Unit 2
Chapter 15, Section 1
The Nature of Sports
Mr. Young
Sociology
Essential Question
 How does the
technical
definition of
sports help to
improve your
understanding of
what a sport
means?
Learning Objectives
 I CAN:
1. Explain the Definition of sports
2. Analyze what I believe constitutes a sport
3. Understand the American view on sports
4. Determine several subcultures within
different sports
Sports and Coaches Video
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iymXdR
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A definition of Sports
 Sport- a set of
competitive activities in
which winners and
losers are determined
by physical
performance within a
set of established rules
 Sports is an important
aspect of recreation
 Not all recreational
activities are sports,
and not all games are
sports
Extreme Sports
 Nonmotorized
 sanctioning body
 Extreme or
unusual
 Requires learned
skills, conditioning,
and practice
Sport as A Social Institution
 Sports helps to fulfill
certain needs in our
lives
 It can teach us basic
values such as
sportsmanship,
character, teamwork,
honesty
 Roman Chariot races,
athletes would risk
their lives for their
society
Chariot Racing Scene
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwi3xR
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 Scenes from Gladiator
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI1ylg4
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Current Sports
 MMA Fighting knockouts
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAy4uDT_mT
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Kick boxer Disaster
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk2Gb7lnpKw
Joe Theisman football
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGhakYY5VP
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Soccer Player dies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42klb5HjvBk
Sport, Culture, and Society
 Sports play key role in
American society
because it reflects our
emphasize to achieve
 The only thing that
matters in sports is
winning (the American
attitude)
 Males dominate the
aspects within sports,
just as they dominate
within society, but
females are starting to
finally get their fair
share of the pie
What winning can lead to?
 Bob Knights throws chair
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jc2ESr
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Rutgers coach gets fired
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyPS57
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Minor League coach goes crazy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGZUK
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Sport Subculture
 A group with distinct
roles, values, norms, and
beliefs that is organized
around a sport activity
 Examples: Being quite on
a golf course while you
are watching, a
gentlemen’s game
 Hockey and football both
have a subculture of
violence and rage
 Each sport will have
some type of subculture
within it
Sports Subculture Videos
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PEXG
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 Speedo Guy from Duke