Boyhood, organized sports, and the construction of masculinities

¶ … Boyhood, Organized Sports, and the construction of Masculinities" offers insight into a study he completed regarding male attributes and how masculinity is defined within organized sports. Following is a summary of the article denoting the hypothesis, dependent and independent variables if identifiable as such, the data source, methodology and answers to the posited hypothetical question(s).

Messner makes it very clear from the outset what the questions or hypotheses are in his study and the answers that he seeks in conducting the study. The questions Messner raises includes: "In what ways do males construct masculine identities within the institution of organized sports? In what ways do class and racial differences mediate this relationship and perhaps led to the construction of different meanings and perhaps different masculinities?" And the last hypothetical question is "what are some of the problems and contradictions within these constructions of masculinities?" (Messner, p. 88).

Messner is also very clear in the methodology and construction of his study. He maintains that over the course of a two-year period, between 1983 and 1985, he conducted 30 interviews with male former athletes. According the Messner, the former athletes were primarily from the United States and were involved in major league sports. The average retirement for those interviewed was approximately five years. The median age range was 33 and the racial breakdown reported consisted of two Hispanics, 14 blacks and 14 whites. The majority of those interviewed were considered to be low on the socioeconomic scale prior to their participation in major sports; however the majority of white retired athletes reportedly came from middle class backgrounds. The interview participants were reportedly randomly selected with various levels of success, sports involvement, age, race and socioeconomic status represented.

Interviews were tape recorded and were considered to be semi-structured lasting from a half hour to up to six hours. The areas covered in the interviews generally consisted of his earliest experiences with sports in childhood, athletic career, disengagement or retirement from their prospective athletic career and what their life has been like subsequent to being an athlete. Additionally, Messner maintains that part of the focus of the interviews were the successes and failures the interviews experienced during their career, in their relationship, with women, other men and how their body has responded to the stress and strain associated with being an athlete. Messner refers to the interview process as collecting life histories with the expressed purpose of applying feminist theory regarding masculine gender identity in an effort to assess how the notion of masculinity is developed and changes from boyhood to manhood within the social context and social constructs of organized sports (p. 89). Messner subdivided his sample group according to men that were considered coming from backgrounds that were higher status consisting mainly of white retired athletes and those who were considered to be from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and were comprised primarily of ethnic or racial minorities.

Messner did offer opinions from leaders in the field of boyhood and sports as a part of the literature review completed for the study. The information helped to discern the contextual frame of reference in which the information from his study emanated from. Family influences were a part of the literature provided and studies that addressed these issues was offered. Another area that Messner focused on was the relationship between boys and their fathers; whether they had one or didn't have one and the impact either of those circumstances had on the decisions made to enter sports and how that has manifested in their adult life. An early commitment to organized sports and the concept of the male identity was explored within the literature as well. Another area that Messner focused on was the notion of conditional self-worth and the impact and structure of competition. What seems to have been determined in the examination of the literature on this particular subject is that although boys tend to find close bonds with other boys within the context of organized sports, oftentimes the pressure associated with performance and the pressure to win frequently undermines the relationships that are fostered there. Competition between potential friends creates comparisons and contrasts as to skills, acceptance and performance that undermine the closeness and friendships. Moreover, much of the pressure comes from the adults that are a part of the organized sports process. The adults desire to be better than and to win at all costs significantly undermines the boyhood goals of partnership and close peer cohort bonds. These kinds of notions have led to differentiation in the status of one athlete over the other and serve as a means of laying the foundation for competition through adulthood.

Conclusion

Messner notes that instead of sports being just an opportunity for ethnic minority boys to have a place of athletic expression, it became the place where the very essence of manhood and masculinity were ultimately defined. For many of them the pressures associated with organized sports served to frame their ideas and ideals about masculinity and if the experience was negative, significantly impacted their male perspective and view on the world thus impacting the majority of their relationships and how they developed. This is of course in comparison to the other group of mostly white males who were able because of socioeconomic strata and family dynamics to use organized sports as a place to develop their athletic prowess as opposed to seeking male role models and examples of masculinity.