Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Blog Post #3 - Billy Nowak

Growing up I did not come across to many instances of gendered moments when I was younger. I do remember playing on sports team with girls and can remember that my coaches did their best, or at least seemed to do their best, to make sure everyone was treated equal. I know that some people did not enjoy playing on sports teams when they were younger but I did not mind.

When asked if I was born female and what sports would I have played kind of caught me off guard. I had never really thought of this possibility. However, if I was born a female I would have had a wide range to choose from. Coming from a family with only one female in three generations (on my dad’s side), I could of chose any sport I wanted. However, I feel that I would have been pushed toward volleyball. My one female cousin, on my dad’s side, was very devoted to the game when in high school. She played four years in high school. So, I have a feeling that if I was a female I would of spend most of my time with her learning and practicing the game of volleyball. Also, I think I would have also focused more on the game of golf if I was born a female. With my family, golf is a sport that we play to spend a day together. Even though some of us are better than others we still play golf. So I feel if I was born a female I would be more into golf than I am as a male.


These questions really made me think in a way I never had done before. It made me look at my gender and the sports I play in a different view.

-Billy Nowak

6 comments:

  1. Jay Clark
    I would defiantly agree that if I was a girl I would be more into golf, I really need to work on my golfing skills. All the same I think if I was a girl I probably wouldn’t play many sports if any. I would still see myself being physically fit but not being able to play football would ruin everything for me sport wise.

    I have come a crossed gender roles being implemented in sports very few times in my life. The most common thing I remember was wanting to play boys vs. girls in gym class or at recess. At my school back home we never really had problems with establishing gender roles because very few people ever questioned them.

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  2. Billy,

    When asked if I was female I had a hard time even grasping that thought. I had never been asked such a question and I do have to admit that it made me kind of uncomfortable. Growing up I had 3 older brother no sisters so I never even been around female sports as a youth. As a kid I also never played on the same team with the opposite sex so I couldn't even compact pare my game to the one of a female. I just was brought up to think that she it came to sports men were superior than women.

    When I came home I gave that question some thought if I was woman what sport would I play. And I also thought since I'm a manly man which is what I consider myself if I was a girl would I be a girlie girl would I even play a sport? What' sports are girlie girls suppose to play an what sports are manly men suppose to play? These are all questions that went through my hand but I could not find a clear cut answer it was too difficult to put myself in those shoes.

    Jude

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  3. Billy,
    I also did not give it much thought about if I had been born a girl. If I had been I think I would of been in a lot sports growing up. Women do have a variety to choice form when it comes to sports. Weather it be dancing, cheerleading, softball, track, cross country, or tennis women have a lot to choice from. Do women have more variety in sports than men do, and why might that be? I think I would of done volleyball if I had been born a girl. The reason is because it seems most girls grow up playing volleyball and it seems like the norm sport for girls besides dancing and cheerleading (if you want to consider those sports). Looking at this and from what we have read and discussed in class, it makes me look at things a little differently. It seems women get the short end of the stick when it comes to sports.

    Tyler Crellin

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  4. Billy,
    I definitely agree with your post. I never necessarily considered what sports I would play or what opportunities that I would be given had I been born female. I know, growing up, that I played tee ball and soccer as a co-ed sport and it always seemed like a level playing field. I also paid no attention to the gender difference at such a young age. I knew that the girls were on my team and that many of them were probably more talented than the boys. If I had grown up as a female, I believe I would have been given the opportunity to play any sport that was offered to me. I have an older sister and she played multiple sports throughout her years of school including basketball, softball, soccer and golf. I believe that it is important to keep co-ed intramural leagues around as well as any other co-ed opportunities. Having males and females play together creates a better sporting environment.

    Shaun Higgins

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  5. I can't really answer the question of which sport I would've played if I was born female because I did not grow up competing against girls or playing with them on my teams. I suppose I may have taken up volleyball but I probably would have still played basketball. Honestly, I don't feel like that is a fair question to ask because not enough men grow up competing in co-ed leagues so to ask how they would have approached sports if they were born a female creates an environment that is too hard to recreate. With that being said, I strongly believe that youth sports organizations nationwide need to make a stronger push for co-ed leagues in younger age divisions because it's important for interactions between young girls and boys to help break down gender roles.

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