Sociological Aspects of Sport

Justification: A large number of sociological and cultural concerns such as gender equity issues in sport, contributions of minorities to sport in America, contributions of Native Americans to sport, violence in sports, and other aspects such as class sports and equal opportunities to all in sport merit this study.

Proposed PPPS Activities:

1. Document the contributions of minorities to and in sport by a variety of techniques.
   Status: Advisory board to provide guidance in this area.
2. Establish a women's sport library, acknowledging and highlighting accomplishments of women in sports.
   Status: Discussion level
3. Hold a symposium on NC minorities in sports.
   Status: Discussion level.
4. Provide recognition and awards to radio stations and other media sources which promote women and minorities' participation in sports.
   Status: Discussion level
5. Examine gambling in sports in NC.
   Status: Discussion level.
6. Contruct an atlas of sports in NC.
   Status: Discussion with Professor John Florin
7. Collect and display information regarding NC's connections with the Olympics through a series of interviews and other sources.
   Status: Discussion level.
8. Publicize the contributions of Bill Friday in regard to NC sports and the Knight Commission.
   Status: Proposed project.
9. Promote the development and implementation of a symposium on sexism in the media and sports with the School of Journalism.
   Status: Discussion level.
10. Host a series of guest speakers on a weekly or monthly basis to discuss current topics in sport.
    Status: Discussion level.
11. Examine the role of special needs students in sports.
    Status: Discussion level.

Public Heroes, Private Felons: Athletes and Crimes Against Women.

Benedict, Jeff. Public Heroes, Private Felons: Athletes and Crimes Against Women.Northeastern University Press, Boston 1997.

This well-done book addresses the sensitive and needed topic of male athletes' violentactions toward women. Using sound statistics such as "between 1986 and 1996 over 425 professionaland college athletes were publicly reported for violent crimes against women" and the fact that "in 1995 and 1996 ... 199athletes were charged with physical or sexual attacks on women," the author documents how many ofthe attackers were incarcerated or prosecuted. It is the author's view, and he makes a compelling case, that violence against women, by supposedly male role model athletes, hasbecome so routine that the public conscience has been dulled.
The author who worked for the well known Center for the Study of Sport gathered datawhich indicated in a study of 10 major schools, that between 1991 and 1993 male athletes whohad been cited in sixty-nine assaults constituted only three percent of the student population but were responsible for twenty percent of the assaults.The author also conducted a large number of interviews with rape counselors, police officersand others so he could more fully understand the scope of the problems. The results of this study caused the Director of the Center to fire the author who had been theResearch Director for the Center.
The author's work appears to be well documented, objective in nature, and goes"against the grain or myth that only a few athletes are guilty of these violent crimes andthat these episodes areblown out of proportion." It is the author's belief that "too many of the younger generation's male role models possess a fundamental disrespect for women."
The book offers three excellent programs to stop the violence against women- they will not be citedhere because this must-read book deserves to be read by coaches, athletic directors, and sport andphysical education teachers. It is an excellent starting point for discussing violence on women by male athletes.