Unit #2 Blog: Social Class in Sport
Under additional readings on D2L, there is a link to a book titled: Body and Soul: Notebooks of an apprentice boxer by Loic Wacquant. You can access a portion of the book through Google Books. (click here). Begin by reading the section: The Street and the Ring 73 starting on page 13.
We will approach this blog topic a little different than in Unit #1. To get started, as a class please provide a very detailed description of the gym at Woodlawn and how it fits into the community. Respond to this question by considering the socioeconomic climate of Woodlawn and the description provided in the chapter. What is gym’s role in this community? Provide facts and stats from the reading. Important: In your initial post, you do not need to respond to your classmates. Read previous posts and provide additional comments and avoid repeating information that has already been posted by a classmate. The purpose of your initial post is to contribute to the class’s analysis of Body and Soul.
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The gym in Woodlawn is like a safety net for the fighters and trainers. You could almost call it a type of sanctiory for them because it gives them a place to go to and feel protected. In the article its talks about how the gym protects them from the street and acts like a buffer against the insecurity of the neighborhood and the pressures of every day life. Of all the statistics I read in the article a few really stood out to me. One, between 1950 and 1980, the population in Woodlawn dropped from 81,000 to 36,000 and the racial makeup of the population went from 35% black to 95% black. There were 50,000 whites in 1950 and in 1980 there were less than a thousand. The entire shifting of racial demographics was being amplified and aggravated by the city's urban renewal program...or what the locals called the "negro removal" plan. The other two alarming statistics I read in the article is only 8 percent of the Woodlawn populaton posseses a higher education degree and Woodlawn has a high infant moratility rate (3%...which exceeds that of many third world countries). From reading the article and looking at some of the statistics given in it, I would say the boxing gym is one of the few things in that town which give people hope and allow them to keep living their lives in the hope that maybe one day things will get better.
ReplyDeleteWoodlawn is portrayed as bad place, yet not the worst in Chicago. Over half the people in Woodlawn don't have a high school diploma, a third of the families live below the poverty line, and and 61% of the families rely solely on public assistance. Yet, as if to say, "if you think that's bad..." Wacquant points out that Woodlawn ranks 13th out of 77 South Chicago "community areas" in poverty. One is left to wonder what the top 12 look like.
ReplyDeleteThe social sybolism in the gym is very powerful, especially given the descriptors of the community. The gym is described as a workshop, a crucible, and a furnace. Possibly most significantly, it is a buffer and a santuary. It is also a place to find acceptance. While boxing may be an individual sport, to be accepted at the gym is to be part of the collective. It seems that each of these symbols inside the gym becomes more powerful, in terms of social significance, given what's going on outside the gym.
Finally, the gym offers people and chance to find and define social meaning. It may be one of the few places community residents can go and find a perceived chance in life.
Woodlawn is a chance for the fighters is an escape from everyday life. Inside that gym the only thing that matters is boxing.I have never been to Woodlawn and nor do I plan to go anytime soon but I have been in some rough areas of Chicago and I could not imagine what there lives are like in Woodlawn. With the three percent infant mortality rate I cant even imagine what it is like for adults. I think that the boxing gym is something that can help members of the community take out some of there pent up energy in a leagl fight pretty much. For them this is a good way of dealing with anger and depression.
ReplyDeleteAnothr fact that was stated in the article was the average life span of someone living in Woodlawn. It doesnt state an exact number but on page 25 there is a story where one of the community memebers makes a comment about not living past thirty. Why doesnt the city of Chicago do something about this or our own goverment? We have our own problems here instead of Iraq.
Overall this Boxing gym provides communtiy memebers a chance to escape from there everyday lifes. Something that we take for granite when we go to the gym.
When looking at the socioeconomic climate of Woodlawn there were a couple of statistics that stood out to me. The first was that 60% of the households were female-headed. Most of the young men in the neighborhood grew up with out a male role model in their lives. In Woodlawn there is basically two ways to find a male role model to help you define who you are, the gangs on the streets and the Woodlawn Boys and Girls boxing club. With an unemployment rate of 20% and only 44% of adult men were employed, the gym provided them an identity to who they were. Again their only perceived choices were the gangs or gym. This leads to a very narrow choices of social worlds. Their socialization into the sport almost isn't even a choice but for many just a lesser evil. Also it gave them a certain amount of respect in their neighborhood. The gangs for the most part had respect for the gym and DeeDee (the man who ran the Gym) and left it alone as many of the gang members had come through the Woodlawn boys and girls club. It was the one place were they could develop some self respect and feel good about themselves in a relatively safe environment.
ReplyDeleteWoodlawn is seen as a horrible place to live and grow up. One section that caught me off guard was when talking about school, how kids aren't going to school and dropping out because school will only lead you to unemployment and poverty. "No wonder why many youth find the illegal economy of the street more atractive than school when the latter leads to unemployment or, at best, to $4-an-hour jobs without benefits." In the book, O'Bannnon gives Wacquant a can of mace and tells him to give it to his wife, and to have it at all times. The community members never leave home without it. DeeDee has it everywhere he goes, even in the gym just in case something were to happen. What kind of world do we live in where we can't even enjoy a walk in a park or on a sidewalk? O'Bannon makes a comment that he has to make it home as quickly as possible, "I don't feel right being naked," (referring to the loss of his can of mass).
ReplyDeleteAs most people have said, the gym at Woodlawn is a safe haven or a sanctuary. But I'm not sure if I believe that to be the case. What kind of "santuary" keeps wooden bats and mace around for emergencies. How can it be called a sanctuary if you are always fearful of what is lurking behind the doors to the outside world and at any moment a gang could bust in and create havoc. I don't see the gym as a safe haven/sanctuary, I see it as just a place for kids to go to take their mind off the destruction on the streets. A place to learn skills; skills that may help them to survive and hopefully some day leave Woodlawn. The gym is a place of encouragement and development. But with all the bad, you continously read about how being in the gym is keeping the kids off the street and out of trouble. One boxer in the book comments: "if I hadn't started boxing, I would have been a bank robber. There were time, that's what I wanted to do. I didn't want to sell drugs. I wanted to be the best, so I wanted to rob banks." Again, what kind of world is this, when children are striving to be the best at "robbing banks," not school or athletics, but in bank robbing.
The description the book gives of the gym, in short, is a dump. Everything is falling apart or falling from the ceiling. "The gym is rather crumbly: bare water pipes and electrical wires run in the open along the walls, from which the peeling yellow paint is coming off in sheets." Doors are barely hanging on hinges and plater continuously falls from the ceiling.
The equipment is out of date and in some cases they have no equipment when something breaks down or goes missing. "The club comsumes speed bags at a rate that far exceeds suppply and regularly finds itself without one:likewise for the double-end bag used to work on th jab and on timing." But, anything is better than nothing, it just has to work.
I can't or couldn't imagine growing up in a neighborhood like the kids from Woodlawn. It makes me realize and be thankful for what I do have. No matter how bad I think it is, it could always be worse.
The gym defined itself and those who were members were defined by the gym. It was almost like climbing a corporate ladder when you made it to the gym. Even though boxing is an individual sport, the people of Woodlawn that were involved were all on one team. It is very sad that 61% of people in Woodlawn have to rely on public aid. Also that more than half of the adults had completed a secondary education. In a town that size, no high school, movie theater, or library. How is one expected to further their education when they have to find ways to get to a school in the next town. The town looks just like it could use some sunshine and a makeover. It says that in Woodlawn over 70% of the buildings were predate World War II. The gym was a place of solitude for most that lived in Woodlawn.
ReplyDeleteWoodlawn has been deteriorating for nearly 1/2 a century, with the number of neighborhood residents falling from 81,000 to 36,000 between 1950 and 1980 and the racial makeup of population going from 38% to 96% african american. This demographic upheveal paired with a number of other misfortunes such as record level unemployment numbers and the gang wars of the 1960s has turned Woodlawn into an economic desert. A third of the families living in Woodlawn, are living below the poverty line with an unemployment rate of 20%. 61% of households relied partly or full on public aid, and there is not one high school, movie theatre, library, ect in the town. With these few statistics alone, it is easy to see why the boxing gym at Woodlawn is so important within this community.
ReplyDeleteThe Woodlawn gym is located on 63rd street among businesses that were once thriving and now are full of deterioration. It is described that its as much of a ghost town as the wild west. Handguns, other weapons, and mase are common among residents which creates a fear in everyone. The area around the gym was described as "murdertown" and it is dog-eat-dog.
The gym is like a second family to the people who go. Woodlawn gym provides protection from the outside community where you have to fight for your life. The gym has metal bars surrounding it and baseball bats by the front door just in case something happens. The gym is a way to escape the fear of everyday life and just counting down the days till you may die. Fighing is so engrained in these people on the streets, that some feel they may as well get good enough so they can make some money off of it. Most boxers say that time in the gym is time off the streets, and if not for the gym they would turn to gangs or street crimes. The woodlawn gym is a safe-haven for the people of Woodlawn and a place where they can feel like they belong.
After reading Dougs comments about the city of Woodlawn and their options, one thing really stood out to me. Doug talked about how there is almost no male role models to speak of unless you found them in a gang or at the boxing gym. Unfortunately, I have had some experience working with many individuals like this in schools. Many of the students I worked with in St Cloud did not have a father at all (some had no parents or guardians) and they felt high school sports weren't an option to them because they couldn't pay for it so they turned to gangs. It was really sad to see so many students who felt they had no other options other than to be a part of a gang. Most of us live in the area so we know there are other options out there for the students around here but yet they themselves are still choosing to get involved in gangs. Imagine yourself living in a town like Woodlawn (way fewer options...boxing being the most prevalent) and doing what ever you are doing for a job now and you are trying to change the culture and the environment of the town. Questions one ask to ask him/her self is: How can you do it? What would you do? Is there anything you can do? I asked these questions to a friend of mine, who is originally from Chicago, and knows a lot about Woodlawn and her reply was to move and get out of there. What if you are one of the people who can't move...what do you do?
ReplyDeleteOur book states that boys use sports to establish their masculine identity, where else than the gym where would the boys find this attraction? While the gym building itself has little to offer, the walls inside are a "safe haven" for the athletes training inside. The walls crumble around them while they fight their way out of the "bad part of town." The physical and mental relsease that the gym offers has everything the athletes need when compared to the violence of gang life. The gym is a home away from a broken home, a solid male rold model to idolize, and the idea of being physically competent. The gym also offered its athletes a different version of a gang. They would band together and portray a team-like atmosphere, this was also something the gym goers needed. The city was failing around them, yet the life inside the gym was strong.
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate that these were the conditions available. Not many athletes today could ever imagine their facility barely functioning. The coach as a parental figure that has been previously mentioned remains evident. How did one mentally survive the destruction of the entire town? The athletes of the gym in Woodlawn proved to have the "body and soul" of a stong althete with sadly, alimited and gloomy future.
Great responses! The descriptions and analysis you provided now lead to our next discussion for this unit. Read through the other responses before responding to my comment, if you have not already done so. Based on what we learned about socialization in Unit #1 and social class and sport in Unit #2. Respond to the following quote from the book Body and Soul:
ReplyDeleteNo, no fighter wants their son [to box], I mean…that’s the reason why you fight, so he won’t be able to fight…It’s too hard, jus’ too damn hard….If he could hit the books an’ study an’ you know, with me havin’ a little background in school an’ stuff, I could help him. My parents, I never had nobody helpin’ me (Wacquant, 1995).
How does social class impact the socialization process, as described in this quote. Revisit what your read in the Body and Soul book, and related to your response.
All of the comments so far have described Woodlawn as a bad place, with statistical data to prove it. The quote Pete provided seems to indicate that the residents understand their social class too, even in the sanctuary of the boxing gym. So, on one hand, the gym may be one of the few bright spots and possible ways out of the neighborhood. On the other hand, the boxer quoted wants his son to take a different path.
ReplyDeleteDespite this boxer's awareness of his dire social class situation, he is seeking a way up and out for his son. He also wants to help in whatever way he can, which is more than he got. It may be that he's attempting to break the socialization process a little bit at a time.
Its unfortunate that there are living environments like, Woodlawn. However, as human we tend to learn how to adapt to our environments and that is just what some of these individuals have done in Woodlawn. There are several factors that has affected the living conditions of Woodlawn. The drastic drop in the population from 81,000 to 36,000 with 95% of the population being black, lack of proper education (8% of Woodlawn posses a college degree) and broken families 60% of the home were headed by a single parent typically female-headed. On the brighter-side, Woodlawn has provided a rare opportunity for the individuals in this community. The Woodlawn Boys and Girls Club has been a means of escaping the streets and has become a huge socialization into sports.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've read it seems like fighting is something that is normal, that takes place everyday; it is part of everyday life. Everyone is fighting in the street, so many of the gym members go to the gym for self defense or are learning how to fight just so they can protect themselves. Most members join to learn how to fight, not because they want to learn, but because they have to.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm taking from the quote is that the man is speaking about how he is earning money. I think in the book it points out that each fighter can earn from $150-$300 per fight, depending on who the opponent it is. It isn't much, but it's something. He wants better for his son, he wants him to get an education, to have a career. Growing up, sons want to be like their fathers. They want to grow up and be like dad. So many of the boxers son's see them fight and want to do it themselves. They see their father doing it, so they want to do it. While most men in the book are not unemployeed, most are even educated to some point, they do not posses the skills to hold on to a steady job. Fighting gives them an income they wouldn't normally have or an additional income they desperately need.
One point that almost contradicts this quote is made by DeeDee. He talks about how he wishes he could see the guys in the gym more, that they don't spend enough time training because of work or family. "It's only them young guys in high school who come regularly ev'ry afternoon. That's what's wrong with them grownups..." While one man wishes he could quit or at least keep his son from boxing, to earn a better living; another man wishes the men would train more and be at the gym more.
The people of Woodlawn understand what its like to grow up on the streets and to fight for their lives. I think with the quote Pete provided it shows that parents or grandparents want to see the younger kids having a chance at a better life than they had. They understand that boxing is a way for them to escape the pressures of the outside world and possibly create a new life out of the sport.
ReplyDeleteThe social class of Woodlawn is low income families who don't have the same opportunities as those in middle to upper class families. They become socialized into the sport of boxing at a young age and are taught to believe that if they become good enough then they can make money off of this. And if not that, it keeps them off the streets.
I think that social class impacts the socialization process by the people in each social class knowing what is attainable in the environment that they are in, but also recognizing what they can do if they get somewhere else and make a change.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kevin, that a father wants best for his child and he recognizes that within his social class, the gym is the better place to be; however, he also see's that there is more out there for his son than the gym. He wants the so called "American Dream" for his son.
In regards to the boxers quote in Wacquant's story two things really stand out to me. One, just like any normal parent who wants his/her child to succeed, the boxer wanted his children to have a better life than he did. Every person wants to give his/her children the best lives possible so they can do the same for their children and then so on and so on. Who wants to see their son or daughter get beat up year after year in the boxing ring? The second thing that really stood out to me is the fact the boxers parents either weren't there to help him with his schooling or they couldn't help him with his schooling. I feel very fortunate to come from a family which had two parents, one of them being a college graduate. If I needed any help on my homework one or both of my parents were there to help me. Its unfortunate so many children today don't have parents who either can help them or want to help them. In the particular case of the boxer he wants to use his boxing skills to put him and his family in a position where they don't have to rely on getting their brains beat out by another human being to make a living.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with the posted comment above. Parents want their children to have a better life than they did, to succeed, to have the things they did not have..and this is true within the story about Woodlawn and Wacquant's personal quote. The quote also makes me think that boxing is a way of life, and not exactly a life that many people would choose. Chapter 7 in our text mentions that "if we want to understand violence in sports, we must understand issues of masculinity in culture." This quote offers some support that the young men of Woodlawn need the boxing ring to feel powerful in their lives and successful at something. Boxing gives them a higher purpose. The roles of social class create these barriers for the more unfortunate people of Woodlawn. Some are forced to give up their dreams of having an education for themselves and wind up in the ring fighting for a living.
ReplyDeleteAs we wrap up the blog for this unit….consider your own experiences and respond to the following: What are your thoughts on opportunities in sport based someone’s socioeconomic status? Is their equality? Can you provide a personal example?
ReplyDeleteTo add to what was stated in the first posts about the social climate of the area, Dee-Dee comments how you used to need to be tough to live in Woodlawn, now you just need to be crazy. An additional example of this is of Tony, the man who is shot in the calf and alive only because he pulled his gun on them.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the comment about why the government does not do something about this, I believe it has to do with our view of society and social class. Our society believes that you get what you deserve. If you work hard, then you will be able to rise above and be successful. However, if you do not rise about it is because you are lazy and do not work at it.
Also, in regards to the children of Woodlawn dropping out of school, it is difficult to attend school when there is not one there for you to attend. As stated in the book, during the “Negro removal,” schools were eliminated and there is not a high school or library in the neighborhood.
Another important aspect of the gym is related to acceptance. The book states that membership to the gym is a sign of acceptance and can lead to admiration or approval by the local society. It used to be that social class was determined by the family you were born into, not necessarily based on their wealth. Slowly the dynamics of social class changed and is now dependent on wealth. However, the statement from the book shows the “old” way of viewing social class may be different within the society of Woodlawn. It is as though they have their own set of standards to define social class outside of the rest of the world.
I believe social class is one of the main determinants of the socialization process. As stated in the beginning of Chapter 10 “more than ever before, it takes money to play sports and develop sport skills.” We are also socialized to play what those around us play. Therefore, if our parents can afford to pay for the cost of equipment, rental fees, league fees and transportation fees, we are more likely to participate in a sport. Additionally, the more (or less) a specific sport “costs” to play, the more (or less) likely we are to play a specific sport (e.g., golf versus boxing).
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the Wacquant quote, a lot of people do not want to box. Why would you want to play a sport where the threat of injury is so high? The reason for many of the residents of Woodlawn is that the threat of injury from boxing is a far less than the risk of being out on the streets. However, there are no other sport options available. Many residents do not attend school (where many students may have other sport opportunities), the parks are not safe (because of gangs) and the availability of money is scarce. Those who box know their social class situation leads them to boxing. In chapter 10 of the Coakley text, Wacquant says that most boxers know they wouldn’t box if their social class status were different. In addition, most boxers from Woodlawn know boxing is a way to stay safe and potentially use this to better their life. No parent (regardless of their social class) wants their child to be worse off than they were.
As I previously stated I think sport opportunities are based mainly on social class distinctions. There are certain sports (e.g., skiing, golf, hockey) which many people may never have the chance to participate in because of their socioeconomic status. I do believe schools are providing opportunities for students to participate in a variety of sports, however, these opportunities are becoming limited. In the era of budget cuts, physical education seems to be the first to go. In addition, equipment for 20-30 students can be quite pricey, and the price of 10 soccer balls is much less than the equipment needed to play baseball. I also believe this can have a negative effect on children. For example, imagine the child who has never had the opportunity to play baseball. In school he/she is allowed the opportunity to play and loves the game. He/she goes home to their parents asking to play in the local summer league with their friends but the child is unable to because of their financial situation. This can be heartbreaking for the child first because they cannot play a game they love and second because they may not be accepted by their peers due to their inability to play (think of the article related to social status determinants for children). While there are many programs available to help “underprivileged” children participate in sports, the funds (or the desire to have the child) are not always there. I doubt that a child from Woodlawn would have the opportunity to play baseball in neighboring Hyde Park and receive assistance.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe there is equality but I believe we strive for equality. In certain areas (such as St. Cloud) there are more opportunities for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to receive assistance to participate than in Woodlawn. This can also have negative effects though. For example, with the budget cuts the fees for many athletic programs have increased dramatically (more than doubled in some schools). However, if you qualify for assistance, you can often have your fees reduced. Therefore, the students whose parents’ can afford the fees are essentially paying for their child(ren) and (potentially) half the other team members. This may lead to some students transferring schools or dropping out of athletics. If the school cannot raise enough funds to support a sport, the fees may be further increased (leading to greater rates of drop out) or the sport being cut (less opportunities to participate).
For me, I was fortunate to have parents who could afford to pay for my sporting endeavors. I was only limited by what I wanted to participate in. I played everything from soccer to travel basketball to golf. There is a fair amount of money to be contributed to each (specifically travel basketball and golf) and I was fortunate that my parents could afford those activities.
I am going to go back to the previous question and respond to the quote from the father.
ReplyDeleteParents want the best for their children and in the chapter for Body and Soul the author talks about acceptance and having a connection to others. The father, of the quote, “no fighter wants their son to box” I believe understood the socialization process for many young kids in that neighborhood led to gangs and drug trafficking. However, he understood the alternative and choose boxing to provide an escape to for his children by moving out of the neighborhood and into a more stabile livelihood, where the children will finish school and not be pressured to socialize into a gang, but rather socialize into positive school related functions and be somewhat sheltered from the life of choosing between boxing and gangs.
brsa0201 cited hockey as an example of a sport where socioeconomic status impacts opportunities to participate. I agree.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was young my parents couldn't afford to have me play hockey, even though it was my favorite sport. Today, my wife and I are fortunate enough to be able to afford to have both our sons play hockey. That has led them to numerous experiences they wouldn't have had if we couldn't afford it.
Eventually, the whole process becomes self-perpetuating. Because we can afford it, they get good hockey opportunities. Those good hockey opportunities cost money (sometimes lots of it), which we can afford. And the cycle goes on.
One's socioeconomic status largely affects sport and one's involvement. Just from observation, I know this to be a factor: financial structure influences sport. For some sports, before even putting on the first shoe, wealth comes into play because there are start up costs, certain apparel that is necessary, and for sports like hockey you have $600 skates to purchase. Kids may want to play travel soccer or be a gymnast, but if parents don’t have the funds it just won’t happen. It’s unfortunate how much financial structure influences sport, but it is evident in societies all over the world.
ReplyDeleteI was extremely blessed to have parents that could afford to put me through any sport I desired. Not only was I able to play any sport, but my three other siblings could play them as well. I grew up trying every sport: soccer, swimming, softball, basketball, dance, cheerleading, synchronized swimming.. you name it. Eventually in Middle School and on into High School I narrowed it down to the three sports I had passion for which were basketball, volleyball and tennis. I never had to worry about not having the right gear or a bad pair of sneakers. My brother and youngest sister both played hockey growing up, and my brother still plays today. My middle sister plays volleyball and my youngest sister now plays J.O. travel volleyball where her team travels to various states each weekend. I just feel extremely blessed and fortunate and this unit has really opened my eyes to what people go through and how their socioeconomic status determines so much in sport.
I think all parents for the most part want their children to have a better life than they did. For the people of Woodlawn getting out of Woodlawn is the only way to make life better and give more opportunities for their kids. That is a difficult endeavor because of the opportunities that limit them. To break that cycle of poverty many of the males choose the only sport available to them and that is boxing. Boxing is a tough challenging draining sport. It is difficult both on your body and your mind. But for most of the men they see it as their only way out. Also I think when the boxer says that he doesn't want his son to box, he understands that if his son has to box in Woodlawn the cycle is just continuing until someone can use it to get out.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the question are sports based on socioeconomic status I would say definetly. For me personally some of my opportunities to play sports were limited by the fact that we farmed. We had a 3000 acres to farm and my dad need a lot of help in the spring, summer, and fall. So it made it very difficult to play one of the sports I loved which was football unitl I was jr. in high school. And even when I did start playing the month of August was very difficut. As a small farming town we had mostly kids who were in similar situation I was. So the Coach would schedule our two a day practices From 7:00 in the morning to about 11:00 am. Then we would all go work on the farm helping with harvest, where our day would usually end between 10:00 pm and 11:00 pm. This was pretty standard in all small towns around us. But I loved playing and I got a small scholarship to go play college football and eventually decided to become a football coach. While I used to think how hard I had it, I now look back and don't think it was that difficult. Especially now seeing kids in poor socioeconomic areas such as Woodlawn who aren't even given and opportunity to participate in sports because of where they live.
ReplyDeleteThe social climate of Woodlawn has drastically changed in the past thirty years. Woodlawn once was a stable and proserous white neighborhood. Between 1950-1980m the population went from 38 to 96 percent black. This influx of African-American migrants from rural southern states drove whites and middle class African-Americans out of the city. This dramatic change unleashed a policy of urban renewel that attempted to remove the "Negros" from the community. This policy failed and left the city is despair.
ReplyDeleteSome of the statistics about Woodlawn were not only jaw-dropping, but heart wrenching. The 1980 census showed that a third of the families live below the poverty line. The average annual income for a household was only $10,500, which only half of the city reached. The steady econcomic decline in Woodlawn led to the deterioration of businesses and schools.
The Boys and Girls Club in Woodlawn provided an island of stability for people in the community. Children learned to hold their own by fighting in the streets, but would go to the club to escape from the realities of the street life.
Many students stated the gym as a "safe haven" but I am reluctant to go that far. If the gym served as a true safe haven, DeeDee would not have to keep a bat behind his desk, or have two metal locks that can only be opened by a hammer. However, I feel like the gym allows the boxer to tear himself away from the pressures and insecurities everday life of Woodlawn.
The chapter in the book talked about a few professional fighters that started in poverty stricken communities and were able to make boxing their profession. While this occurs in a very small fraction of people, I feel that the reality for the majority of youth growing up a community like Woodlawn, fall into the same trap as the leaders of the local gang, El Rukn. The gang and the club have an unofficial pact of mutual noninterference because the sad reality is that the leaders of the gang used to be students of DeeDee at the gym.
I agree with people's post as to parents wanting better for their children. The quote that Pete picked out from Wacquant (1995) states that the father fights so his son won't be able to fight. This dipicts the father's view on fighting. He fights to earn a living and provide for his family; to give his children an education, so they will be able to get a better job than boxing.
ReplyDeleteThe fighter also displays how social class impacts people's ability to get a solid education. He states that his parents never helped him with school, but how his son could hit the books and he would help his son succeed at school. This reminded me of the glaring obsticle that Woodlawn faces with schools shutting down. If educational systems are absent, it is nearly impossible for youth to get out of the vicious cycle of poverty and violence.
Is someone's socioeconomic status a factor in whether some people can play sports or not? The answer is a simple yes. I don't care if you are playing basketball, football, hockey, golf, boxing, or even ultimate frisbee, there is a price. Some peope can afford the price for the activity while other people can't. Unfortunately, there are thousands of students right now in schools all around the country who can't afford to play an activity because either its not offered in their school or they can't pay for it. I just finished reading a book called Seouled Out and the auther does a great job depicting what its like for a normal person living in a poor environment...there just isn't the options for people to get involved in a variety of activities when there is no money. The fact of the matter is sports takes money and sometimes people don't have the money so they are not able to play it. As an educator who works with a variety of different athletes and sports, I would love to say there is equality but the fact of the matter is there isn't. Some places have more money, better leadership, more businesses who are willing to donate money, and just plain have more opportunites. In St Cloud, we have a lot more opportunities than the people of Woodlawn do. I have students coming up and asking me all the time why we don't have certain activities at the school I teach at (most of the kids are kids who are moving from the metro area). The fact of the matter is we don't have the same money, facilities, or equipment at our school as say a school in Elk River or Eden Prairie.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the question, What are your thoughts on opportunities in sport based someone’s socioeconomic status? I would say this.
ReplyDeleteGoing along with the statement above, ones opportunities to participate in any sports is based on socioeconomic status. Some sports require a lot of expensive equipment to play and others don't. It isn't fair but it is the way it is. In a perfect world every community would be equal and offer the same programs, but that will never happen.
I think that a person's sport opportunities are directly related to their families socioeconmic status. Certain sports cost more to play because of the equipment associated with playin the sport. Hockey is a prime example of this because a parent would need to buy the child a helmet, hockey stick, ice skates, and pads before they could play sports. Families who are struggling to make it, are probably not going to spend the money to sign their child up for hockey.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up I was invovled in just about every sport offered in my community. I was raised by a single mother and she worked two jobs in order to provide me with experiences, both athletically and in the arts world. One sport that I was never inovlved in was golf. My friends constantly ask me to golf and are surprised when I tell them I have never golfed in my life. The simple reason of my lack of golf exerience is money. When I was growing up only the rich kids played golf, because we had a private golf course where only members could golf. My mother could not afford a membership, so we never golfed. Growing up, I never realized that our economic status was the reasoning behind my family not partaking in golf, but it is easy for me to see that it was the underlying factor.
I do believe that our sport society possess an inequality to its participants, since there are a lot of costs to cover when participating in youth or varsity sports. As Coakley suggested inexpensve sports such as basketball and to some extant football the inequalities lessen but for the expensive sports such as hockey, golf, skiing, and tennis the inequalties expand.
ReplyDeleteMy inequalities only extend to the point where I did not have the opportunity to play in other sports due to resources in a small town. however that is different from not having the resources financialy to participate in a sport.
Family has a lot of influence on peoples personal ethics and his or her sports influences as well. People have to understand that social economical status along with community makeup create an atmosphere for some peoples sporting career.
ReplyDeleteWhen you think of expensive vs inexpensive sports make sure you consider geographical location. In the south basketball, swimming , and baseball are some of the most inexpensive sports. Equestrian and surfing might be some of the more expensive ones.
I agree with all of the above statements that sports are definitely bases on socioeconomic status. Like some of the others I was fortunate enough to play any sport that I wanted. My husband grew up in a small farm town in Iowa and they offered most sports, but they did not have hockey, soccer, wrestling, tennis, or skiing. When he moved to Minnesota he never had even watched hockey. He fell in love and wished that he would have been given the chance to play. Sadly, there will never be equality in sports offered to all.
ReplyDeleteWe as children were allowed to play in sports as much as our parents could afford. Some got swimming lessons all year long, while other played summer soccer. The socioeconomic struggle shows up in the past in availablilty for new cleats, or the hand-me-downs some recieve.
ReplyDeleteSome people may not even realize that in many neighorhoods, there is no structured sports and the only ivolvement in down at the local bball courts.
There is no simple answer on equality. Inequality regarding sport is previlent in so many areas that we simply could not gain equality in our lifetime. I think sport inequality like the current oil spill. We do not truly realize how deep the "inequality" goes, how much "inequality" and "unfairness" has been exposed, and how far it has it has been spread. Like the children of Woodlawn or the students of "the other side of D.C." in Hoop Dreams, we do not realize how priviledged many of us really were.
Social class has a huge impact on sports for children these days. I think we all would agree that parents want their kids to be successful. However, due to socioeconomic struggles for some families kids aren't able to play a particular sport or have the same luxury as some kids may have. As a kid it cost my family $900 for my brother and I to play football and that was just for equipment.We played in soccer cleats cause they were much cheaper and used old t-shirts for jerseys. That is if we were lucky to be able to play at all.
ReplyDeleteI do believe their is inequality in sports. Unfortunately, these kids who's parents fall into the lower economic social class, wont be able to have all of the experiences that kids in Orange County or Edina may have. As for equality, the only equality we have is the one that the good lord gave us at birth.
I believe that there is an inequality when it comes to sport participation. I hear all the time, "kids have the same opportunities." No they don't! Many kids today don't have the opportunity to participate in any sports outside of gym class because they cannot afford the equipment. That's why we see so many kids playing basketball; you only need shoes, a ball, and a hoop; you don't need a lot of equipment to play a sport like that. On the other hand, hockey is an expensive sport. You need to pay for skates, numerous sticks, helmet, pads, even ice time. And for many kids, they or their parents cannot afford the necessary equipment.
ReplyDeleteWhen looking at this question I can't help but to of Bryce Harper, who was just picked #1 overall in the MLB draft by the Nationals. Although his parents do work (not sure what they do), they are not rich by any means. They had the money to pay for his equipment and were able to send him to play with numerous teams to better himself on the field. I bring up this example because I believe if you have the talent someone will find you.