To Be a Jock or Not to Be a jock, That Is the Question Are you a jock or a puke? In 2011, a man by the name Robert Lipsyte, had his article called “Jock Culture” first featured in a special sports issue of the New York Times. Lipstye was born in 1938, and grew up in the Bronx and lived a daunted childhood with constant bullying by his peers. Lipsyte would’ve described himself as a “puke” in his adolescent days. He is an intelligent man due from his previous educations such as, earning his Bachelor’s degree only at 19 years of age in English from Columbia University of Journalism. Lipstye has enjoyed many successes in print media, television, and public radio. Perhaps, however, his greatest achievement has been as a novelist as he continues
…show more content…
His position at the New York Times slowly led him into a whole new world, that brought him into the selective realm of sports. While deeply immersed in the industry of sports journalism, he started to notice character traits of athletes and what he would call the “Jock Culture”. During this time, he spent a lot of time doing self-reflection of his past, his current situation, and how he has mentally changed. Once considered a “puke”, and after being so deeply involved in the jock culture, he started to inherit jock …show more content…
Lipstye explains the negative effects of being involved in the mentality of a jock, “Once a safe place to learn about bravery, cooperation, and respect becomes a cockpit of bullying, violence, and the commitment to win-at-all costs attitude that can kill a soul” (Lipstye 277). In my own personal experience, and observations, I feel that the current “Jock Culture” is wreaking havoc and negative consequences on young athletes.
Robert Lipsyte made me live in the past again. I have never thought about my childhood memories of my participation of the various sports I’ve played until now. While enjoyable, there were defiantly many negative aspects that even as a young child I witnessed and still feel the effects today. Extreme coaching, parents fighting, favoritism, power hungry parents, and children pushing themselves beyond their physical capabilities just to win, even on the recreational level. While Lipstye was certainly a very intelligent man, as
His position at the New York Times slowly led him into a whole new world, that brought him into the selective realm of sports. While deeply immersed in the industry of sports journalism, he started to notice character traits of athletes and what he would call the “Jock Culture”. During this time, he spent a lot of time doing self-reflection of his past, his current situation, and how he has mentally changed. Once considered a “puke”, and after being so deeply involved in the jock culture, he started to inherit jock …show more content…
Lipstye explains the negative effects of being involved in the mentality of a jock, “Once a safe place to learn about bravery, cooperation, and respect becomes a cockpit of bullying, violence, and the commitment to win-at-all costs attitude that can kill a soul” (Lipstye 277). In my own personal experience, and observations, I feel that the current “Jock Culture” is wreaking havoc and negative consequences on young athletes.
Robert Lipsyte made me live in the past again. I have never thought about my childhood memories of my participation of the various sports I’ve played until now. While enjoyable, there were defiantly many negative aspects that even as a young child I witnessed and still feel the effects today. Extreme coaching, parents fighting, favoritism, power hungry parents, and children pushing themselves beyond their physical capabilities just to win, even on the recreational level. While Lipstye was certainly a very intelligent man, as