Age and Athletics

Hello there! Welcome back to Athletic Anthropology--where we discuss the impact that sports and competitions have on society. In this segment of our journey, I would like to talk about how societal norms are often warped when reflected in sports. Particularly, I would like to talk about how professional sports shift our perception of age and what it means to be an athlete.

If you were to ask someone what they considered to be someone of old age, they would probably suggest a number in the high 70s, 80s, or 90s. However, when one is asked what they consider to be an old athlete, the ages range from the early 30s. Athletes that last into their mid to late 30s are considered rarities. This is especially true in sports that require athletes to have high cardiovascular or muscular strength. So why is it that physically-dominate sports are primarily performed by young people? I would suggest that while the risk of injury is a large factor in preventing 'older' people from engaging in sports such as football, basketball, other factors also cause younger people from engaging in sports. One of the most predominant is that sports allow young people to explore their interests and form social skills. While adults have the freedom to participate in social settings in whatever ways they choose, children often rely upon sports to interact with other kids with who they are unfamiliar. This causes sports to be a significant part of kids' social lives as they are given the chance to interact with large groups of children with who they may not know from school. Another reason why kids are attracted to sports is that it is an activity that they do not have to wait to participate in. While roller coasters, driving, and participating in other activities require kids to patiently wait until they meet the prerequisites, sports have no such limitations. Many kids begin playing sports when they are 3-7 years old. This allows them to try a variety of sports and find which ones they do and do not like.

In this segment, we pondered the question of why are kids attracted to sports. We discussed that sports offer kids a chance to interact in social interactions. We also suggested that the availability of sports allows kids to try a variety of sports such that they can experiment in different realms of physical activity. I hope you have enjoyed our brief discussion of age and athletics, feel free to leave any questions or comments that you may have.

Starn, Orin. "Father Time and the Athlete." Sports and Society, 15 Jul. 2020, Duke University,

https://www.coursera.org/learn/sports-society.