Deconstructing the Myth of the Monolithic Male Athlete: A Qualitative Study of Men’s Participation in Athletics

Abstract

A qualitative study using field-based methods examined motivations for participation in collegiate team sports, the psychological and emotional rewards of team membership, and the dynamics of relationships with teammates among male athletes. Previous cross-disciplinary research largely reinforces clear and consistent gender differences within communal and agentic domains. In-depth, oral bibliographic interviews with 11 varsity athletes from basketball and soccer teams were conducted at a university in the USA. Participants spoke freely about multiple dimensions of their experiences as athletes-experiences frequently dichotomized by researchers as masculine or feminine. Analyses document that male athletes rated the importance of interpersonal and emotional relationships with teammates as valuably as they did instrumental needs. Results are discussed in terms of cultural imperatives that polarize domains presumed to be highly gender based and sex-segregated.

“Josh Wears Pink Cleats”: Inclusive Masculinity on the Soccer Field

“…These are men who are guided by public figures such as English soccer star David Beckham; these are men who have not been culturally stamped with the homophobia their fathers' were as youths (Anderson, 2009). Indeed, there is a growing body of literature in which young men today are described as rejecting orthodox or hegemonic tenets of masculinity: the homophobia, misogyny, femphobia, emotional stoicism, and aggressive acts of physical violence that are characteristic of it (Anderson & McGuire, 2010;McCormack & Anderson, 2010a, 2010bMcNair, 2002;Stotzer, 2009;Schrack-Walters, O'Donnell, & Wardlow, 2009;Southall, Nagel, Anderson, Polite, & Southall, 2009).…”

Sport and Sexuality: Athletic Participation by Sexual Minority and Sexual Majority Adolescents in the U.S.

“…Sport might afford an especially good possibility, as teammates often need to establish close friendships with one another-indeed, a recent qualitative study (Schrack-Walters et al 2009) of 11 heterosexual male college basketball and soccer players found that one of the key reasons these men participated in sport was for the close, emotional relationships with their teammates-and more of these will likely involve those of varying sexualities. These friendships may create the space for greater conversations on gender, sexuality, and difference, conversations that have considerable potential for increasing tolerance and reducing inequality.…”

Overprivileged, self-absorbed, dumb jocks: exploration of stereotypes of student-athletes

“…Attitudes towards, and beliefs about, student-athletes (e.g., Basow & Spinner, 1984;Baucom & Lantz, 2001;Engstrom & Sedlacek, 1991;Grove & Paccagnella, 1995;Harahousou-Kabitsi & Kabitsis, 1995;Michael, Gilroy, & Shaman, 1984;Schneider, 2001), or the perceived differences between student-athletes and non-athlete students (e.g., Atkins, Morse, & Zweigenhaft, 1978;Grove & Paccagnella, 1995;Harris & Hall, 1978;Harris & Ramsey, 1974;Johnson, Hallinan, & Westerfield, 1992); McMartin & Klay, 1983;Pedersen, 1997;Sailes, 1993;Stone, Perry, & Darley, 1997) are often examined in this research, though the most recent article is from 2001. The role of stereotypes in the academic adjustment of student-athletes is also frequently examined, both in terms of the attitudes and beliefs of university personnel (Cockley & Roswal, 1994;Burgess, 2006;Holland, 2009;Knapp, Rasmussen, & Barhart, 2001;Lawrence, 2009;Lawrence, Hendricks, & Ott, 2007;Lawrence & Ott, 2013;Nanney, 2008;Williams & Pennington, 2006;Wulfsberg, 1989) and self-perceptions (Leonard, 1986;Lewis, 1988;Potuto & O'Hanlon, 2007;Simons, Bosworth, Fujita, & Jensen, 2007;Walters, O'Donnell, & Wardlow, 2009).…”