Sample Racial Discrimination of Black Athletes Paper

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One of the most significant concerns of an athlete’s collegiate career is health maintenance, and the likelihood of injury leading to early termination of the athletic career. Staying in good physical shape is a preventative policy all athletes employ. The effects of poor health and injury on an athlete’s career can range from lowered performance to ruination of an athletic career (Baillie & Danish, 1990). Either result can be enormously stressful. W. Parham notes that the stress factor involved in the injury experience is the “unexpectedness.” At these times an athlete begins to comprehend how important sports is in their normal functioning, and they are affected so deeply because they may have tended to take their health for granted (1993).

The most tremendous impact of athletic involvement is the termination of one’s career. Whether it is due to injury, exhausted eligibility, or other problems, the end result is the same. This is noted as one of the most complex things for an athlete to cope with, and as injuries are accidents, it is very hard to prepare for such an event.

The stereotype threat is a constant reality in the lives of Black athletes, which is evident. Black athletes are simply looked at as ‘physical specimens’. In some cases teacher do not permit Black athletes to do extra work to get ahead in class or to get extra credit although the teacher permitted other students to do this. In one case the teacher did not think that the Black athletes wanted to work hard in her class but rather wanted the ‘easy way out’ when it came to university.

 

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