Sports Studies Commons^™

Nature Or Nurture? The Concentration Of African Americans In Specific Sports, Eric J. Klimowicz

Student Publications

The prevalence of African Americans in certain American professional sports is certainly evident. Their prevalence is particularly pertinent and commonly associated with sports such as basketball, football, and track. The percentage of the players in the National Basketball AssociatIon (NBA) that were African American in the 2017-2018 season was 73.9% (Lapchik, 2018). Additionally, the percentage of players that were African American in the National Football League (NFL) during the 2016-2017 season was 69.7% (Lapchik, 2018). These statistics however differ from proportions of African Americans representing these respective sports at the Division I college level. The percentage of African Americans at …

Girls Can Play: Analysis Of Racial And Economic Barriers Of Entry For Women Of Color In Sport, Quinn I. Igram

Student Publications

In order to understand the racial division of modern sport, it is essential to investigate the barriers to entry that occur for black youth at an institutional level. Inner-city and low-income youth are denied opportunities presented to predominately white middle and upper-class youth, who are awarded the opportunities to advance in the dimension of sport. Low-income children are being pushed out of sports, falling into a track that provides marginal community programming, while the economically advantaged are funneled into the other track of competitive private clubs. Race, economics, and social status become drivers for this segmentation in youth sport.

Although …

Institutions Compromising Academics For Athletic And Economic Reward, Sarah M. Pryor

Student Publications

Student athletes are an integral part of NCAA divisions, specifically student athletes of color. Through research regarding athletic and economic statistics, it has been proven that the necessity of talent in athletics is far more important than success in academics. Student athletes are often represented through their role as an athlete first, then followed by the role of the student. Graduation rates, athletic success, and economic profit is all explored in a racial context in this paper in order to further prove the exploitation that institutions involve themselves in.

Underrepresentation Of Women In Sports Leadership: Stereotypes, Discrimination, And Race, Keyleigh N. Wallick

Student Publications

Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, the number of women playing sports has significantly increased; however, the percentage of women in coaching positions has strikingly declined. Before the passage of Title IX, women occupied more than 90% of the coaching positions in women’s sports. In 2009, women held 21% of all head coaching positions in intercollegiate sports for both men and women’s teams and 43% of the head coaching positions for women’s teams (Miller & Flores, 2011). Between 2000 and 2014, 2,080 new head coaching jobs in women’s athletics have opened up and one-third have been filled by …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 94, No. 5, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Alvey, Rebekah. Imagewest Remembers Student Killed in Car Crash – Brandon Brown
• Ziege, Nicole. WKU Takes Steps to Address Mold in Dorms – Housing & Residential Life
• DeLetter, Emily. Lifelong Long – Science, Technology, Engineering & Math, Women
• Wells, Spencer. Ment Brings Coworking to Bowling Green
• Alvey, Rebekah. College Heights Herald Editor-in-Chief Arrested for Public Intoxication – Evan Heichelbech
• Breu, Natasha. Gatton Academy Students Set National Merit Scholar Record
• Ziege, Nicole. WKU Files Response to Former Student Government Association President’s Lawsuit – Andi Dahmer
• Keeling, …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 93 [94], No. 4, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Ziege, Nicole & Rebekah Alvey. Is Mold in Dorms Making You Sick? – Housing & Residential Life
• Singlton, John. Delta Tau Delta Returns to Campus After Four-year Hiatus
• DeLetter, Emily. WKU Limited Use of White Squirrel Logo
• DeLetter, Emily. City Passes Grant Application to Revitalize Riverfront
• Allen, Ellie. Editorial Cartoon re: Banished Squirrel
• Banished? #SaveOurSquirrel
• Hovell, Nolan. Worst Day Ever: The Day We Lost Malcolm Miller aka Mac
• Hanks, Michelle. Bowling Green Fiestaval
• Webster, Mark. Nothing But Love – Houston Edison
• Kizer, Drake. Spikeball Gains …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 93 [94], No. 3, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Zeige, Nicole. Detailing Student Government Association President’s Lawsuit Against WKU – Andi Dahmer
• Singleton, John. We Got Caged – Cage the Elephant
• Breu, Natasha. New Technology in Dorms Keeps Track of Housing Services
• Hicks, Amelia. Former Professor & Civil Rights Activist Dies at 83 – Alan Anderson
• Dobbs, Jack. Student Government Association President Prepares for a Challenging Year – Stephen Mayer
• Maliciously Untrue? Saving Face? – Andi Dahmer
• Coyle, Cameron. The Nun Largely Disappoints with Cheap Scares
• Cage the Elephant on Stage
• Fletcher, Griffin. Rite …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 94, No. 2, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Austin, Emma. Remembering Alex Davis
• Breu, Natasha. WKU Alumni Highlight First University of Kentucky Medical School Class – Dixi Secula
• Deletter, Emily. Confucius Institute to Stay at WKU Despite Bill
• Singleton, John. WKU Launches International Year of Cuba in 2018.
• Dressman, Jake. A Short Guide for Going Greek
• Hovell, Nolan. Comedy: An Unlikely Source for Truth
• Higher-Ed Counseling Offices Struggling
• Hanks, Michelle. Ready, Set, Go! – Beech Bend Drag Strip
• Bunton, Gabby & Laurel Deppen. Furnished – Aaron Price, Noah Shreve
• Yaacoub, Sarah. Students with …

Ua19/16/1 2018-19 Wku Track & Field Cross Country Record Book, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

WKU track and field media guide for 2018-19 season.

Making It Pay To Be A Fan: The Political Economy Of Digital Sports Fandom And The Sports Media Industry, Andrew Mckinney

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation is a series of case studies and sociological examinations of the role that the sports media industry and mediated sport fandom plays in the political economy of the Internet. The Internet has structurally changed the way that sport fans access sport and accelerated the processes through which the capitalist actors in the sports media industry have been able to subsume them. The three case studies examined in this dissertation are examples of how digital media technologies have both helped fans become more active producers and consumers of sports and made the sports media industry an integral and vanguard …

Conflicted: An Autoethnography On Researching The Minority Swimming Gap, Dawn M. Norwood

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

In this research note, I use an autoethnographic method to undertake the task of uncomfortable reflexivity to address the intra-conflict of being a Black woman researching the minority swimming gap, who, like my research participants, struggles with hair maintenance to engage in swimming activities. My uncomfortable reflexivity moves from stages of confession, self-discovery, catharsis and a plan to incorporate deeper reflexivity in future research and other academic practices. Reflexivity in qualitative research is used as a methodological practice to give validation and legitimacy to a research study. Oftentimes, a qualitative researcher will do a bracketed interview to become aware …

A Cause To Action: Learning To Develop A Culturally Responsive/Relevant Approach To 21st Century Water Safety Messaging Through Collaborative Partnerships, Angela K. Beale-Tawfeeq, Austin Anderson, William D. Ramos

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Globally, and in the United States, drowning is considered a “neglected public health threat” (WHO, 2014b). Reports have shown that there are groups of people in certain communities who are at greater risk. African Americans, as a group, have a drowning death rate 9% higher than that of the overall population, with the greatest disparity being among African American youth (Gilchrist & Parker, 2014). While many national programs and organizations present water safety awareness and drowning prevention efforts within communities, very few offer multi-sectorial collaborative efforts (WHO, 2017a) among culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) aquatic stakeholders designed to empower, promote, …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 94, No. 1, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Ziege, Nicole. WKU Alum, Churchill Downs Vice President Dies at 62 – John Asher
• Ziege, Nicole. Top Performers Could Get Up to 6% - Salaries
• Deletter, Emily. University Senate Welcomes WKU’s New Provost – Terry Ballman
• Ziege, Nicole. 6 Important Stories You Missed This Summer – Tuition, Admissions, Provost, Lawsuits, Strategic Planning, Budget
• Fleming, Kayla. Money More Money
• Edwards, Brandon. Editorial Cartoon re: Timothy Caboni’s Budget
• Doubling Down: Lawsuit Inhibits Important Journalism – Open Records
• Gabhart, Ebonne. In Case You Missed Barak Obama’s Keynote Speech …

"We Just Treat Everyone The Same": Lgbtq Aquatic Management Strategies, Barriers And Implementation, Austin R. Anderson, Eric Knee, William D. Ramos, Tiffany Monique Quash

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This study examined the management of aquatic venues in a number of areas (facilities, programming, human resource management, marketing, policies) as it pertains to LGBTQ participants and participation. The study utilized in-depth semi-structured interviews with 16 aquatic managers to examine steps that are currently being taken (or lack thereof) when it comes to creating environments that are perceived to be open, or closed, to LGBTQ participants. A grounded theory-based process of data collection and analysis resulted in emergent themes. These themes included: (a) gendered spaces, (b) non-aquatic initiatives, (c) staff knowledgeability, (d) departmental and organizational mission, (e) aquatic-specific programming and …

Navigating Rough Waters: Public Swimming Pools, Discrimination, And The Law, Steven N. Waller Ph.D., Jim Bemiller Jd

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Historically, swimming pools have been a focal point of racial tension. Discrimination and segregation are inextricably tied to the history of public swimming usage in the United States. Pools are public spaces that are physically and visually intimate. History has revealed that both de jure (enacted through the law by the government) and de facto (occurs through social interaction) discrimination have contributed to segregatory practices in the United States. The purpose of this article is twofold: 1) to examine the social pattern of discrimination that has stymied the growth of swimming in communities of color in the United States; and …

Modeling Initial Participation Of Diverse Communities In Competitive Swimming, Dane W. Wolfrom, Emily J. Murray, Angela M. Dominguez

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This research note introduces the Initial Participation Model, which theorizes continued participation in a activity or group before individuals make commitment is a function of: enjoyment, feeling of inclusion, and/or involvement opportunities. The specific focus of this research is investigating how deficiency in enjoyment, feeling of inclusion, and involvement opportunities may discourage continuing participation in competitive swimming by underrepresented populations such as African American, Black, Hispanic, Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander and low-socioeconomic communities. Details explain how initial participation differs from other sport stages by emphasizing participation; relating to program instead of sport; and resetting each time an individual joins …

Ua12/2/1 The Hill In Review, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter recapping the top stories of the week.

Ua12/2/1 The Hill In Review, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter recapping the top stories of the week.

One Team: A Historical Analysis Of Inequalities Between Men's And Women's Professional Soccer, Allyson O. Braciska

Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Student Scholarship

The United States Soccer Federation (U.S.S.F.) governs the sport of soccer at the youth recreational, teen elite, and adult professional levels, and is one of the few organizations in the country that governs both the men’s and women’s sides of the respective sport. This paper examines differences between U.S. men's and women's soccer at the adult professional and identifies areas of discrimination based on gender. Inequalities experienced by women coaches and players include wage disparity, a lack of television broadcasting space, differences in sponsorships and media portrayal of players, unequal playing and living conditions, a shortage of women in positions …

Student-Athletes’ Experiences With Racial Microaggressions In Sport: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis, Sae-Mi Lee, Malayna B. Bernstein, Edward F. Etzel, Brian T. Gearity, Clayton R. Kuklick

The Qualitative Report

Despite growing research on racial microaggressions as a subtle but prevalent form of racial discrimination, research on microaggressions in sport and their effects on the psychosocial wellbeing of athletes is scarce. Moreover, some researchers question the legitimacy of microaggressions due to their subtle nature and inconsistency in how they are experienced (Lilienfeld, 2017). The purpose of this study was to examine U.S. collegiate student-athletes-of-color experiences with racial microaggressions in sport through a new theoretical lens, Foucauldian poststructuralist theory. We theorized microaggressions as an example of the daily panoptic gaze that leads to self-surveillance and the production of normalized individuals (Foucault, …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 93, No. 40, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Eiler, Olivia. Parking & Transportation Services Announces Zone Changes, Price Increases, New Services
• Kast, Monica & Andrew Henderson. Funds & Roses – Floral Shop, Agriculture
• Smith, Camryn. Kentucky Mesonet Releases New Weather App
• Ziege, Nicole. Timothy Caboni, Student Government Association President Respond to Harassment
• Marsupial Awards
• Austin, Emma. Exploring the Beauty of Las Catararatas del Iguazu
• Blackshire, Michael. Lost to the Streets – Gun Violence
• Zambrano, Max. Shop Campus is the New Buy Local
• Eaton, Tyler. Board of Regents Approves Greg Collins’ New Contract – …

Fantasy Football's Impact On Nfl Revenue, Joshua Hamby

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper investigates the hypothesis that fantasy football positively influences NFL revenues. While there are many variables that may substantially influence NFL revenues, such as team by team and year by year variation, the estimations in this paper attempt to isolate the effects of fantasy football. Providing evidence of impacts attributable to fantasy football would be important information for parties involved with the NFL and/or fantasy football to better understand what is creating value for the league, players in the league, and the fantasy industry. This paper has results on estimations testing the impacts of both the fantasy participation explosion …

Identifying Factors That Impact Female Leadership Presence, Victoria Elizabeth Kendall

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

This research aims to acknowledge and weaken various factors that deter women from taking up leadership in our current systems. Increasing one’s personal capacity for leadership is especially beneficial for women who participate in systems that lack equal gender representation. Despite differences in organizational culture, certain patterns of experience have been negatively related to female Leadership Presence, and depend on the theoretical lens of leadership for development. Examining the demand-side and supply-side factors that inhibit female career progression is significant to understanding the environmental and individual impositions impacting leadership development. Specific strategies to strengthen Leadership Presence, as well as the …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 93, No. 39, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Henderson, Andrew & Nicole Ziege. Fearing for My Life – Andi Dahmer, Harassment
• Deletter, Emily. Kelly Burch Institute Established to Aid Student Success
• Chamber of Conflict – Student Government Association
• Hormell, David. Maintaining a Spirit of Objectivity in American Politics
• Leboeuf, Hannah. Song & Dance – Greek Week
• Yaacoub, Sarah. Right on Cue – Cue Time Cocktails & Billiards
• Kizer, Drake. Local Art Studio Makes Antique Items New Again – Resurrection Shop
• Moore, Noah. ENACTUS Brings Students Skills in Entrepreneurship
• Sisler, Julie. Winemakers to Speak …

Ua12/2/1 The Hill In Review, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter recapping the top stories of the week.

Ua12/2/1 The Hill In Review, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter recapping the top stories of the week.

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 93, No. 38, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Henderson, Andrew. Timothy Caboni Announces $16 Million in Cuts
• Ziege, Nicole. Dissolved – University College
• Deletter, Emily. First of Three Candidates for Provost Visit WKU - Jeffery Osgood
• Eiler, Olivia. Woman Reports Burglary, Assault in Bowling Green
• Editorial Cartoon re: Kern Alexander & College Heights Herald
• Save Student Newsrooms – Editorial Independence
• Dimeo, Chris. San Juan Smokehouse: A Plate Where Two Worlds Meet
• Leonard, Nicole. The Rise of Identity Politics in Society
• Eaton, Tyler. WKU Athletes Make Up 5 Percent of C-USA Honor Roll
• Stahl, …

Ua12/2/1 The Hill In Review, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter recapping the top stories of the week.

Perceptions Of Athletic Identity: A Case Study Of A Niche Club Sport, Alex Traugutt, Jacob Augustin, Rammi Hazzaa

The Qualitative Report

Research on athletic identity has been robust, however, there remains a gap in the literature regarding its perceived impact among collegiate club sport athletes. The subject of the present study was the niche sport of quidditch, a co-ed contact sport that is currently being played at over 200 colleges and universities across the United States. The primary purpose of this research was to investigate the perceptions of athletic identity among quidditch participants. In addition, it was also of interest to understand the degree to which spectators perceive the athletic identity of the participants and the game of quidditch in general. …

Conquering Gender Stereotypes One Football At A Time, Rani Bezanson

Undergraduate Research Symposium 2018

In the U.S., gender stereotypes in sports are real. As a result, women who are involved with professional sports, either as players or have professional positions face negative stereotypes. When women have coaching positions, they feel unsupported from administrators and colleagues, which has a direct impact on their involvement and prove their credibility at their jobs (LaFountaine and Kamphoff 2016). My thesis here is that there is a relationship between the impact of negative stereotypes for women who are active in sports and their involvement. For, they do not receive sufficient support. The hypothesis, taken from the above thesis, is …