Sports, an activity that has existed for thousands of years—in one manner or another holds major implications for society. In fact, sports prove to be a very crucial present advocate for not only social change, but cultural change as well, and using the pattern of sports as an indicator the activity will continue to shape society. The film Hoop Dreams exemplifies the highly acknowledged phenomena that sports can be the way out of poverty for minorities, specifically African American males (Johnson & Migliaccio 1995). By analyzing aspects of sports, society, and culture, Hoop Dreams provides overwhelming evidence that sports can be a way out of poverty, but the film only follows two young men who’s athletic skills are exceedingly beyond those
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It can even be argued that this concept has been successful over time. There are cases such as Joe Fraizer, a professional boxer who made it out of the projects of Philadelphia or even a very relevant case in that of Lebron James who made it out of the slums of Ohio via the route of sports. Notwithstanding these success stories and others like them, less than 2 percent of all high school athletes go on to play professional sports (Johnson & Migliaccio 1995). A prime example from the movie is Curtis, William’s brother. Curtis also played basketball like William and even received an athletic scholarship to UCF. Due to indifferences with the coach Curtis did not see playing time and thus eventually dropped out of school. Curtis’ intentions were never to get a college degree so when his professional sports route became obsolete he had no desire to continue going to …show more content…
The chances of an impoverished youth making it to professional sports are 2 in 100,000 ( Johnson and Migliaccio 1995). In Hoop Dreams we see that neither William nor Arthur make it to the NBA. When these young boys do not reach the pros—as the odds foretell many of them return to their impoverished neighborhoods with no skill set outside of their athletic ability (Jones 2006). The pressure on these young males is immense and too often is not rewarded. William missed the birth of his daughter in aspiration of a professional basketball career that he never achieved. When sports become an all-consuming act of desperation the everyday lives of these athletes
It can even be argued that this concept has been successful over time. There are cases such as Joe Fraizer, a professional boxer who made it out of the projects of Philadelphia or even a very relevant case in that of Lebron James who made it out of the slums of Ohio via the route of sports. Notwithstanding these success stories and others like them, less than 2 percent of all high school athletes go on to play professional sports (Johnson & Migliaccio 1995). A prime example from the movie is Curtis, William’s brother. Curtis also played basketball like William and even received an athletic scholarship to UCF. Due to indifferences with the coach Curtis did not see playing time and thus eventually dropped out of school. Curtis’ intentions were never to get a college degree so when his professional sports route became obsolete he had no desire to continue going to …show more content…
The chances of an impoverished youth making it to professional sports are 2 in 100,000 ( Johnson and Migliaccio 1995). In Hoop Dreams we see that neither William nor Arthur make it to the NBA. When these young boys do not reach the pros—as the odds foretell many of them return to their impoverished neighborhoods with no skill set outside of their athletic ability (Jones 2006). The pressure on these young males is immense and too often is not rewarded. William missed the birth of his daughter in aspiration of a professional basketball career that he never achieved. When sports become an all-consuming act of desperation the everyday lives of these athletes