This selection of text focuses on the idea of participating in sports versus being an active spectator. The line between these two roles is is explored within this section in detail. When speaking about different levels of sport and competition, age and level of competition is discussed as a factor.
In youth sports, parents play a huge role of encouragement in a child athlete's interest and success in seasonal sports. In speaking of high school athletes, social involvement and athletic improvement make up main ideas within the age group. At this age, the choice to be active within a sport tends to be the child's decision rather than that of the parent. Even more of a selective group are college varsity athletes, who are often hand-selected by recruiters. Professional and master athletes are the "cream of the crop" as far as pure athletic talent and have the highest level of competition in their sport. These athletes are very often bound by contracts to national sport leagues (i.e. NFL, NBA, NHL, etc.) as well as product endorsements with private companies/corporations. The careers of these athletes often are very short and the athletes are eventually replaced by younger, more agile and better performing, replacements.
As people age, they often tend to steer away from collision/contact sports and lean more towards leisure and pleasure sports. Most people grow to practice less and play more, with less focus on success and competition, and more focus on the level of happiness and well-being it brings. An example of this type of sport is recreation through sport. Golf, tennis, and volleyball are a few examples of sports that provide recreation to older adults with very little focus on competition.
Additionally, age, gender, and social class often have a large impact on the sports world. For example, team sports are most popular among younger individuals, due to the fact that as one ages and takes on more responsibilities, a person is less able to coordinate a schedule for practices, games, etc. Gender traditions and expectations have (in the past) pushed women out of many sports. However, more and more women are beginning to "break down the gender wall" by participating and excelling in boxing, rugby, lacrosse, soccer, and golf as just a few examples. Social class tends to remain the most influential factor across all sports. It has been shown, for instance, that people raised in a high-income, highly-educated households tend to participate in individual sports like golf, tennis, and skiing. On the contrary, low-income households tend to produce individuals who very rarely participate in sports at all.
Spectating has become a way of life in America and often remains in the blood (for most of us) of its people. This form of entertainment does not require the skill, effort, or raw talent that participating in a sport entails. In the last few decades, televised and internet-available sport viewing has risen as a continuously-growing trend among Americans. In addition, it has been shown that the most affluent individuals tend to follow sports like polo, sailing, and drag-racing, where less-affluent individuals have drawn towards racing, bowling, and auto racing.
Sports spectating is often divided into two categories: those watched as live events and those followed by way of media. Although many statisticians follow trends in sports, one trend has remained clear-Sport watching has grown and continues to grow continuously. The trends are also followed by marketing tactics and campaigns, which utilize the ever-changing demographics to increase awareness and profit. Society's sports preferences are followed by these marketers and, in the end, they help to define the line between sport participants and sport spectators.
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