Class differences are very real and apparent in sport. I remember as a kid I went to a Baltimore Orioles game and I couldn t understand why there were so many people that had on ripped clothing, and were trying to sell me things I definitely didn t need outside the stadium. When I grew older I remember asking my father about that day, and he said that game happened to be a 3$ ticket day, in the middle of the summer. See I was only used to going to Yankee games back in New York where tickets were much more expensive. I then placed the puzzle pieces together and realized that many of the people attending the game that day must have been low-income families and individuals. Their behavior wasn t bad by any means; I just was just a different kind of experience.
Sport is a good vice to analyze how outside factors such as poverty, class, race and gender affect and change sport. With effects similar to the rest of society. In the article For Good Health it Helps to be Rich and Important� by Erica Goode she states that Scientists have known for decades that poverty translates into higher rates of illness and mortality.� This is where I see how factors of race also intertwine with those of neo-liberalism politicks. People understand that lower levels of income translates into less jobs, more illness and even death, but its not cost effective to fix the poor, rather than just concentrate on the middle and upper classes.

When I was young I probably played about every sport that was available to me. I come from a middle class family so there were various sports that were accessible. There were three main sports that I played but every now and then I would dabble in a few others. The three main sports were baseball, basketball, and soccer. I also played a little bit of tennis, swimming, and even went to gymnastics camp. I was always one of the better players in any of the sports that I played. However it was always in my nature to play the team sports more seriously and more competitively. I have always enjoyed the social aspect of being on a team. As I grew older it became less and less feasible to continue playing all three sports because each one was becoming much more demanding. I let go of baseball first, then a few years later basketball got the metaphorical axe so I am only left with soccer. It is a goal of mine to play professionally however I do understand that it is improbable. Like Eitzen says A career in professional sports is nearly impossible to attain because of the fierce competition and so few openings.� To make it professionally not only do you have to be good enough but in some ways you have to get lucky as well. So many times players with enough talent get overlooked for various reasons. For example if you do not play at a big name school you are much less likely to be considered for a professional career even though you may be as good or better than a lot of the players that come from those schools.

I thought aaron c was a good example of what we have been talking about. His story was the perfect example of the dream to play pro and the reality of the small number of full rides given. I do however think it is great that he tried as hard as he did and that is also why I think sports are great because they give people something to strive for.

I agree with Angie Brewer and the article "Upward mobility Through Sport" in that the non-stop practice that being good at any one sport takes is almost a detrament to the profession or career an individual will most likely end up undergoing. You do not realize it, till your already in a given career, how much futher your career would have been if you would have used all the time spent practicing sports on preparing for your career. Another thought that comes to mind is how much further that same fictional persons career may or may not be if he or she would have went to the high class public or private schools. (Just another thing determined by socioeconomic status.)

I never realized it before but social class really does play a huge role in what sports we play growing up and even now. Not because of taste, preference, or values, but there are certain sports that most people never get to play at all because of the high price of participating. All during my growing up years, I played most of the common sports like baseball, soccer, and football. These are all sports that are not extreamly expensive to play. Most parents can afford to enroll their kids in the local organizational leagues in the mentioned sports. But lacrosse, on the other hand, is one sport I did play that most lower class families kids had the opportunity to participate in. I got lucky because I have a cousin, whos family is a little higher class than mine, that let me have all of his pads and equipment. without his hand-me-downs, I would most likely not have been able to play lacrosse. One interesting aspect of this mind-set is that the best lacrosse(for example) player in the country might never know because he never had the means to play or may have grew up in a region of the nation that dosen't know what lacrosse is.

Another thing that is sociologically obvious whaen it comes to sports is the teams that do the best are the teams that have the most money and thus live in a higher social class. The Little League World Series is a great example of this. Just about every little leage team in the country technically has the opportunity to play in the LLWS if they can make it. The problem is that only the teams with the money to have the best bats, uniforms, and other equipment really have the chance to acually make it all the way to the WS. Its not that anyone can't "make it", its just that some are more or less likely to than others(according to certain factors such as social status). The same is the case withe the softball league that I play in as Prof. White said, only the teams with the most money are the ones who win with consistency.

I believe that social structure actually determines an indiviuals experiences. Individuals are made by the society in which they live or are a product of the social status in which they grow up. This goes along with Karl Marx and his Dialectic Ontology theory in that "Men do not make their own history as they please, but under a set of circumstances that already exist". It appears to me that one's family's socioeconomic status is the one single most dominant factor in determining what sport one plays or what we wear, what we eat, where we work, and even who we marry. There are efforts being made in contrast to this ideology like providing funds for lower class kids to participate in sports that they normally would not have a chance to play. It is a good start but I dont think there will ever be a equal playing field for those of all social classes.

I believe that sporting choices, to some extent, are made for you. Your class status plays a role in this because whether you are middle class, high class, or low your choices are made for you. In the upper class society you can afford to play more expensive sports.
The article about health and how the lower class people have higher mortality rates and people with high stress levels also have high mortality rates. I do not know exactly how this ties into sport, but I do see that sports is stressful and if you do not have the correct nourishment you will have a high mortality rate but is that what I should be getting from this article.

Since a young age I have played sports for fun with my friends and verse others for friendly competition. I tried the sports such as swimming, dance (which I consider a sport as well as those who dance), softball and track. Eventually I found my niche in swimming and dance.

The one regret I do have however is unlike other people I wasn t encouraged to play sports to get scholarships for college because I knew my parents would send me to college. Even though the article with the myths talked about how the odds of getting a full scholarship are very rare, especially for women I still think it is something that is great to strive for. In high school I lost all motivation to continue with sports when other things at the time seemed to be more important. By quitting sports I think I lost out on opportunities that other people who continued with sports experienced. I do believe that I gained a lot of valuable lessons from my sporting experiences. I learned teamwork and devotion, and how to work hard at something you love to do. As Eitzen states, the reality is that upward mobility through sport is highly improbable.� I understood this, even at a young age. Even though I had the passion for the sports I played, I knew that I was not trained the way the top athletes that had any possible chance were.

It really interesting to see what sports everyone played and to see if it was effected by where they grew up.

I agree with you dye233, because todays day in age most college athletes that are thinking about taking their game to the next level never really think about having to rely on school. In my opinion the NCAA should have a policy where the athletes have to follow a certain cericulum, because most of the athletes going pro take classes like wood carving 101. If one athlete gets injured in their senior year of college and no team picks them in the draft; I guess they would be shit out of luck.

i agree with c. brown that once you know the odds of getting a sports scholarship it is better to focus on academics to improve the future.

I agree with David Bowser statements about the high costs associated with these travel teams and the commitment that comes not only from you the player but from your family. They are giving up their free time so that you could travel and play, as well as spend lots of money while doing so.

Looking at francesca's story i too, agree that sports on a social level can bring together all the classes. We have to make kids understand, that money isnt everything, and just cause someone is in a lower class than yourself there's no reason to look down on them. We all live in this world together and it would be a lot less problematic if we could all just work together, and stop comparing our selves to one another, class, race, and religion shouldnt get brought up in sports or anyother aspect of life. You are who you are.

I agree with J. Hyson and I believe that sports can sometimes get in the way of school. Like the article says, sports and scholarships can most definitely help and provide opportunities to go to college and get a degree. This also creates a distraction of why we are in school.

I agree with Andrew Offsey that social class will allow people to participate in different sport activity. If your family is able to afford the registration fee, equipment, and uniforms. Then most likely you have an option to play more expensive sports. The lower social class may be restricted. They may not be able to participate in some sports due to economical costs.

I agree with C.Brown about class mattering in sports. When you start out playing young usually the people who are born with the skills do better. As you get older its the people that deveop the most skills through camps,practice or whatever. But usually the people who can afford these are usually upper class people. It doesn't guarentee to become good but they have more options on their side to help them.

I agree with J hyson sport is a great stress reliever and a good way to get away. Sports usually was fun for me so no matt how rough of a day i had when i played sports i usually felt better. You get to put aside everything in life for a bit and have fun which helps me and many others cear their head before taking on life again

sorry dyee223 had such a tough past with not being able to play sports. But i agree with them that athletes have a lot of pressure on worrying about losing their scholarships. I can't imagine being able to live that life since they spend so much time with sports while trying to do their duty as students.

I agree with the comments said by J hyson. Sports I feel are a stress reliever and a good way to get away. I also believe that lacrosse and hockey are relatively expensive sports and this is why you see the middle class towns and upper class have these teams. There is also a space issue for these sports and many lower class places dont have the room or money for these sports

As i had stated i agree with what C.Brown said. As you get older and begin to play in more competitive leagues you will being notice class separation.

I like what francesca said about playing for the love of the game. It's the love of the game that is hopefully common in all of the players on the team and it seemed especially true in her story of how a team can come together to support another teammate. I also think that the coaches can and should be given more credit for thier support of the players when they have done something that positively effects the team.

I agree with francesca. Being involved with sports teaches you some of life's greatest lessons that most people wouldn't pick up until later or not at all.

I agree with dyee223 about Collegiate level sports consuming up a lot of time and energy along with classes. When students have scholarships to keep in mind it also increases pressures and stress on making it through and getting a degree. Sports teams in college especially division 1 schools, require time for team meetings, practice, etc. but they also require time in study hall as well.

I agree with francesca in that when were on sport teams we have to be there for each other like family. We need to support our teammates just as we do our friends and family. I think its great that everyone put their own issues aside to help out her teammate in her time of crisis. Those are the kind of values we need to take away from sports.

I enjoyed the writings of Frank Bowen describing a different aspect that I had not encountered before. The injury he sustained definately prevented him from doing something he enjoyed. Where my parents didn't limit my choices when I got hurt and his did shows how much different our parents are. I also agree with his points on how much sports can shape you as you get older.

I agree also with Julie O. and J. Hyson. Sports take up a tremendous amount of time, effort and dedication. Especially playing at the D1 level you have an enormous amount of pressure put on you to perform at 100% everyday. When you have to travel all weekend and be away all weekend the last thing you want to do is homework on the bus trip or last minute late Sunday night. You defiantly learn to balance and manage your time because it's so easy to fall behind. The emphasis I hear everyday from my parents is that I am a student...athlete, not the other way around.

Francescas story about her basketball team was a perfect example how sports can bring people from different classes together. Class differences is only shown on the court by things such as shoes and apparrel, not talent. Sports bring people together everyday.

I would second the idea by mnaviasky that it wasn't until travel soccer that social status became real apparent. Playing at a recreational level, social status is still present but not as obvious. But when playing travel and going beyond your general area of playing, social status is very evident in the teams, players, coaches, and equipment, as well as field conditions you play on. Attending my 12 year old cousin's soccer game, a lot of these things became apparent.

Having played with Dave Bowser on the Baltimore Bays, I know exactly what he is talking about. A lot of people take for granted the amount of time and money that their families put into their athletic choices. But like most people have said in their comments, I think people realize what their families have done for them as they mature.

After reading the response by J. Hyson, I have to admit that as far as the idea that sports can get in the way of school work, I agree. I think, like the article says, sports and scholarships can most definitely help and provide opportunities to go to college and get a degree. Sometimes though, I have to remind myself that I am here for school and not for lacrosse. I find that I neglect my studies a lot and my schoolwork, based on lacrosse practice, or games, or simply being too tired from waking up at 5:30am for practice. This being said, I agree that sports can, in a sense, get in the way of doing school work if you fall behind and allow that to happen.

I agree with the comment that J. Ondranko left when she refers to the article by Eizten discussing how sport can lead to upward mobility. A lot of athletes are given the opportunity to play a collegiate sport and get a college education primarily because of their ability in sport not because of their grades. I m not saying that once the student athlete is in college that they get things handed to them, because I know from being a student athlete that is not true. However, if you are one of the highest recruited athletes for that year, with decent grades and tremendous athletic ability, one can pretty much go where ever they please.
Also referring to what Kat Kennan said about her school not having much funding for athletics; I think that is a very frustrating situation to be put in when you really love a sport. If you are not given good coaching and equipment, it is hard to stay involved with sports.

I understand exactly what kat keenan is saying about the area she is from not getting attention from colleges because I too am from the Southern Md area. Not St. Mary's County but Charles County. And we definitely played Great Mills every year in soccer. And our team went through the same obstacles of having good players but our coach was useless so that reflected bad on our team because we barely won either.

The sport that consumed most of my young adult life was soccer. I began playing in elementary school because that is what most kids my age played and a majority of my family played as well. Soccer didn t take too much money to play, the only things you really needed were a pair of cleats and some shin guards, and then you had to pay the league fees. So my middle class standing went along with the demands of soccer.

Throughout my soccer career I played recreational soccer and then added indoor soccer to that and eventually landed myself on a select team. Even as I began playing just on a recreational team, I saw the class differences. It seemed the more money you or teammates families had, the better off your team was. When I started playing we only had the basics to play. But as we began to grow as a team and win, the higher class families began donating money and all our team gear was paid for, so we had a better advantage against the competing teams. Then as I moved up to select a definite class division was evident. These teams travel all around to play the best teams, so you had to have the money to not only pay to be on the select team but you had to have travel money as well. Not only that but as Upward Mobility Through Sport states, The demands on their [my] time and energy are enormous even in the off-season.� I only played on that team for two years and we were able to afford the traveling but I m sure if I would have played longer it would have really stretched us because we didn t live the upper class lifestyle.

All of this led to playing soccer in high school, which was pretty much a given because that was what I knew. But as I began playing in high school I realized that a lot of my teammates had aspirations of being the next Mia Hamm. I realized after my sophomore year that soccer wasn t going to get me into college, even though I started varsity as a freshman, and began focusing on academics because college was an absolute in my family. As Upward Mobility Through Sport states, women athletes have even less of a chance to receive an academic scholarship,� and while women comprise about 52 percent to 70 percent of all college students, they make up only 35 percent of intercollegiate athletes.� So, when I lost my love of the game I decided to stop playing and completely focus on my academics. I knew right then in there that soccer was going to get me nowhere in life and the only way I would be able to make money one day and maybe bring myself up a notch on the class standing scale would be to go to college, work hard and focus on my academics.

When I was a youth my sporting choices mainly included baseball and basketball. At a very young age, I was taught by my grandfather about the game of baseball. My grandfather was an immigrant who came to New York City from Cuba at a very young to live with his wealthy Aunt. When he was younger he attended every Yankee game he could possibly see, and has many score cards and programs to prove it. He has always been a diehard baseball fan and in turn has past his excitement for the game to his children and grandchildren. Once my brother and I were old enough he taught us how to throw and hit the ball. Soon enough it became a routine every time we saw him we would throw the ball around. We both played recreational leagues when we were younger as well as travel leagues. As we grew older though we both learned about how extremely slim the chances were for us to really excel and make/earn something from our abilities. A career in professional sports is nearly impossible to attain because of the fierce competition for so few openings� (Upward Mobility Through Sport� : The Myths and Realities, Eitzan). I think I realized my slim chances at too young of an age along with the fact that my parents were divorced and could not afford to send us to special camps and it discouraged me for trying to compete with fellow classmates who could afford these things.

I started participating in sports at the age of five. It was always soccer in the spring, and baseball in the fall. As I grew older, I continued to play baseball and soccer, but grew apart from soccer. Around fifth grade I wanted to play football, but wasn t allowed to because my mom was afraid that I might get injured. Iin middle school I played basketball in the winter, participated in a bowling league, and played baseball in the spring, and was finally allowed to play football in eigth grade. When I reached high school, I continued to play baseball and wrestled for one year, and did track in the spring for another. After an end of the year tournament for wrestling I had a brain aneurism and was no longer able to participate in wrestling or any type of heavy contact sports. Upon receiving the news and being home schooled for three months, I lost my interest in participating in organized high school sports and focused on personal fitness. After I graduated high school and entered college I continue to work out and enjoy playing football or basketball with my friends in pick up games as often as I can. The reason I enjoy them is the aspect of competition. Since I cannot participate in college athletics and don t really have the time for club or intramural sports, I work out what I can with my friends. What I get out of working out is personal satisfaction. To me it represents hard work, determination, commitment, and discipline, all attributes that I can apply to all aspects of my life such as schoolwork and jobs. Playing in pick-up games with my friends helps me to bond with them and to enjoy my free time and relax. And I can still have that competitive aspect of sports without being in an organized league or team. I don t necessarily believe that my family s economic status impacted the sports during my youth and today. The reason I participated in those sports was because all my friends and everyone in the community was doing the same thing. Sure it was a predominately upper middle class neighborhood, but that s what you did to participate in sports while being social at the same time. In D. Stanley Eitzen s reading he writes how sport can be an escape for some people (although very unlikely), and how they can gain wealth from the talent they possess. I believe this to be true, but I m unsure as to believe how economic status would impact the sports you can become rich off of. I believe that if one can truly excell in a sport and become great at it, they will find a way to participate in it, and grow with it one way or another.

When I was in my teens, I was a soccer player through and through. I believed when I was younger that because I was excelling on my team against my teammates that I could use my ability to get a scholarship and go to college. This dream never became a reality for many reasons. For one, the area I m from doesn t get enough attention from colleges because it is a small town, Great Mills Maryland located in St. Mary s county. Most people have never heard of this place let alone been there. Two, of the high schools in my area, mine was the poorest. Literally cross the street from a trailer park around the corner from the flat tops (run down one bedroom shacks). The school got little funding for text books and even less for athletics. Thus the school couldn t hire experienced coaches and the teams suffered for it. Though my soccer team had good players, the coaching was less than to be desired which left my team with only a single win my senior year. The lower class standing of my high school hindered my chances of ever receiving a scholarship for soccer. Not mention as Eitzen does in the reading, While women comprise about 52 percent of all college students, they make up only 35 percent of intercollegiate athletes with similar disproportionate distribution of scholarships.�
Luckily I did well in school and my parents saved up so that I could go to college without a athletic scholarship. The system is flawed in that those that have an opportunity to pursue sports to benefit through high education are limited by what they have as far as coaching and equipment in high school. Plus, playing colligate sports doesn t necessarily mean receiving a degree or a professional career. It is however, a great opportunity for both if the athlete has the drive and talent to accomplish those things. Mainly, class matters in sports as far as the prospects one can receive.

All my life, I've always been a more of a sport spectator than a player. While I did play baseball during my early childhood, I have never been seriously committed to participation in any organized athletics. During my high school and college careers, when most people develop their most serious relationships with sports, I was always to busy with work to play. My intention is not to call those who did spoiled or lazy. In fact, I have great respect for those who are dedicated to their sport of choice. However, I have never had the luxury of a work schedule light enough or flexible enough to commit fully to a team sport. In high school, I had to save up for my car and the gas to run it, in addition to the gas and repairs to keep it running. Now, and throughout all of college, I have had to work full time to pay for all of my own food, clothes, car, and additional living expenses. I simply do not have the extra time to practice for hours every single week that is required by a serious competitive sport. In a very real way, my social class and family income is a perfect example of how money can affect one's experience with sport. As stated in the article, The demands of their time and energy are enormous even in the off-season� (Eitzen, 250), and those factors are not something that I have ever been able to offer.

I agree with Marc Ingram, sports has also made me competitive. However, there are so many more positive values I learned that I beleive it is far better to participate than not.

I was involved with sports from a very young age until I graduated from high school. I started out running track in the junior olympics in the third grade to playing volleyball, basketball, and track from junior high school until graduation. I was also a cheerleader in the ninth grade. So I am priveleged to the fact that I have had an array of experiences in sports.

Many of the choices I made regarding the sports I played were limited to what was offered by the schools I attended. I was lucky to attend schools with so many sporting options, however, I never played anything outside of school related sports. I am sure this is because of the environment I grew up in. My mother could never afford to pay for ice skating lessons, or even send me to the elitest camps in the sports I was playing. Like it was mentioned in class, there are certain sports associated with certain social classes, and I definitely wasnt playing polo.

I do believe that I gained a lot of valuable lessons from my sporting experiences. I learned teamwork and devotion, and how to work hard at something you love to do. My participation wasn't the one leading to stardom. As Eitzen states, "...the reality is that upward mobility through sport is highly imporbable." I understood this, even at a young age. Even though I had the passion for the sports I played, I knew that I was not trained the way the top athletes that had any possible chance were. I was not able to develop my skill because of the social class I was in. There were many days when my mother wasn't sure where we were going to get our next meal, so there wasn't any way she could possible invest in my athletic future.

There are not any sports that I carry into adulthood, but I try to expose my two chidren to as many opportunities as possible. My two daughtera are involved in soccer and swimming most actively. Getting involved in an alternative sport, swimming, has given me new insight. I have experienced being involved in a non african american dominated sport and the differences in the types of people who are. On my daughters swimming team, she is the only black participant and on her soccer team, she is the only black female, althought there are definitely more minorites on her soccet team than her swimming. I have also realized the amount of money it takes for these alternative sport as opposed to the one that would be offered in the school system. However, I feel like my children should be exposed to as many evironments as possible and at least given the opportunite to experiences certain sports that would other wise be considered out of their social class.

Sporting choices to some extent are made for you. Your class staus plays a huge role in this becasue whether you middle class or high or even low your choices are made for you. The upper class society can afford to play the most expensive sports. The sports that you need all kinds of different pads, guards, skates, sticks etc. The lower classes have to rely on what there bodies can do for them. This is why you see more boxers in a lower class soceity. You would rarely see an upper class kid boxing or putting there body on the line as many lower class kids do. Mnay think it is there only way out.
I read this article about health and how the lower class people have higher mortality rates and people with high stress levels also have high mortality rates. I do not know exactley how this ties into sport. I can see that sports is stressfull and if you do not have the correct nurishment you will have a high mortality rate but is that what I should be getting from this article.
For example when I was a young kid my parents would not allow me to play football until I was around the age of 13. I was resitricted to soccer and basketball. These in my parents minds were the safer sports. This I feel is a norm for many middle class kids. They are restricted to certain areas becasue of social staus.
My parents hoped to get sports to make me a more disciplined and focused person. From this aspect I feel like sports did this for me. Sports also can change people in good and bad ways. Becasue of sport I feel I am a very competitive. I am so competitive that I will not lose to even my younger cousins in any game. This is one way is very good but in others can really hurt your relationships with people. I have been called cheap, dirty, and even ruthless when it comes to sport. This is an aspect that many atheletes will not admit.

Growing up I was encouraged to play every sport that was offered to me and that I did. The sports I played ranged from anything from basketball to lacrosse. Though some of the sports I enjoyed more then I others it didn t matter to my parents, when the next season approached I was signed up for the sport of the season. I was never restricted from playing a certain sport because of money or class. I was always fortunate enough to be able to play whatever sport I wanted without any limitations. Though majority of the people I played sports with had limitations put on them because of money it never seemed like that when we were a team. Financial limitations were never evident between us because we were a team and all were friends.
The one regret I do have however is unlike other people I wasn t encouraged to play sports to get scholarships for college because I knew my parents would send me to college. Even though the article with the myths talked about how the odds of getting a full scholarship are very rare especially for women I still think it is something that is great to strive for. In high school I lost all motivation to continue with sports when other things at the time seemed to be more important. By quitting sports I think I lost out on opportunities that other people who continued with sports experienced. Playing sports was something that I did growing in hopes to gain new experiences and learn more about myself and the games I played.

I was lucky enough to be born in one of the richest areas in the country (kings point makes up a majority of my town). I am from the middle class part of my town but it is above average compared to many towns in the country. I had options of what i could do, but didn't know how many options i have had. I started playing soccer, baseball, and basketball all through the police athletic league, but for each season you paid a fee to the league for uniforms, ref/umpires, and other expenses. I was lucky enough to be able to try out for travel teams, and have options of whatever i wanted to. I loved sports since i am competive , athletic and find it a good way to have fun and meet people. I was able to go to camps,clinics, and other events that allowed me to get better knowledge and skills of the various sports. I didn't however know that leagues were open for individual sports year round. I had however had taken advantage of having the option of playing sports such as tennis as well. I would play various pickup games of basketball, baseball,kickball, or whatever i wanted at peoples houses, at the schools we went to or parks. Many lower classed areas don't allow people to have the same options. During the summer my parents paid for me to attend sports camp at Friends Acadamy and was allowed to play various sports. I was trying to get better and become better fro myself as well as to compete for teams. I have been lucky enough to be able to ski for a few days each year, which is more than some people have been able to in their lives. I have been able to walk,jog, hike,rock climb,kayak,parasail, jetski, wrestle and do many other sports or events. They are classified as sports or events from different classes, but I have been able to experience as many as them as possible due to me being more towards the upper class even though i am not really wealthy.

Now as a fan I have been able to go to various sport events. No matter what it is i have been able to afford to go to football,baseball,hockey,or basketball games at various times during the year. If i dont get to go i try and follow by watching them on T.V but even that sometimes is hard to do because of cable,newspapers, or whatever, and especially when you are on the road. Sports have been easier for me to follow since i am able to have more chances to go to which is tougher as they are not so lucky.

J. Hyson makes a good point about the value of playing sports in college. While it seems like a viable option, there are so many time restrictions on what classes you can take that it makes it very difficult to get the classes you need for a degree.

I agree with francesca Terrano. It was great how his basketball team really came together to help support the girl that was having trouble on his basketball team. It is much easier to just let someone go and not advice or help them. It takes well minded people to want to come forward to try to help someone, and that is what his basketball team did.

I agree with nychik when she mentions the amount stress that trying to afford a sport brings on. You definitely need to take into account your health as well as your affordability when it comes to supporting your child's sport choices. Personally I know my mother went through a very stressful time during my junior and senior year because not only was I playing a travel sport, but so was my little brother. The amount of time and money can take a toll on the whole family.

I have been playing organized sports nearly my entire life and throughout my playing years someone has always made sure to say just go out and have fun. Now more than ever, after reading "Upward Mobility Through Sport?" do I realize how seriously that statement should be taken. Growing up mostly playing soccer and baseball, I was never the superstar on my team but always landed somewhere in the middle with regards to my skill level. After years of playing soccer and finally having to decide if I was going to pursue a college scholarship, I made the decision that I was probably better off just working on my academics to get into a good school than relying on whatever skills I had as a player to maybe have an offer or two thrown my way. Knowing that soccer is not a mainstream professional sport in the U.S. and now seeing statistics such as, "...3,481 male high school seniors who played football during the 1994 season. Of these, 31 recieved full scholarships at D1-A schools (0.0089%)," (Eitzen, 250), it was an easy and has so far been a worthwhile decision. The thing that I noticed most about those numbers is that surely the number of male high school seniors playing football has gone up, and even the number of kids recieving scholarships has had to have gone up, but all across the country you have more and more student athletes who are in competition for scholarship opportunities that I would bet are not increasing the way that the number of athletes are. The odds seem to be shifting even farther away for those looking to get scholarships and "make it big" by playing sports.
I also wanted to comment on the relation between class and the different sports that are available to each. I would say that my family, which consists of 2 married parents and 3 children including myself, has been able to live comfortably and would most likely be considered middle class. Having all three kids playing different sports at different times, I was lucky that my parents were able to accomadate for my brother, sister and I. Looking now, I can see how our social class may have influenced what sports we played. We all played team sports but never really had the opportunity to play such "upper class" sports like golf or skiing. I'm sure the investment in a new multi-hundred dollar golf set or pair of skis for any of us did not seem to make financial sense, especially when time constraints and travel were already a big factor in sporting arrangements. Not until after expressing interest to play hockey for my high school and being told that it would be too expensive to buy all the pads and pay for ice time did I realize that I wouldn't be able to play some sports because of financial restrictions that would have to be imposed in order to make sure we could maintain a comfortable but not extravagent lifestyle. After reading Eitzen, you see just how many people rely on sports to move up in the world and get out from the shadow, or socially ascribed class, cast from thier parents. But after seeing the stats and knowing how intense some people can be in the pursuit of a dream that seems so close but in actuality is simply out of reach, I come back to my original statement that sports should be played for fun and enjoyment. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying you should just have fun and forget about competition. Competition is what makes sport fun for many and I know that in my future sporting activites the competition will be what keeps me interested and coming back for more. Now go outand have fun.

Growing up I always wanted to play football, but the only football programs around were at the high school level and I was only in elementary school. That made it easy for Mother to keep me from playing. Then finally a recreational league started as I was entering the fifth grade. I think the reason I wanted to play football so bad when I was younger was because I liked all the equipment that football players had to wear, the look of a football player was so cool with all the pads on. I remember my Mom always telling me that it was to dangerous and that I would get hurt, that s when I went to my Dad. He said as long as my grades were good I could play. I played football all through middle school and then through high school. Football was what Hereford High was known for and they had one state championship under their belts and they wanted more. Making it to the playoffs just about every year the program was getting big. My freshman year the junior varsity team had not lost a game in four seasons and the coach told us the only way to do better was to repeat.
Throughout my high school career, playing football was what I did. It was a great experience. I knew that when I graduated high school I would also be graduating from the sport of football too. I started my sophomore year on JV, and my senior year on the varsity but I wasn t looking for any scholarships out of my football experience. What I was looking for was a chance to play on a championship team, and I got that chance my junior year. Our team beat Joppa Town at Ravens Stadium. Coming home from that game was an amazing feeling one that I would never get again, from football at least.
In the article Upward Mobility Though Sports?� it talks about the myths that sports have in our society. One of the myths was that sports lead to a college degree. Another barrier is that they are recruited for athletic prowess rather then academic ability. Recent data show that football players in big-time programs are, on average, more then 200 points behind their non-athletic class mates on SAT scores.� When a student that is just barley academically eligible to play in high school how are they supposed to keep up their grades in college? I mean, so they are really good at a particular sport and that gets them in to college, they are then supposed to earn a four year degree when they barley got their high school diploma. It doesn t make much sense but it happens all the time.

Throughout elementary school I played a number of sports including basketball, softball, and gymnastics. Over this time I started to really get involved with gymnastics. I got to the point where I was invited to join the competing team at my gym. By joining the team you not only had to pay for gym time, but you also had to pay a fee to be a member of the team. Other additional costs included paying for team uniforms, competitions, and traveling expenses. Although I loved the sport it was too expensive and require considerable individual coaching and access to private facilities.� (Upward Mobility Through Sports?) My family could not afford these costs and this is just one example of how class affected the sports that I played throughout my life so far.
The following year I started junior high and joined the field hockey team. I began to really love the sport and by the time I was a sophomore I decided that I really wanted to play field hockey in college. I joined a club team and started playing all year round. My dream was to play at one of the top Division I Universities, partially because four girls from the school next to me were on the U16 National Team and had the same dreams, so I thought it was realistic. But to my disadvantage they had opportunities that I did not. They were given the chance to start playing field hockey in fourth grade and had connections through people that I did not know.
Just the other day I was having a conversation with a fellow teammate about the opportunities post graduation for Division I athletes, specifically females and the sport of field hockey. We discussed how much time, effort, and money we put into the sport during and prior to our college careers only to result in no relation to our future careers. We spent most of our lives so far concentrating on the game and in three years it will not help us get a job writing for the New York Times or teaching at an Elementary School. In some cases it will hurt us. As it said in the article, The demands on their time and energy are enormous even in the off-season.� (Upward Mobility Through Sport?). It s very probable that I will graduate, but in some aspects it prevented me from pursuing my original plan of majoring in athletic training. As an athlete here at Towson, it is not possible to major in athletic training in four years due to the amount of required athletic training hours to graduate.
I do not regret playing field hockey throughout high school and college because I love the game. On the other hand when I look at the educational options that I sacrificed it makes me think if I would have benefited more in the future if I did not play field hockey in college. It is something that could go one way or the other. Pursuing a dream of sports for four years or pursuing a desirable career for a lifetime.

The fact that Michael Jordon had to wait two hours to be able to buy one Lexus is absurd (The Picture: Growing Economic Insecurity and Inequality pg 47). The thought of things like that has driven millions to madness. Everyone wants to be like that, have untold wealth at their fingers tips. This thought has made the Average Joe try for professional glory in untold droves. Everyone at my high school used to joke about how athletically inclined basketball players just happened to find a small school in the middle of nowhere. I would like to think that some of the kids that passed through those halls as an athlete carried it over into a college degree and a future, mostly because the person in charge of admissions had faith that he was doing the right thing. When I was a freshman in high school, I told myself that I wanted to play basketball at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. It never occurred to me that a 5 11 white kid that can t dunk wouldn t be able to do that. I played my freshman year and probably could have continued for at least one more year. I, however, relegated myself to other sports in my life. I played baseball and ran track when I was younger, but those were temporary solutions for boredom and I never really paid attention to them. I played soccer and lacrosse throughout the rest of my high school days, but lacrosse is another sport where I find the truths of class shown. Most of the kids that played were from fairly well to do families from at least a middle class standing. The sport gets very expensive. To play club here last year, I ended up paying about three hundred and fifty dollars. And to play beyond high school in college is incredibly difficult. Either the right scout has to see our or you have to be from the right school/area. There is also almost zero chance of playing past college, there is a small pay check in professional lacrosse and the leagues just are not that big. It makes mainstream sports like football and basketball that much more appealing. But while the possibility of staggering wealth and status through sports exists, the reality is that dramatic upwards mobility through sport is highly improbable (Eizten 249).�

As I have stated in previous postings, the sports I played competitively when I was young were roller hockey, basketball, lacrosse and golf. I also played football and baseball, but just for fun. Looking back on it I definitely see a correlation between the area I grew up and the sports I chose to take part in. At the same time I believe there are other important factors that contributed to the sports I played.

Roller hockey was the first sport I started to play when I was young. I continued to play up until I entered college. A big reason I played was due to the location of where I lived. This was because the biggest roller hockey league and facility in Long Island was located a few miles from my house. If I hadn t lived right near such an enormous roller hockey facility I probably would have never picked up the sport. That was not the only reason I began to play though, a lot of it had to do with my father s interest in hockey.

I began to play golf do once again because it was something my father participated in and I found it to be a lot like hockey. As stated in class though I would not have had the opportunity to play that sport if I did not grow up in an upper class� area in Long Island. If I grew up in harsh conditions in New York City I would have probably had to pick up a different sport that did not require high fees to play. I believe a lot of what I decided to play when I was young and currently had to do with the area I grew up in, but that is not the only reason I played those sports.

Mike Manley made a good point about being able to tell the social class of a teammate based on how often they could afford equipment ect. I didn't really think baseball was that expensive of a sport because my dad already had a lot of the equipment to practice with and told me it was better to use the stuff I had broken in, it didn't occur to me others might find the sport expensive and show the different social classes.

Sports were the best inventions ever. I have enjoyed sports since I was born. When I was less than one years old my parents took a picture of me with baseballs, footballs, soccer balls, etc. The best memories even though I am not a soccer fan now is when I played at the age of four I beleive. I then began playing baseball, which I stuck with longer than any other sport besides recreation sports like golf and tennis. My dad always tried to get me to try new things and see what sport I would fall in love with. Since I can remember my parents took me to professional and collegiate sporting events which made me even more interested in playing competetive sports. Also what I found pretty humorous about all of Ryan's comments about Columbia is that they are true. I was born in Columbia and still live there to this day. There are people there from every class and it is interesting to go to school there because you see everything. Sports in Columbia were always extremely competitive and they helped build me into the person I am today. I was not the one who had new equiptment every year and matching cleats, when almost all my friends were those kids. I dont believe class had a big role in sports in Columbia because even in high school sports there were all county players that were wealthy and there were close to poor kids that were also all county players that got full scholarships. Without sports in my life I honestly dont know what I would have done for the past 15 years of my life.

Growing up, I saw countless sacrifices my family made for me to play high level soccer. I started playing club level soccer at the age of 12 in Harford county. At that age, coming from a middle class family, I thought nothing of finances and the time commitment this put my family through. As I got better and moved to better teams, it was clear the class level associated with the level of soccer. I watched my teammates get new cleats every three weeks like it was nothing. Because of the travel and time commitment necessary, it was clear this progression of sport had moved from middle class suburbia to a higher economic and social class. As time wore on, I joined one of the premier teams in the area, the Baltimore Bays. It seemed every weekend we were traveling out of town, spending a lot of money on hotels and eating out, and it didn t end there. As things progressed, I had chances to go overseas and play sport at a very expensive price tag, not just financially, but the time commitment that went along with it. Had I not come from a middle class family none of these things would have been possible and a attribute a lot of this to my parents who gave everything, but most importantly their time for me to have every opportunity to excel at sport.

I participated as a youth in three main sports. Having grown up in a predominately baseball household it was only natural that my interest was in playing. Since my dad is a baseball coach, he worked with me constantly on drills, plays, and the game. Once I switched over to softball and my dad realized I was serious about playing, he set up a batting cage in our basement. Being a coach, he already had a lot of the equipment and knowledge needed for the drills. This helped with keeping the expenses down as well.
There are various social classes seen in baseball. In my opinion, little league baseball is not too terribly expensive as opposed to some other sports; therefore, it provides more of an opportunity for various people to participate. The more advanced you become it does begin to cost more but that is just like any other sport. Even to attend baseball events, there are plenty of opportunities to go and watch the pony league and even our hometown minors team for a reasonable price. We are fortunate enough to have a minor league stadium in town providing the surrounding area with more of a chance to attend sporting events.
The atmosphere of the game and the fans has changed some from when I was younger to now which it has made an unfortunate turn. Going out to a baseball game meant fun, entertainment, a sense of community, and rooting for your home team, that is no longer the case. There is not the support from the community as much because they are unhappy with the outdated stadium or the losing team, so attendance is low. It disappoints me to not see the family going out to the game when we really are lucky to even have a stadium five minutes away. That is why I chose to work at the stadium as soon as I could so maybe I would be able to change the community s perception. Working in the stadium is what ultimately lead to my major decision so I could make a larger impact on the fan s experience.
By participating in the game, I wanted to get a sense of team cohesion, discipline, and accomplishment. All of which I think were achieved. Being a very competitive person, playing fulfilled my drive to improve and work harder. I liked the fact that we had to work together as a team to achieve anything and if we lost, we lost or won it was as a team and not an individual.
The two other main sports I participated in were competitive gymnastics and dance, yes dance is a sport. Starting gymnastics first gave me many of the skills I needed for when I decided to dance. There is so much room for fast advancement and an unlimited amount of skill choices. It was great exercise and needed hard work and discipline with not only controlled body movements but a controlled mind as well. I originally started gymnastics because of my fearless ability and flexibility. It became something I enjoyed and competed in for a while. The problem our family had with gymnastics was the strain it points on your joints and the increased cost as you improved. The higher the level, the more training and gym time you needed, as well as different uniforms, and competition fees to name a few. Compared to the other families in competitive gymnastics, we were struggling with the cost increase, my mom enduring a lot of the stress and pressure to keep up. As shown in the study For Good Health, It Helps to be Rick and Important, the harder someone has to work, and the lower your status compared to others adds more stress. My mom did not want that stress and pressure that came with the sport, that is when I got into dance.
Dance is not cheap either, however the cost stayed stable until the end of the year costumes for the recital. Most of the girls in my dance studio were middle to upper class; it depended on which studio you attended as to the social status. There was a studio downtown strictly for producing disciplined and amazing dancers who most would go on to dance professionally; that studio was mostly an upper class studio. The one other studio in the area was not into the professional level as much as it was for recreation and that was a middle class studio. Attending the studio I chose, there was a lot of talk and rivalry with the other two in the area where social status was apparent.
Participating in dance is what got me into theater and opened a door of theater as an opportunity. Since my studio was the one in the middle, not very strict but still had the potential to be a great studio, I realized I wasn t getting out of the training what I had hoped would happen the more advanced it became. It was a good way to stay in shape, express yourself and a lot easier on the body than gymnastics, but in order to fulfill my sights of theater and dancing I needed something more challenging and strict. By the time I realized that, it was almost too late and I had become comfortable in my studio and the surroundings. We were in the middle of the social class that attended the studio and I knew how things operated.
Social class was apparent in all three of the sports and did play a role in the sports I participated in. Not only did I participate but also supported the sports by attending several events and becoming involved by working in the field.

The sport I played when I was growing up was soccer. I played for a small private elementary school . I was able to play soccer and it didn t cost my parents a lot of money . The only real costs were cleats, shin pads and the soccer ball. I guess economically it was inexpensive for me to play. I had the same soccer ball for many years and shin pads are fairly cheap. My parents started me out playing soccer. I was born in the U.S. but my parents were not. Soccer is more popular in other countries I guess that is why I was guided into that sport. Economically soccer can be cheap sport to play. In soccer you only really need the ball and an area to play. In other poor countries many kids play without shoes, much less cleats or shin pads.
They just have the ball. I attended a small private elementary school when I played soccer, so all my games were paid for in tuition. The school provided the referee s ,coaches, and equipment. The only thing my parents needed to buy me at that age were shoes and pads. What I learned from playing soccer at that age was interacting with new people and realizing not all people are good at sports. The soccer team at my elementary school, was to bring out school spirit and have other parents meet each other. Our team lost every game, every year, but as a young kid I was just happy to play.

I have always enjoyed playing sports throughout my entire life. From the very beginning of my childhood up until recently I was always involved in playing a competitive sport. I am fortunate enough to come from a well supported family, in which I could pick and choose the sports I wanted to play. My involvement in sports started as a young child, and included baseball, basketball, and soccer. I first started playing recreational sports. Generally, the strength of sports was that it neutralized gender and race you were recognized if you were good and succeeded by being better than average. But something struck me even at an early age. Playing sports was always competitive, and played at different levels according to each teams prowess. An interesting dichotomy had also formed. The teams in the league where I grew up were pretty affluent. There were a select few teams that were from lower class backgrounds. It was fairly easy to depict which teams were from the lower class, mainly from the old equipment that the team still had. The team that I was fortunate to be on and a majority of those others were fortunate enough to have up-to-date equipment and the newest styles. It was unfortunate to see the lower class teams not be able to afford the newest equipment. Opposing messages were being conveyed to us if sports were the great equalizer, why did some teams have sub-standard equipment and why didn t the County step in? Or was it the role of parents to provide equipment for their kids team? Did kids play for the love of the game or need the newest equipment to build a new level of self-confidence? These poorer teams were learning a lesson that is hard to come by, that discipline and consistency are constants in sports and help in relationships and future career choices. Admittedly, it was great to see these select few teams be able to participate in the sports that the middle and upper class were participating in. Once I reached the high school level I only played baseball. At this level there was an even bigger difference in class. I ve lived in Montgomery County my entire life where there are a few schools that are known as more ghetto� than others. Those schools were the ones with the older equipment and older playing fields. I played baseball all four years of high school, fortunately enough to have the best equipment and a nice field to play on. I began to realize again after my freshman year that is not always what makes a team the most successful. Some of the best baseball players in the county were from the teams that were considered from the ghetto� schools. To me that was impressive. I loved participating in baseball and the main reason why I continued playing in high school was to try to play at the college level. I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship my freshmen and sophomore year in college before getting injured, taking me out of baseball for good. Playing in college is where I saw the least class difference. Individual talent counts more at this level, depending on what the end goal was after college. To me it was not realistic to play past college, although to some it was different. Even though I received a scholarship to play baseball I still took advantage of doing well in school. This is one of the main differences at the college level. Whereas someone from a lower class background who has received a scholarship may pay less attention to academic subjects than concentrating on the playing field, they are counting on their athletic ability to play professional sports. As explained in the reading Upward Mobility through Sport? The Myths and Realties, A career in professional sports in nearly impossible to attain because of the fierce competition for so few openings� (Eitzen 250). Most coaches these days have strict standards adhering to school policies that maintain a certain average. This incentive hopefully gives an athlete the basic skills outside the playing field. This shows it s important even though it feels good to play a sport in college that it is essential to concentrate on school. Underlying both attitudes and aptitudes is a love for the game. Perseverance at something you love makes the sacrifices smoother. I played baseball at the college level myself because of my love for the sport and the sheer enjoyment of playing. Most importantly, seeing people play and succeed in a sport they loved no matter what their class level was just a great feeling. Being on a team together strengthened bonds that took shape over the years. These relationships can be continued on past college. Excellence and enthusiasm rarely are combined for long, but sports is a doorway which offers the potential of a successful transition from college athletics into local or national sports media or marketing.

I agree with mmaltagliati that class distinction is evident in all sports even at the smallest levels. His example of looking at shoes and being able to tell whether they were from a higher class background made me think of my own background in soccer, where it was obvious who had more money based on whether they had $150 shoes, or the $40 imitation model. Maybe people spent more money on these shoes to make themselves feel more important than the other kid with cheaper shoes, but I guess sometimes class distinction is as subtle and unconscious as the brand of clothing one would wear.

Ever since I was around the age of 5 I have been involved in organized sports. As a youth I started with recreation soccer and not long after was part of a club soccer team traveling anywhere from New Jersey to Florida to compete against the best teams. I also played softball as a child but lost my interest in it quickly because of the lack of action, which is when I picked up basketball for another sport. My club soccer team took up most of my time due to the fact that I was playing year round and traveling so much. I was lucky enough to not have to worry about traveling expenses and the high demands of money my club team wanted. Then from the ages of 13-14, I broke my leg, ankle, and arm; all playing soccer which put me on the path of lacrosse because it is more a non-contact sport. By freshman year I was playing soccer and lacrosse. While my soccer team was very successful, I mainly played just for the love of the sport and for the social aspect of being on a team with all of my friends. Lacrosse on the other hand I played because it was a tradition to play at my high school. My high school team was one of the most successful teams in the country, winning multiple state championships and known for girls earning scholarships to top universities for lacrosse. That is how I got to the next level of playing colligate lacrosse here at Towson. I received a scholarship to play, (I guess I am part of the lucky 35% of girls to receive a scholarship). It was just so much easier to get recruited for lacrosse than soccer which is why I m playing lacrosse along with the fact that I like lacrosse better. While in high school, lacrosse demanded a lot of money. Going to camps to get recruited and getting individual training to be able to play with the best at my high school was not cheap. We also traveled to Upstate New York, Maryland, and Virginia to compete against teams which required a lot of extra funding. My parents knew that spending the money now, would pay off in the end if I received a scholarship. Playing lacrosse here has supplied me with more than a scholarship; it has provided me with me new friends and all the great aspects of sport such as determination and discipline.
As far as attending sporting events goes, I attend most of Towson s men s lacrosse games. I prefer to watch football on TV but enjoy watching a men s lacrosse game too. Even though I play lacrosse, I prefer to watch the men s games over women s just because they have so much more action in them. I lot of people think that the girl s game has too many whistles but they just do not understand all of the rules most of the time. I also regularly attended the Philadelphia Phillies college and dollar dog nights just because of the cheap deals to see a ballgame. I m usually lucky if I make it to more than one Philadelphia Eagles game a year, just because tickets are so expensive for football games.
A myth stated in the online article says that sports provide long term security for athletes. In my case, sports provide no long term security because there is no professional league for women after college. I also know men that play professional lacrosse do not get the big bucks because lacrosse is not a big enough sport yet. I was surprised to read that some baseball players were making such little money. I feel like football is the top sport right now in our society and is where the major bucks are, unless you are Alex Rodriguez of course. Either way, sport can be providing professional athletes with large amounts of money but the money goes quick when they are living the fancy and lavish lifestyles they are living.

I like what Mike Manley had to say. I hadn't really thought about it like this, but he said that because he did not have as much money to buy equipment as often as his teamates it only pushed him to work harder. Without the newest top of the line baseball bat, he had to work harder with his older bat to play well. I thought that was interesting and motivating for other less fortunate people who cannot afford all the best sporting equipment.

Our social standings in society including our race and class are definitely a major issue when concerning sports. When I was in my youth, I played soccer and little league just like all my friends (who were middle class for the most part). I remember one instance when I was younger that relate well to this topic. I had friends that were rich and I had friends that were poor. My best friend Jay's family did not make a lot of money. He was the best soccer player I knew out of all of my friends. However I got to play on the strikers travel soccer team and because of his family's income he could not afford to play. Thinking back, all of the higher-class kids played on the striker s team and the lower class played on the Rec team. I don't think I realized that back when I was younger but it is interesting to look back on that now. It's just so unfortunate that some of the best players like my friend Jay, could not get an equal opportunity to play on the better team because of how much money his parents made a year. However, once you reach the high school/college level, you can be rewarded for your efforts with scholarships if you are that skilled of a player. This is misleading for so many athletes though because they think that getting a scholarship gives them a really great chance to become a professional athlete. The statistics show that the chances of going professional is still so slim and these kids that concentrate most of their time on sports instead of academics, end up in a lot of trouble concerning their future. "While the possibility of staggering wealth and status though sport exist, the reality is that dramatic upward mobility through sport is highly improbable (Eitzen, 249)." My point to all of this is that sports can be your passion and your favorite thing to do, but do not make it your life until you reach the professional level. No matter what, I think that you have to try and do well in academics first and foremost and leave sports second most important. You never know in this world how far you can get in sports and it is always good to have a back up plan incase everything backfires on you.

Growing up in Columbia, Maryland you are bred to play soccer. From age six to High School, soccer was the only thing I knew. Of course I tried many other sports but soccer was the one sport that was most popular and it dominated the area. It was hard to not notice the 10,000 soccer-mom minivans coming out of the Soccer Complex on the weekends. I played all throughout Elementary and Middle school and High School tryouts just became another stepping stone to where I wanted to be. Eitzen states in the reading (MYTH: Sport Provides a Free Education). as low as the chances for men, women have even less chance to receive an athletic scholarship.� I knew growing up that I always wanted to play at the Division 1 level. Girls around me either on my club or high school team were receiving scholarships to Clemson, Maryland, Santa Clara etc. My closest friends around me were living it, I knew it was possible. Another one of my friend s received a full scholarship her junior year of high school to play at Virginia. She was just an average student. I realized then that sports can provide a gateway to a top level university. Normally she would struggle to get in simply based on academics. Then there s always the dream of playing at UNC Chapel Hill, but after a while you realize being on a collegiate team that is always top 1 or 2 in the nation is a very slim to none chance. From then on I decided to buckle down in school to keep my grades decent, and my center of attention became a scholarship for soccer, no matter what the odds might be. Most freshmen in high school were worried about being popular and how they are going to get there SAT scores higher. When I was freshmen I focused on my soccer resume, the one that I would be sending to different college soccer coaches. In other words, my ticket to a college education was going to be through soccer.
As of now I play soccer here at Towson, I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship. I believe growing up in the area I did, there were so many chances to succeed. The facilities in my area host top name tournaments every year, where teams from around the country come to compete. I credit a lot of my success to growing up into a positive atmosphere where the opportunity is there you just have to take advantage of it. Sports provide that chance and it s a great way to receive an education while doing something you love.

At age 5, when I first began playing organized sports, the cost of participation was of my least worries. But when I reached the age at which I could diagnose the FULL costs and class barriers of playing sports, my appreciation for the game and my family increased.
My mom was a single-parent, constantly working overtime and night shifts, in addition to her full time job. I would consider my childhood to be placed in the lower-middle class but with many restraints. My extended family helped out a lot and would take turns babysitting me so my mom was able to work more. My mom allowed me to play soccer and was able to afford the costs that came along with it. Soccer and football were the only sports being played in my general area. However, my family introduced me to the remaining popular sports(i.e. baseball, basketball, etc.). Football, in the area I grew up in, was 100% African American and soccer was predominantly white. Soccer was my only choice, which was fine because I loved the game and my best friend played as well.
Soccer proved to be inexpensive until I started playing in a travel league. Then, my mom was paying for uniforms, tournaments, equipment, and travel expenses. Soccer proved to be a good pick because I am still playing today at age 22. Although, my financial status restricts me from the amount of soccer I can play. I now play indoor soccer for two leagues and that costs more than I can afford! But I get more out of playing soccer now than when I was younger. Then, it was about winning and getting trophies. Now, I am playing with good friends and has proven to be a great and fun social sport for me.
It was once a dream for me to play Division I soccer or any college soccer when I was younger. This would be accomplished by receiving a scholarship because I wouldn t be able to afford college otherwise. However, as Eitzen states, "...very few high school athletes actually receive full scholarships." Without a full scholarship, paying the remainder to attend that college would still prove to be too expensive. I realized my education was a better bet and would prove more successful. I find it very easy to look at sports today and depict the social class structures within them. Class is a barrier in sports that few can overcome.

I have always been an extremely active child, and when I was younger I was enrolled into the Recreational soccer program like many other children around my age. I continued to play soccer from the age of 5 until I was 18 and a senior in High School. My older brothers had both played baseball but I was never one to be interested in softball. I was the type of kid who constantly needed to be running around and using my speed, and softball had too many dull moments for me. When I reached 6th grade I began to pick up lacrosse which is the sport that Upstate New York is known for, as it is in Long Island and the State of Maryland as well. I had always thought that I would play soccer in college. It was my dream to play soccer in college in fact, and until I began lacrosse that seemed to be the only option for me. This all changed