high school would tell me how long they watched the sport but you really need to have been out there on the field to understand how the game is played. At least Randolph played semipro women's football. She may not know exactly what goes on in a guy's head but she has been on the field.
Hopefully this will be a big step for women who are coaching other sports as well. We have discussed that women are often passed up for coach's positions and now maybe people will realize that there is no reason to pick someone based on gender. I am a girls soccer coach at a high school and have never though about women being passed over in coaching jobs. Even though I am the only female on the coaching staff for soccer there have been women coaches before me. I recently heard about women coaches not being taken seriously in one of the local soccer clubs and it was my first experience with the issue. I do not want to continue to come across this issue. Hopefully people will not look at the fact that Randolph lost her first game and will instead focus on all the other things that make her qualified for the job.
Samantha H.
Kin 338I S6
Hopefully this will be a big step for women who are coaching other sports as well. We have discussed that women are often passed up for coach's positions and now maybe people will realize that there is no reason to pick someone based on gender. I am a girls soccer coach at a high school and have never though about women being passed over in coaching jobs. Even though I am the only female on the coaching staff for soccer there have been women coaches before me. I recently heard about women coaches not being taken seriously in one of the local soccer clubs and it was my first experience with the issue. I do not want to continue to come across this issue. Hopefully people will not look at the fact that Randolph lost her first game and will instead focus on all the other things that make her qualified for the job.
Samantha H.
Kin 338I S6
Is Cheerleading Dangerous?
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/22/eveningnews/main613227.shtml?tag=mncol;lst;2
Is cheerleading too dangerous? Over the years cheerleading has gotten more and more competitive. This means that their moves and stunts have got to be bigger and better, and unfortunately, more dangerous to win and be the best. “Cheerleaders today are as competitive as the teams on the playing fields,” said a CBS News Correspondent.
Having once being a high school cheerleader, I have seen how each year stunts get more creative, different, intense, and dangerous. Just one wrong move can cause you, or even all the girls in the stunt, major injuries. In the CBS News article it mentioned how “…just months into her freshman year, the stunt went wrong at practice and Rechelle became the second cheerleader this year left paralyzed.” In my four years of cheerleading I have seen ambulances take girls away on three separate occasions, and I personally had my jaw dislocated from stunts gone wrong. The article also mentioned “In girls' sports, more than half of the catastrophic injuries - those causing paralysis or death - are happening on the sidelines, in cheerleading accidents.” As competitive cheerleading progresses so does the intensity and danger.
The safety of the girls and responsibility of properly teaching these stunts lies with the coach. Unfortunately the dangerous moves are often taught and supervised by people who do not fully understand or are not qualified. The CBS News article quoted how, “In professional gyms, coaches are specialists. In schools, the coach might be doing double duty as the math teacher.” The most important position in high school cheerleading is the coach, because the girls’ safety ultimately lies in that person’s hands since they teach, choreograph, and allow the dangerous moves causing injuries.
-Bree Torres
Kin 338i t/th
9:30-10:45
Is cheerleading too dangerous? Over the years cheerleading has gotten more and more competitive. This means that their moves and stunts have got to be bigger and better, and unfortunately, more dangerous to win and be the best. “Cheerleaders today are as competitive as the teams on the playing fields,” said a CBS News Correspondent.
Having once being a high school cheerleader, I have seen how each year stunts get more creative, different, intense, and dangerous. Just one wrong move can cause you, or even all the girls in the stunt, major injuries. In the CBS News article it mentioned how “…just months into her freshman year, the stunt went wrong at practice and Rechelle became the second cheerleader this year left paralyzed.” In my four years of cheerleading I have seen ambulances take girls away on three separate occasions, and I personally had my jaw dislocated from stunts gone wrong. The article also mentioned “In girls' sports, more than half of the catastrophic injuries - those causing paralysis or death - are happening on the sidelines, in cheerleading accidents.” As competitive cheerleading progresses so does the intensity and danger.
The safety of the girls and responsibility of properly teaching these stunts lies with the coach. Unfortunately the dangerous moves are often taught and supervised by people who do not fully understand or are not qualified. The CBS News article quoted how, “In professional gyms, coaches are specialists. In schools, the coach might be doing double duty as the math teacher.” The most important position in high school cheerleading is the coach, because the girls’ safety ultimately lies in that person’s hands since they teach, choreograph, and allow the dangerous moves causing injuries.
-Bree Torres
Kin 338i t/th
9:30-10:45
Running in the Dark
It's 5:30pm and I feel myself scrambling to get out of work as quickly as possible because I want to go on a run. Why would I be scrambling to leave work where I "run around" to go on a run? Well, this is the sad part of being a women in todays society. In actuality I would love to go home and relax for a little while before working out, however this is not an option for me due to the fact that I work in Laguna Beach and it takes me at least thirty minutes to get home. As I'm driving down Pacific Coast Highway at 6 o'clock, I am watching the sun quickly slip behind the horizon and the sky is getting a bit darker every second. I now know that if I wish to continue with my plan to go on a run I will need a partner. I called my boyfriend and he was more than happy to join me on my run, however it made me think how unfair it is that just because I am a women I dont feel safe "running in the dark." I dont think that every women thinks like this, but because of the stories I have heard its just not worth risking my saftey.
Jessica D.
KIN 338I. S6. T/Th 9:30
Jessica D.
KIN 338I. S6. T/Th 9:30
Inequality in Athletics
"Cal-Berkeley Cuts 5 Athletic Programs"
Published: September 28, 2010
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/sports/29cal.html?_r=2
It is clear that college Football means more to Berkeley than other popular sports and academic programs. In this article it is clear to spot this inequality. Baseball and men's Rugby along with five other sports programs were cut in September 2010 when the football budget was slowly increasing in 2008-2009 year. Due to placing eighth in the Director's cup last year, Berkeley has shown incredible financial support just by protecting them from a monetary cut. Only the top 14 athletic football programs made money last year and that number is decreasing at a steady rate. Berkeley obviously wants to keep their team in those top statistics to make money at the expense of other important athletic teams. Students who were in these teams may have some help from the university administrators who are honoring previous scholarships and helping with transfers but it will still vastly affect their athletic and academic career. College football is an important aspect of the college experience and can help the college but inequality is unacceptable when they are not accounting for the recession. If Berkeley's football team ends up placing 20th in the coming years and the revenue they bring in diminishes, those teams that will have been cut in vain.
-Kathleen C.
KIN 338I Sec 01, T/TH 930-1045
Published: September 28, 2010
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/sports/29cal.html?_r=2
It is clear that college Football means more to Berkeley than other popular sports and academic programs. In this article it is clear to spot this inequality. Baseball and men's Rugby along with five other sports programs were cut in September 2010 when the football budget was slowly increasing in 2008-2009 year. Due to placing eighth in the Director's cup last year, Berkeley has shown incredible financial support just by protecting them from a monetary cut. Only the top 14 athletic football programs made money last year and that number is decreasing at a steady rate. Berkeley obviously wants to keep their team in those top statistics to make money at the expense of other important athletic teams. Students who were in these teams may have some help from the university administrators who are honoring previous scholarships and helping with transfers but it will still vastly affect their athletic and academic career. College football is an important aspect of the college experience and can help the college but inequality is unacceptable when they are not accounting for the recession. If Berkeley's football team ends up placing 20th in the coming years and the revenue they bring in diminishes, those teams that will have been cut in vain.
-Kathleen C.
KIN 338I Sec 01, T/TH 930-1045
all women need to have access to exercise
Cindy Y.
Section: Kin338I. Tue&thur 9:30-10:45am. CSULB
I started teaching aerobics for the city of Hawaiian Gardens about 3 months ago. My participants are amazing! They are mostly also mothers (old and young), immigrants, only spanish speakers, and dedicated. My classes are offered 8 times per week, and they are completely free. My classes also come with free child care, every single class. I also have instructions in english and spanish so that everyone can understand and be comfortable. It really brightens up my heart to see these women participating in something that is so healthy for them.
We have discussed in class that those who are "white" usually get priorities that many other people do not. They usually have access to sports and exercising gyms, especially if they have the financial abilities. Many of these ladies are immigrants, and some have shared with me their hard journeys to America; they have sacrificed alot for their children to be American citizens.We also discuss girls in youth sports and college sports, but what about the grown women?
I have women who come to every single class, which means they exercise 8 hours per week. they also take advantage of the weight classes that are offered twice a week, and the gym. Alot of these ladies would not be able to do any of this without the resources they have at the city hall. My class if free and has free child care; there isnt any excessive paperwork to get done or regulations. Its fast, easy, and fun. If I didn't have childcare available for them, most of the ladies would not be able to participate; many of them can not afford babysitters and many of them do not have relatives who could help them out with babysitting.
I feel that free programs as mine should be offered in every city and every recreational park. These women are dedicated, strong, and hard workers. It is really admiring how these women come day after day to exercise and make themselves healthy. I can not help but wonder what these ladies would be doing every night if these programs did not exist. Everyone should have free resources in respect to exercise and sport, along with free child care.
Section: Kin338I. Tue&thur 9:30-10:45am. CSULB
I started teaching aerobics for the city of Hawaiian Gardens about 3 months ago. My participants are amazing! They are mostly also mothers (old and young), immigrants, only spanish speakers, and dedicated. My classes are offered 8 times per week, and they are completely free. My classes also come with free child care, every single class. I also have instructions in english and spanish so that everyone can understand and be comfortable. It really brightens up my heart to see these women participating in something that is so healthy for them.
We have discussed in class that those who are "white" usually get priorities that many other people do not. They usually have access to sports and exercising gyms, especially if they have the financial abilities. Many of these ladies are immigrants, and some have shared with me their hard journeys to America; they have sacrificed alot for their children to be American citizens.We also discuss girls in youth sports and college sports, but what about the grown women?
I have women who come to every single class, which means they exercise 8 hours per week. they also take advantage of the weight classes that are offered twice a week, and the gym. Alot of these ladies would not be able to do any of this without the resources they have at the city hall. My class if free and has free child care; there isnt any excessive paperwork to get done or regulations. Its fast, easy, and fun. If I didn't have childcare available for them, most of the ladies would not be able to participate; many of them can not afford babysitters and many of them do not have relatives who could help them out with babysitting.
I feel that free programs as mine should be offered in every city and every recreational park. These women are dedicated, strong, and hard workers. It is really admiring how these women come day after day to exercise and make themselves healthy. I can not help but wonder what these ladies would be doing every night if these programs did not exist. Everyone should have free resources in respect to exercise and sport, along with free child care.
Women Coaching....Football? Yes!
Click here for the article about Natalie Randolph from ESPN's outside the lines.
What is Socially Acceptable
Ohio 11-year-old Tyler Wilson wanted to join the traveling cheer team. He was successful in doing so, and was told by his mother that he would probably be picked on and he should be ready for it. I am not sure he was ready for what happened next. The football players at his school did pick on him and they ended up getting to a fight and breaking Tyler’s arm. Now that he has told on them they are threatening to break his other arm. The society we live in today is all about social norms and if we step out of those “norms” we will be seen as different. Just because a little boy wanted to do cheer instead of football he was seen as different, to be different in today’s society comes at a price. Males have to be seen as strong and aggressive, so to do something like cheerleading which is seen as “feminine,” goes against the idea of what a male should be and act like. Sports is not helping this stereotype either, it continues to push the idea of “proper behavior” and attitude of men and women and how they should fit into their roles in society.
Kin338I .S6
Ben.O
Kin338I .S6
Ben.O
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Danica Patrick- Don't Hate me Because I'm Beautiful (and rich, and famous..did I mention I race cars too?)
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/lars_anderson/05/14/patrick/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmdaB21E2tY
While doing some brief research on female athlete's I quickly came across an article in Sport's Illustrated called, "Hard Work Patrick Generates High Expectations" written by Lars Anderson, on Indy racecar driver Danica Patrick. She is the 1st woman to ever win in Indy car. There was talk on her moving to Nascar racing, but her main focus was on concentrating on her Indy 500 race. She has received a lot of attention in the media such as "Go Daddy" commercials, Sport's illustrated and various women's health magazine's such as Shape, been featured in a South Park episode, as well as from her racing/unlikely successful career. For example, she dropped out of school and moved to England at 16 to concentrate on racing. If that doesn't sound ballsy, she lost funding from her racing sponsor for being perceived as a wild party girl! She got lucky by "landing a ride with Letterman Racing in 2004" even though she didn't have a consistent winning record.
As I surfed the web, I found YouTube video's of commercials she has been in as well as a video clip of her posing for Sport's Illustrated. They portray her as being very sexy. In the Go Daddy commercial, featured during the 2010 super bowl, the scene is focused around a pool and a massage table with her and another woman. The commercial ends with her saying, "Customer service with a personal touch". In the Sport's Illustrated YouTube video she says, "A guy loves to look at the issue; I'm a girl and I love to look at the issue". In the shoot she is shown having very feminine characteristics such as long brown hair, a tan thin and toned body, skimpy shiny swimsuit, and flawless looking skin/makeup. Google her name and hundreds of other very sex appealing photos will pop up. She appears to be calm and confident. In a South Park episode where they make jokes about her, she responds with, "Anytime somebody takes the time to make fun of you is a compliment".
In a society that puts so much pressure on women’s appearance, it makes sense that in a Shape magazine interview she said, “Racing makes me nervous, but getting into a bathing suit for this cover made me more nervous.” There is no doubt in my mind that her good looks are what has got her media attention. The brutal truth is, is that sex sells, and if she were overweight, ugly, or manly, they wouldn’t feature her in the media and her talents in Nascar racing would go unnoticed.
Veronica G Kin338I section 1 Tu/Th 9:30am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmdaB21E2tY
While doing some brief research on female athlete's I quickly came across an article in Sport's Illustrated called, "Hard Work Patrick Generates High Expectations" written by Lars Anderson, on Indy racecar driver Danica Patrick. She is the 1st woman to ever win in Indy car. There was talk on her moving to Nascar racing, but her main focus was on concentrating on her Indy 500 race. She has received a lot of attention in the media such as "Go Daddy" commercials, Sport's illustrated and various women's health magazine's such as Shape, been featured in a South Park episode, as well as from her racing/unlikely successful career. For example, she dropped out of school and moved to England at 16 to concentrate on racing. If that doesn't sound ballsy, she lost funding from her racing sponsor for being perceived as a wild party girl! She got lucky by "landing a ride with Letterman Racing in 2004" even though she didn't have a consistent winning record.
As I surfed the web, I found YouTube video's of commercials she has been in as well as a video clip of her posing for Sport's Illustrated. They portray her as being very sexy. In the Go Daddy commercial, featured during the 2010 super bowl, the scene is focused around a pool and a massage table with her and another woman. The commercial ends with her saying, "Customer service with a personal touch". In the Sport's Illustrated YouTube video she says, "A guy loves to look at the issue; I'm a girl and I love to look at the issue". In the shoot she is shown having very feminine characteristics such as long brown hair, a tan thin and toned body, skimpy shiny swimsuit, and flawless looking skin/makeup. Google her name and hundreds of other very sex appealing photos will pop up. She appears to be calm and confident. In a South Park episode where they make jokes about her, she responds with, "Anytime somebody takes the time to make fun of you is a compliment".
In a society that puts so much pressure on women’s appearance, it makes sense that in a Shape magazine interview she said, “Racing makes me nervous, but getting into a bathing suit for this cover made me more nervous.” There is no doubt in my mind that her good looks are what has got her media attention. The brutal truth is, is that sex sells, and if she were overweight, ugly, or manly, they wouldn’t feature her in the media and her talents in Nascar racing would go unnoticed.
Veronica G Kin338I section 1 Tu/Th 9:30am
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Team Acrobatics and Tumbling
“Groups compete to make cheer a recognized sport”
Published Thursday, September 9, 2010
Source: http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/News-And-Events/Womens-Sports-News.aspx
This short article talks about how the governing body for cheerleading organizations is meeting with 15 colleges to create the sport of “stunt”. “USA Gymnastics sanctioned events will be called "team acrobatics and tumbling." This push was evoked by a recent Federal court ruling in Connecticut that found that cheerleading “wasn’t established enough” to meet the gender equity requirements of Title IX. Judge Stefan Underhill backed up his decision by concluding that cheer lacked standardized rules and a sanctioning body. Leading this movement, Bill Seely, the executive director of USA Cheer said that they are hoping to provide schools with a format that will satisfy the requirements of Title IX. They are making sure that the expenses of this new sport will not come out of funding of traditional cheerleading. The teams joining the USA Gymnastics model are becoming members of USA Gymnastics and have agreed to adhere to that USA Gymnastics' rules and policies.
-Chelseah M.
KIN 338I T/TH 930-1045
Published Thursday, September 9, 2010
Source: http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/News-And-Events/Womens-Sports-News.aspx
This short article talks about how the governing body for cheerleading organizations is meeting with 15 colleges to create the sport of “stunt”. “USA Gymnastics sanctioned events will be called "team acrobatics and tumbling." This push was evoked by a recent Federal court ruling in Connecticut that found that cheerleading “wasn’t established enough” to meet the gender equity requirements of Title IX. Judge Stefan Underhill backed up his decision by concluding that cheer lacked standardized rules and a sanctioning body. Leading this movement, Bill Seely, the executive director of USA Cheer said that they are hoping to provide schools with a format that will satisfy the requirements of Title IX. They are making sure that the expenses of this new sport will not come out of funding of traditional cheerleading. The teams joining the USA Gymnastics model are becoming members of USA Gymnastics and have agreed to adhere to that USA Gymnastics' rules and policies.
-Chelseah M.
KIN 338I T/TH 930-1045
Do cheerleading uniforms reveal too much?
Florida cheerleader story
Connecticut cheerleader story
Cheerleaders at schools in Connecticut and Florida have requested changes from school officials regarding their uniforms.
Cheerleaders from a Florida school asked for an exemption from the current dress code that bans skirts or dresses that are too short (above mid-thigh). Their uniforms fall under the category of “sexually suggestive” clothing. The cheerleaders felt that they should be allowed to wear their uniforms on game days to promote school spirit so an exemption was made from the school district.
On the other hand, cheerleaders from a Connecticut school have asked school officials to make adjustments to their uniforms—because they were too skimpy. Bridgeport Central’s uniforms expose midriffs and are combined with either small shorts or baggy sweatpants. The cheerleaders felt that the uniforms hurt self-esteem.
Cheerleading is a physically demanding activity with grueling routines that command attention. Some feel that the revealing uniforms cater to the typical college/high school sporting event attendee: young men. I feel that certain uniforms can put unrelenting pressure on young women, possibly forcing them into unhealthy exercise habits and/or eating disorders at a young age. These energetic young women are leaders, role models, students, and athletes and shouldn’t be objectified.
Daniel J.
KIN 338I - S6
Connecticut cheerleader story
Cheerleaders at schools in Connecticut and Florida have requested changes from school officials regarding their uniforms.
Cheerleaders from a Florida school asked for an exemption from the current dress code that bans skirts or dresses that are too short (above mid-thigh). Their uniforms fall under the category of “sexually suggestive” clothing. The cheerleaders felt that they should be allowed to wear their uniforms on game days to promote school spirit so an exemption was made from the school district.
On the other hand, cheerleaders from a Connecticut school have asked school officials to make adjustments to their uniforms—because they were too skimpy. Bridgeport Central’s uniforms expose midriffs and are combined with either small shorts or baggy sweatpants. The cheerleaders felt that the uniforms hurt self-esteem.
Cheerleading is a physically demanding activity with grueling routines that command attention. Some feel that the revealing uniforms cater to the typical college/high school sporting event attendee: young men. I feel that certain uniforms can put unrelenting pressure on young women, possibly forcing them into unhealthy exercise habits and/or eating disorders at a young age. These energetic young women are leaders, role models, students, and athletes and shouldn’t be objectified.
Daniel J.
KIN 338I - S6
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