Sports have become the new religion in America Essays

Some schools with strong sporting traditions reinforce participation in sport. The sports that students are encouraged to participate in can depend on the school’s history and traditions, the facilities and equipment available, and the expertise of the teachers.

Many youth sports are part of community organized after-school programs. There are many different types of these programs such as T-Ball, Little League Baseball, Pop Warner Football, soccer, martial arts, cheerleading, and so forth. “There are over 40 million youth participating in organized sports, and both girls and boys have a dazzling array of choices and can play a sport year round” (Le Menestrel and Perkins 13). Communities use youth sport as an outlet to encourage social activity, a healthy lifestyle, and skill development for that particular sport. For example, “Participation in organized sports can provide opportunities for youth to learn more about specific skills and exercises associated with a particular sport” (Perkins and Noam 76). These programs offer opportunities to boost skills and connect positively with others. Without these activities, parents will have to find another developmental setting that may not give similar or beneficial outcomes as those of organized youth sport. Studies found that, “Sports

1..An American Apotheosis, written by Joseph L. Price, discusses the religious element of sports. His thesis, “For tens of millions of devoted fans throughout the country, sports constitute a popular form of religion by shaping their world and sustaining their ways of engaging it.” (Price, p. 196) Takes on the difficult challenge of defining sport as religion. This is done through Price’s exploration of how sports shape and engage the world for the millions of devoted fans in America, how sports enable participants to explore levels of selfhood, how sports establish a means for bonding with the devotee community, how sports model ways to deal with fate while playing by the rules and how sports provide the prospect of experiencing abundant life.

The topic that I chose for this ethnographic interview was sports in American culture. Sports are popular in America, and are a big part of the culture in America. I would say most people in America have played sports, whether they played as kids, in high school, at the collegiate level, or even professional. A great deal of people also enjoy watching sporting events. The following were the questions asked during the interview. How have sports affected your life? Why do you think sports are so popular in America’s culture? How are sports a part of the culture in America? What do you think about the amount of money spent on spectator sports?

Are schools the right place for sports? This is a question that educators and experts everywhere are asking themselves, as more and more schools are faced with budget cuts and low academic scores. No one is debating the health benefits of exercise one receives from sports, but does the exercise benefit outweigh the expense, risk, and impact on academic grades? Amanda Ripley, the author of The Smartest Kids in the World, thinks club organizations, not schools, should provide sports programming (“Should schools eliminate sports” 1). Earl Smith, author of “Race, Sport and the American Dream,” along with Ripley believes sports are given priority in some schools, drawing attention away from education (“Should schools eliminate sports” 1). During an interview with the New York Times, Smith stated “high schools should not have competitive sports teams. And especially not in the under-resourced intercity high schools where academic programs are often sacrificed to finance sports teams” (“Making Sports an After-School Activity” 1). He went on to say “even the student bodies in many high schools have developed cultures that glorify sports at the expense of the scholar.”

According to Amanda Ripley ever since premot district got rid of sports 80 percent of students passed their classes compared with the 50% last fall. (2) “About 160 people attended parent teacher-teacher night compared with 6 the year before” (Ripley, 2). This shows that students can get higher and much better grades and students can pass their classes; so instead of keeping the sports and other activities, they should get rid of them so their kids can get higher grades and pass their classes. Therefore if districts want their students to pass their classes they should get rid of sports so they don’t have to practice and train and take up all of their

At the end of a long, stressful day at school, you look out to the field where you will soon be with your friends, enjoying the sun on your skin and working off the stress of your cooped up day at school, with your favorite sport, of course. The article “Should Your School Get Rid of School Sports?” has two very strong point of views. Part one, “Yes! It’s Time to Scale Back” by Amanda Ripley argues that we should get rid of school sports. However, part two, “No! Sports Are More Important Than Ever” by Tim O’Shei argues that we should keep school sports. School sports can be expensive, but there are many more benefits and reasons for having sports at school than getting rid of them.

Winning is the Only Thing: Sports in America Since 1945 by Randy Roberts and James S. Olson discusses the history of sports beginning with World War II, through the Cold War to present day. For the most part, this book discusses the effects that World War II had on the way sports were played and how the public viewed sports, however the underlying message was another. The book focuses on how people evolved with the changes that sports encountered. People’s perspectives changed from one of trying to make a living to trying to make the most money. As people changed sports changed, which in turn changed people again.

Blazer explores various aspects of how religion has played a role in American history. She takes a look at the debate of whether sports can be categorized as a religion. Towards the end of the 19th century American men began using sport as a way of identifying with their masculinity, through muscular Christianity. While some used Christianity as a way to expand religion in sports others, such as Billy Sunday felt that religion and sports did not mix and he left the sport of baseball to preach instead. Eventually American’s began using religion in sports as a way to identify themselves. Immigrants wanted

With society’s ever increasing price tag of education, public schools have gone to great lengths to cut costs from the unessential activities during and after school hours. First it was music programs and art classes; however, with the desperate need for teachers, athletic programs have felt the grunt of this expedition. Now, more than ever, youths in our communities are battling serious problems. Not only are sports and organized athletic programs vital to physical development, but also mental growth and offer children structure and goals. Unfortunately, many schools have to cut back or even eliminate sports/athletic programs due to lack of funding.

Sports are constantly coming in the way of family event and vacations. One example that Bruce Feiler uses is that his friend’s granddaughter missed a family vacation, that had been planned for a year in advance, to go to her school’s mandatory soccer tryouts. She didn’t even make the team. School sports can easily get in the way of important family

For example, according to an NY Times article team sports take up more time than any other outside of school curriculum, “Team sports is the untamed behemoth of American childhood. It is the No. 1 out-of-school activity for ages 7 to 10, outstripping band/chorus, religious groups and individual sports.” (Feiler page 1). Also, going to practice has gone so ridiculous in some cases that players are required to go at least six days a week or there will be consequences otherwise which was stated in an NY Times article, “One of those students last year was Ollie Costolloe, a member of the track and field team at Brookline High School in Massachusetts. The coach required attendance at practice six days a week, including holidays,” (Feiler page 1). Another example of why competitive sports can take up a lot of time in a teen’s or a kid’s life is because even the NCAA has rules defying how much time a player can spend worth on sports but coaches have been able to dodge those rules and have their players working on the field or on the court longer than the NCAA says they should be, The NCAA already has rules for how much time athletes can spend on athletic activities, though it’s widely assumed that most players and coaches find ways around them.” (New page

Since the creation of man, sports have had a tremendous role in the way people live their lives. From the time we are born, until our elderly age, most of us are involved in some way with sports. Whether it is a scrimmage game of soccer at recess in elementary school, playing on the varsity athletic team or simply watching the Olympics or sporting events on television, sports have an influential role in our everyday lives. The outstanding popularity of the sports industry has profoundly affected youth sports organizations that an estimated twenty-six million children ages six through eighteen participate in at least one school or community based athletic program (Smith & Smoll, 1997). Well structured sport programs can provide youths with

“The convergence of religion and football has its critics. There has been scrutiny - and a re-examination of rules - for how Christianity has been interwoven into the program at Clemson” (Russo, 2015, para. 5). Even with all the skepticism, their football program starts every game with a prayer, and they believe faith is the cause for their football team’s success (Russo, 2015). In Russo’s article, coach Dabo Swinney who found Christ through the FCA program, expresses his opinions on the topic: “ ‘I try to be who I am. I try to be transparent. I try to live my life in a way that I hope is pleasing to my maker. As a program, we try to challenge these guys to be the best that they can be every day.’ " (Russo, 2015, para. 6). Athletes are allowed to have their faith of choice, but are limited to the amount exposure. What I discovered is that this a problem in itself. What is too much? What is violating the rules?

Integrating religion into sports has created an environment that has kept the youth from leaving. These young people see the fun that is associated with the Church and get involved in the sporting activities. People have become interested in what