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6 Chapter Six: Aging in Sport

Section One: The Fundamentals

A) Keywords

Exercise 1:

Provide a brief definition of one of the padlet keywords for this week.

Anti-Aging Agenda:
It usually is about as its sounded ‘Anti Aging’ as it suggests that aging is something to be afraid of which makes you feel like you are left out or if you think that you are being aged then due to the fear you start doing things that can undo that and that’s what makes things different as you tend to focus on that you start accusing yourself and stop living in reality. This concept brings anti aging agenda which tries to engage with people who feel like they should reverse aging. Even young people get trapped and start anti aging in youthful years since its so manipulating and engaging people.I believe every age should enjoy their years and how they look but on the other hand I believe that people should stay active rather than taking products and treatments.

B) The Social Significance of Aging in Sport

 

Exercise 2: Notebook Prompt

How is old age popularly represented today? Find an image online that you think exemplifies one defining attitude towards old age and paste in your notebook below with a brief explanation of what this image means to you.

To me, I believe there are two perspectives one is that how old age people live here, outside of their homes. I have seen most of the old age people here in Canada living in old age home care residencies instead of staying with their family. So I picked this image , where old age group has been shown which represents a community that lives together in home care.

 

 

Exercise 3: Notebook Prompt

What does the article (referencing another study by Dionigi) mean by its statement that sport can help aging people to simultaneously “accept and resist the ageing process” (572)? Respond by audio or text and find paste two images sourced online into your notebook showing how sport might help aging people to both accept and resist the aging process.

The article suggests that sports assist elderly individuals in coping with aging.

It assists them in accepting the process of aging by allowing them to understand and go with the aging process in terms of how their body changes and how their life activities changes.

Also, it talks about how people start getting concerned about aging and how they start taking life activities seriously by starting active, healthy, and demonstrating lifestyle to reverse aging.

The images below shows that the older people can still accomplish tasks that many believe older adults cannot undertake by putting their time and efforts into active lifestyle.

Thus, sports enables both to progress with aging and confront it. It also portrays how engaging into activities making them feel healthier and happier and it shows how they are enjoying their time putting towards something that can count towards their life.

Exercise 4: Notebook Prompt 

Who are the groups less likely to have extensive opportunities to take part in sports, according to Pike? How does privilege factor into aging and sport? (200 words max)

According to Elizabeth Pike, Mostly people who have assets can take part in the sports, she thinks that not all individuals have equal opportunities to take part in sports.

Some people don’t have enough income and time to participate. Also, people with disabilities don’t get a chance to participate in sports, Mostly because they’re judged on their abilities.

Furthermore, individuals with greater assets,  and extra time can maintain their activity levels more effortlessly.

Therefore, if we  think about aging then people with poor lifestyle and the ones who doesn’t have assets can’t make it to active lifestyle and they age fast. On the other hand, people with privileges does get all the opportunities to keep their lifestyle healthy and active so they usually age slower than the other individuals. Sports can assist individuals in aging healthily, it tends to be simpler for some than for others.

 

Exercise 5: Padlet Discussion 

Why do you think age discrimination is “reported more than any form of prejudice” with older people presented as a threat to social values and interests? Feel welcome to use video in your responses. Paste your comments (or transcript of your video) below!

Nowadays, people see older people with judged looks as they think that they don’t have more abilities they can’t do more. Also, I think because of they want to take yong generation ahead rather than more mature aged people but I believe they have more experiences than the young generation. The aging community doesn’t get more opportunities then the young people would get they’re treated as a threat to social values as people think that they don’t know much and there is a lot of discrimination they face.
I am highly against these thoughts I think they should be getting every opportunity , they should be treated right and they shouldn’t be taken as a burden.

B) Older Women and Sport

Exercise 6: Notebook Prompt 

What differences do you see in these ads? Which one is more inclusive? How is age represented or not represented in each?  Answer these questions in your notebook.

Nike – You Can’t Stop Us (2020)-

This Girl Can – Me Again – it shows women from different age groups and how they remain active what they do in their life to shape their life, to stay active. I would say it’s more inclusive then the other ad because it shows different age groups and different sportsmanship spirit , and it shows how each one of them participates not just an athletic person but everyone.

Nike – You can’t stop us (2020)-  is also an energetic ad if we see it by its name we get inspiration as it highlights energy that nobody can stop you s you should keep going. Also, the ad shows athletes. It’s visually impressive but predominantly showcases young athletes and sports persons, also the age group is limited so it’s not that inclusive.

 

 

Exercise 7: Notebook Prompt

In her article, “Assessing the sociology of sport: On age and ability,” Elizabeth Pike references a “trend towards a ‘feminisation of ageing’, with many women living longer than men” (573).  Do you agree that aging has been “feminized” in this way? How?  Answer these questions in your notebook.

 

The term “feminization of aging” usually indicates that women generally have a longer lifespan than men. In the article, Elizabeth Pike talks about the aging and feminism as she says that women lives longer than men. She portrays that ageing is not just getting older but there is also conceptual thought that its related to gender as well which is leading to a greater number of elderly women. This influences the manner in which aging is talked about and felt nowadays mostly,.

I would agree with that since women take good care of them when they start seeing the signs of aging they start taking precautions which includes eating healthy, taking supplements, being acive and what not. Nonetheless, in spite of this visibility, aging continues to be influenced by gendered expectations and power dynamics.

Also, I believe that its being too feminized when it comes to gender basis. I would say that nobody knows how much longer life they have. Its just that you can make some changes in your life that way you can have a good and healthy active living life.

 

Section Three: Module Mini Assignment

“The Great Peterborough Pickleball Debacle” Case Study
Using the Pike article in Section One as a reference, analyze popular depictions/discussions/critiques of pickleball as a “sport trend” that has proved enormously appealing to older segments of the population.
1) Describe the problem as you understand it. Read this article for background and source two  other media /social media pieces.
2) Leaving aside the clear issues with process and priorities, consider how the older pickleball athletes/advocates are represented in the media/social media discussions of the issue. Is ageism a factor in these representations? Where do you see a neoliberal agenda around aging at work in these stories (provide examples and refer back to the Pike article for guidance). Include any images you think may be relevant?  (300 words)
Worth: 5%
Due: April 15th along with module work
  1. Pickleball has turned into a favoured sport if we think about it since more among older adults, often seen to play this sport to remain active and engage socially to cherish their life. since mostly older people have seen playing pickleball its been in discussions of. many as people view it as a sport of older people and think that they stay active with this sport but they don’t see that its not an inclusive sport. Also, some may not get benefits of this sport while others stay. active and make connections and they tend to have something to do in their life. 

    While we talk about the critique of pickleball , On social media such as Instagram and Facebook, pickleball supporters frequently display pictures of older people that really enjoy playing this sport. Some people participate in community centres to play this sport. Others play in groups , the people they know.  These posts highlight the enjoyable nature older people have when they play a sport, yet it might neglect worries regarding physical constraints for individuals with particular health issues or restricted mobility.

2. I would say that mostly in media it shows the good part, how elderly people enjoy and stay active in playing sports. Mostly its been shown that senior pickleball players enjoy and it shows their enjoyable, good moments, while overlooking possible challenges tied to aging which restraint some people from playing or to enjoy fully or what barriers they face while playing or to get an active lifestyle. Also, some things aren’t specifically shown on the media platforms such as restricted movement, ongoing pain, or medical problems.

 

However, if we talk about a neoliberal agenda, then we can clearly see that it frequently represents a neoliberal perspective on aging, where senior individuals are anticipated to take fully responsibility that they have to be healthy and there are certain things that they can do to stay active socially and physically by engaging in activities such as pickleball, without considering the systemic obstacles that hinder equitable access. Also, it usually shows the good side when they portray anything.

 

 

 

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This work (Gender, Sport, and Social Justice by Kelly McGuire) is free of known copyright restrictions.