6
Section One: The Fundamentals
A) Keywords
Exercise 1:
Provide a brief definition of one of the padlet keywords for this week.
One of the definitions I chose to answer in the padlet was third age. This age refers to the period of time after a person retires and is no longer working, primarily occurring after the age of 60. During this time, individuals enjoy life outside the work environment and can travel more, start new hobbies, volunteer, and have time for personal fulfillment.
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.
I feel that in the past, old age has been stereotypically portrayed as a time when individuals were weaker, more fragile, declining overall, and less likely to participate in sports and activities because of it. Within today’s society, old age is associated with more freedom, wisdom, experience, and the desire to try new things and be adventurous. I believe social media has a lot to play in this because of the platform that it gives many people to connect with one another, as well as showcase parts of people’s lives that may not have been expressed previously. TikTok, for example, and the number of older people on it, creating videos, documenting their travels, or showing what they are up to, has changed mine, and I’m sure many other people’s perspectives that just because a person is older does not mean their life changes and they cannot do anything anymore. For some, this is when life begins, and they finally have the freedom to do things they have always dreamed of doing. The image I chose is some creators on TikTok displaying how happy they all look to be creating videos about things they are passionate about. The first lady posts content about fitness, which I want to focus on because she looks strong and healthy. Not only is she setting an example, but she is also a mentor for many younger people watching her videos to showcase that you can still be healthy and strong no matter what age you are. The other two creators also make videos and content surrounding their interests, which illustrates the importance social media can bring to these women by showcasing that age is just a number.
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.
When older adults engage in sports, it helps to redefine their limits by allowing them to understand their physical ability, how it has changed, and overall respect for it. When people become more attuned to their bodies, it will enable them to understand their needs more and encourage a deeper appreciation and mindfulness for what they can still do. Playing sports at any age also builds a sense of community with the people around you, so for older individuals, this is important as it can get them more involved, making new friends, and feeling excited to participate, just like how it does for children and younger people when they play sports.
This first picture showcases a sport played by older adults, which is curling. I also curl, and I play with many seniors who show up every week excited to play and can still get low to the ice when they slide out and push their rock. The special thing about curling is that people can play regardless of age or ability, as it can be adapted. There are also tools and equipment that can be used for people who cannot slide out on the ice and can instead push the rock while walking. Curling also builds a sense of community for many people, which is why it is loved so much, especially by older adults.
Hockey is another sport that older individuals play a lot, especially in adult and beer leagues. I played in a co-ed beer league for a few years and was playing with people from ages 18-20 (my age) to people in their 60’s-70’s. They could still keep up with the fast younger skaters and had the drive to be some of the best players out there. Many of these people have said that they have played for over 30-40 years, showcasing their desire to keep playing the sport they love while resisting the aging process.
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 Pike, the social groups that are less likely to have as many opportunities to take part in sports are older individuals with disabilities, women, ethnic minorities, and those who have socioeconomic difficulties. For many older adults, physical obstacles are in the way of them being able to participate, such as lack of accessible facilities where they live, limited transportation or time to be able to partake in sports, and lastly, a lack of financial ability to pay for memberships, or the equipment needed. Besides the physical barriers, there are also social obstacles in the way, such as the cultural stereotypes and discrimination many older individuals face regarding their ability to participate, as well as the negative perceptions they face regarding their physical ability regarding aging. Many older people are not participating or are left out of sports because fewer opportunities and support programs are available for them to benefit from the primarily social obstacles. As mentioned by Pike, as people age, their choices are often taken away from them due to over-protection, lack of encouragement, and poor planning, provision, and policies in place.
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!
I think a big part of this is based on the notions and stereotypes that older people are less capable of doing things and are even not as open to change as younger demographics, making them more discriminated against for their age. This can especially be seen within media, such as movies and TV shows, that display older individuals as being out of touch with technology and many other things, reinforcing negative perceptions regarding them and their inability to do things. Because of this, discrimination comes from the less productive and youth-driven cultures that are more focused on within today’s society, especially with the rise of technological advancements. In the past, sports were also targeted at younger populations to help build their physical and character development, and at the same time, older people were considered to be frail and shouldn’t participate at all.
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.
Both ads highlight a strong sense of inclusion for people despite disabilities, skills, age, or other obstacles to achieving greatness. The main difference I noticed was that the Nike ad focused more on famous individuals or events displayed within the media, such as significant moments in history or famous athletes that people look up to, and less on everyday individuals participating in sports. The second ad focused more on regular and even older individuals getting motivated and challenging societal norms while promoting inclusion.
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.
I agree with Pike’s reference that aging has been feminized because of many factors, the main one being the caregiving role that women have always been given. Women are more likely to be both providers and recipients of care as they have always been the ones who primarily provide care to others. Another factor is that as women grow older, they also experience more significant pressure to look younger and more youthful, which makes them face more age-related issues as well as gendered expectations that shape the way women are viewed and represented by society and those around them.
