Athletics In American And British Universities Writing Assignment

Essay: athletics in American and British universities
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Q: Contrast what you’ve learned about the role of athletics in American universities in the period roughly from 1860s-1910 to the role of athletics in British public schools and universities at the same
Athletics in American universities emphasized competition and contests, while athletics in British public schools and universities highlighted gentleman- like behavior and code of conduct, and in both cases athletics was male dominated in the1860’s to 1910. Holt (1990) highlighted that amateurism in sports and athletics was mostly associated with the culture of middle class people in mid- Victorian. Amateurism focused on voluntary association, competitiveness and the aesthetic aspects of sports where there are written and unwritten codes of conduct. Athletics in American universities was focused on competitiveness, and while non athletes could joins some of the athlete groups and even the intercollegiate contests were more as the country had more institutions of higher learning.
In the early 19th century there was opposition to sports in schools, as the sporting activities were seen as unsuitable for gentleman and for people like laborers and farm workers in the British society. In the latter half of the 19th century the Victorian schoolmasters increasingly supported sport activities among students, as it was seen that sports was in line with healthy sports and exercise (Holt, 1990). Additionally, amateurism was prioritized more than professionalism, while universities like Oxford and Cambridge took up rowing (Birley, 1995).
Even among the rowing competitors there was emphasis on character and morality where most gentlemen were assumed to be amateurs. Male university athletes in America were also amateurs and while there was more emphasis on organized sports the school officials were at first reluctant to support intercollegiate athletics as it seemed that this deviated from scholarly work. Mccrone (1984) pointed out that Sports is an institution that reflects cultural values in a society and spots was projected as a masculine thing in Victorian England where physical and psychological attitudes were required, and this was deemed unnatural for women.
Beyond the British universities, there was more emphasis on professional amateurism in sporting activities like ...