Sports Education and Society - Term Paper Example

Sport, Education and Society “Sport(s) are more important than ever socially, economically and culturally. As well as embodying cherished values and ideals, sports now reflect many of the worries of wider society” (Cashmore 2000). Introduction Sport is an indelible part of our society which serves as an effective tool that helps in preparing the youth for nation- building. Sport of any kind helps to build good health, self- confidence, character and courage. In addition it nurtures good values of team- spirit, co-operation and tolerance which are very useful to encourage the members of the society to be more productive and have a broad outlook on life. Basketball has helped children benefit in many ways such as keeping fit and in good health building strong bones and muscles and thereby building up their over all intensity and strength. Basketball players learn how to win and lose gracefully besides building good habits of tolerance and cooperation both on and off the field. This paper, besides being a critical evaluation of the role and impact of sport within our society, also highlights the facts of why it is so important to incorporate it within the National Curriculum. This research paper has information from both primary as well as secondary sources that include sports journals, books, authentic online sites and important press releases. Overview of Basketball History Basketball traces its humble beginnings to the year 1861, when John Naismith was trying to search for a game for the students of School for Christian Workers, in Springfield, Massachusetts, to play during the icy New England winter season. A new game was invented by him by making use of the indoor gymnasium and placing two peach baskets at either end which served as goals through which soccer balls had to be shot. Naismith hadn’t the least idea that this sport of basketball would progress to become one of the most popular sports ever that would spread worldwide. Globalization of sports has led to an integration of cultures, harmonious relations among communities when they work as a team, promotion of health and many other social benefits (Smoll and Smith 2006 pp. 101-109). Modern Basketball has seen a few changes over time, but the basics remain the same. This sport is especially popular with students of the elementary, middle and high- schools, as well as post school, in colleges and beyond that the NBA (National Basketball Association) and FIBA (International Basketball Federation) the NCAA (US National Collegiate Athletic Association- men) and the women’s NCAA games. The rules for each category differ a little from each other especially between the men and women categories. Three of the major differences are – 1) The Three Point line from the basket. 2) The Restricted area called ‘The Key’ or ‘The Lane’. 3) The Playing duration. Basketball is essentially an indoor game that entails very limited physical contact with other players. Today, Basketball stars enjoy the highest level of celebrity status in addition to multi- million dollar basketball contracts. The Major players, countries and different seasons when played The NBA games during the regular season consist of 82 games in all shared equally between the teams. The NBA is perhaps the only major league where each and every team plays against each other during the regular sessions which is interrupted in February when the annual All- Star Game is celebrated. Balloting takes place for the top spot as fans cast their votes. The Star who gets the highest votes gets the starting spot during their conference’s All Star team. After the season the NBA Awards for best player, best coach, Rookie of the Year, and for best defender are given out. www.nba.com Basketball in the Modern Times The History of Basketball dates back to more than 115 years ago. Originally, the game consisted of only 13 rules, but Modern Basketball has rules not only for the players but also for the coaches and parents. Training in modern Basketball has taken on critical dimensions due to the high stakes involved. Both the players as well as the coaches are constantly looking out for ways to boost their overall performance. Some of the training regimen includes Plyometric Drills and exercises, Speed- training pitfalls and vertical jumps, Strength, Weight and Muscle – training, Aerobics and proper diet for overall good maintenance. The popularity of games such as the NBA and the NCAA has led to sophistication of training equipment. Modern equipment for basketball has many options for the players to choose. The modern growth of Leagues, Clinics and camps has led to the game becoming more organized and high- level. Basketball has become a popular game within the different communities in the U.K for the main reason that an awareness has been created from various quarters. For example young people lobby their local authorities and other self- help groups and get help for running training courses together with other opportunities for competition to enhance their skills and promote others who are really talented. The NBA and the WNBA have come up with what is called the Jr. NBA and the Jr. WNBA giving an opportunity for the youth in different communities to seek opportunities for professional playing. Details of how the game is played Basketball is a refereed team sport where each team should have at least 5 players filling in the position of two forwards, two point guards and one center. The ball is maneuvered by dribbling, bouncing or passing the ball to players belonging to their own team till they finally shoot the ball through the net. The team that has the ball is called the offense while the team that tries to prevent them shoot is called the defense. Basketball is a timed game and is played either in four quarters or two halves and is played at both professional as well as amateur levels. www.wisegeek.com/how-is-basketball-played.htm The Inclusion of Basketball into the Curriculum “Valuable ideas such as co-operation, division of labor, specialization and obedience influences the arts, physiology and hygiene and ethics’ of a player (cited in Dodds 1973: 28) As the saying goes – ‘Learning is best when on the playfield’, Basketball keeps players healthy, fit and always alert. In addition it builds good team spirit and cooperation, self- confidence and determination to win the game. Games in general help children to learn how to win and lose gracefully and help them have a positive outlook on life. Therefore, including basketball as an extra- curricular activity, within the school and college curriculum is very necessary because this game contributes to increasing the learning ability of children because it improves their concentration powers to a great extent. There is no doubt that racism is rampant in the sports arena, and therefore policy makers and sports managers are called upon to encourage anti- racism campaigns so that sport could be given an equal opening to all, even in the face of diversity. The chief aim of inclusion of Basketball as a part of the PE classes into the National Curriculum at the Primary, (key stages 1 and 2) Secondary (key stages 3 and 4) and College levels, is to increase the number of basketball players in the country by introducing it at a very young age. Children at the primary level, middle- school and post school, in college benefit greatly from this extra- curricular game, as it helps to enhance their mental, physical and social development in addition to leadership skills. The International General certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is the most popular internationally acclaimed qualification for all 14 to 16 year olds across the world. It not only provides them with excellent knowledge in their educational endeavors but also equips them with skills in different fields which prepare them for immediate employment. (University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate 2009) Learning the game The teaching of Basketball in school and college as an extra- curricular activity takes place according to the age and level of the group. During the Primary level (key stages 1 and 2) the basics in basketball are taught such as the different terminology, the rules and other details of the game, applying the right mechanics necessary for developing certain skills such as passing the ball, shooting, pivoting and dribbling the ball and how to make use of a defensive and offensive stance while playing. Next they are taught how to make use and care for all the equipment. Gradually they are taught the salient characteristics of sportsmanship, cooperation, tolerance, and teamwork skills which go a long way in making them good Basketball players. Besides basketball tournaments arranged within the school, they are taken for inter- school basketball where they get to meet and understand different players and their way of approach which is very necessary for their growth and development. The training becomes more serious and strenuous as the students go into the secondary and into the post school, college levels where inter- collegiate games are held with great enthusiasm and fanfare. It is from here onwards that is the difficult task. Only those players who take it seriously can move on to be become professional players who get well recognized and receive name and fame besides good money and a revered place in society. Documents on sports such as ‘A Sporting Future for All’ (Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2000)—‘stressed the need to develop policies and strategies to manage and encourage diversity in British sport.’ (Houlihan & White, 2002; Spracklen, 2003) The inclusion of Basketball in schools as an extra – curricular activity would help to teach students to be tolerant towards other castes and religion and thereby lower the impact of racism in society. How does Basketball cater to the Society? Professional athletes have always carved out a unique place for themselves in society right from the time of great philosophers such as Plato, Socrates and Aristotle, because they are looked upon as great human beings. The spirit of the Games revolved around athletes who were regarded as personifications of divine virtue, physique, mental perspicacity, and integrity (Lipsyte, 1999) However, the commercialization of Basketball has led to an increase in the complexity of this game as a profession. The stakes in the game has sky rocketed and so has the expectations of society in general. The media has portrayed many Basketball greats as role- models and demi- gods and this has greatly impacted upon the personal lives of these athletes. Charles Barkley, a former All- Star professional basketball player has this to say - “I am not a role model [T]he ability to run and dunk a basketball should not make you God Almighty. There are a million guys in jail who can play ball. Should they be role models? Of course not” (quoted in Platt, 1992, p. 33) On the other hand, some athletes like Karl Malone look at this issue from a different perspective. He states, ‘You can deny being a role model all you want, but I don’t think it is your choice to make. We don’t choose to be role models, we are chosen. Our only choice is whether to be a good role model or a bad one…I love being a role model. (Malone, 1993, p. 84) Discussion - Basketball from 2 different points of view 1) As a Profession The benefit of Sport is mutual where the players and the society are concerned. Where the players are concerned, Basketball helps to release their tensions, anxiety and stress and it gives them a good feeling when they are encouraged with cheers and great excitement. According to (Torkildsen 2005 p. 34) ‘This involvement is an important aspect of spending leisure time since it has several benefits such as avoidance of using drugs and other antisocial activities. It also helps in releasing stress and anxiety in the fans.’ Basketball as a profession is a serious game with high stakes involved. Though Basketball players experience a great sense of elation and euphoria when involved in the game, yet at other times, the game seems to impact their lives in a much different way. Since the stakes are very high, the pressure and expectations too are very high, thus raising the tension on and off the field. All professional players are looked upon as role models in society and treated with great respect. 2) For Leisure - Some people take to Basketball just for leisure but not as a profession because it helps them relax and relieve themselves of stress and tension while keeping them healthy. The game kindles community spirit as it is a team game and it helps people nurture good values of cooperation, tolerance, patience, concentration and the right spirit of winning and losing. Looking at Basketball from a socio- economic angle, it serves to provide employment to the youth population and keeps them out of other anti- social activities and behavior. Therefore, sport for leisure is not only refreshing but also tends to remove many evils from our society. Conclusion The game of Basketball remains one of the most commercial games today, besides Cricket, Tennis and Football. It is one of the best team games to be included in the school curriculum. This game serves to build excellent community spirit because it teaches tolerance and adaptation among the players which they automatically use when they come into contact with other people in the society. Basketball also serves to keep its players healthy and strong and at the same time serves professional players a platform for earning good name and fame. Therefore, in short we could say that Basketball contributes towards building a better society. References 1. Carrington, B., and McDonald I (2001) ‘Race’ Sport and British Society Routledge 2. Horne et al (1999: 11) Quotes from a text written in 1904 by Eustace Miles, entitled ‘Let’s Play the Game/The Anglo-Saxon Sport Spirit, where playing Cricket is seen as providing: 3. Horne et al (1999) Chapter 2: Case Studies in the growth of modern sports. 4 Houlihan, B. & White, A. (2002) The Politics of Sports Development. London: Routledge 5 Hylton K, Bramham P, Jackson D and Nesti M (2001) Sports Development: Policy, Process and Practice Routledge. 6. Lipsyte, R. (1999, April 18). Fine line for ethics in sports, The New York Times, Section 8, pg. 15, (Retrieved October 25, 2004 from LexisNexis Academic Database) 7. Smoll F. & Smith R. 2006. Children and youth in Sport: Journal on Early Childhood and Development, (3)5, 101-109. 8. Torkildsen G. 2005 Leisure and Recreation Management, London: E & F N Spon. Internet Sources Basketball Resources – (The Virtual Library of Sport, online since 1993) www.sportsvl.com/basketball/links NBA.COM – The Game Happens Here. www.nba.com The History of Basketball Facts. (The Ultimate Youth Basketball Guide, 2006) www.ultimate-youth-basketball-guide.com/history-of-basketball.html Cambridge IGCSE Subjects. (University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, 2009) www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/middlesec/igcse/subjects BSD Curriculum – Basketball. (Middle School Physical Education – 6th Grade basketball.) www.curriculum.bsd405.org/C17/Basketball/default.aspx NBA.com: NBA Announces Community Basketball Initiative in England. Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Youth Basketball Programme to Launch in England (Retrieved on 26th Sept. 2008) www.nba.com/jrnba/Jr.NBAUK_Release Read More