Ballin'

  

In my time at La Fitness (San Marcos), I observed sports as a “socially constructed institution…[that] was created by and for men” (Messner 636). In my hour of playing 6-8 man pick-up games, not one woman came onto the court. Indeed the room was filled with testosterone and competition, which reinforces Messners’ observation that women tend to not intrude when men are exercising their “male rite” of sports (636). The games were competitive yet fun and controlled -- there were very few fouls and no crowd present for players to “bask in the limelight” (637). This atmosphere demonstrated that sports are not purely used for public recognition or competitive elitism, but rather to have fun and keep an active lifestyle. The games displayed the American paradox between competitive elitism and communal egalitarianism (Solomon 524), as everyone desired to make shots and be the star player yet each team member worked together to move the ball around and spread the fun for everyone.

 

Messner, Michael A. “Power At Play: Sport and Gender Relations.” Signs of Life in the USA. 6^th Ed. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. 635-645. Print.

Shames, Laurence. “The More Factor.” Signs of Life in the USA. 6^th Ed. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. 86-92. Print.