Types of Identity (0:30)
There is a relationship between racial identity and athletic identity.
- Racial identity: the significance and meaning of race in one’s life (physical features - skin colour )
- Ethnic identity looks to your nationality - cultural values
- Athletic identity: the degree to which individuals identify as athletes
Research Findings (2:10)
- Research in the early 2000s - Jackson and colleagues and Brown and colleagues
- Higher athletic identity in black student-athletes resulted in dissociation of these individuals and their racial-ethnic group memberships
- Problem: the higher the athletic identity of these black students, the less they perceived racial discrimination to be a problem in the U.S
- Why am I talking about this? Athletic identity enhances one’s sense of self, self-confidence, & self-worth
- Feel accepted because of their athletic talents
My Athletic Identity (6:20)
When I was seen as value-added to my hockey team - my racial identity never came to mind.
- I got to forget that there were challenges being black (sheltered lifestyle)
- I was reminded when I had to think twice before retaliating to avoid harsher consequences - it looks worse if a black kid does it. I didn’t want to change how others perceived me
Relevance of Identity in Sports (11:00)
Sports should not be an escape from who we are, it should bring us together because of who we are.
- Unique traits allow for stronger connections to ourselves and others
- Improves performance - teammates with a stronger bond gel together
- Olympic Games effect - nations come together and unify us all
CTA: Check out Blog Post (15:00)
Check out my first blog post on interruptingsports.com to learn more about why it is time for the Interrupting Sports podcast. Drop a comment and share your thoughts. I would love to hear them.
Being Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable (15:25)
To bring about positive change we must become comfortable with being uncomfortable. Our inability to step out of our comfort zone limits our experiences
Personal Anecdote (17:36)
Growing up sheltered, I became comfortable being the only black kid in a room and uncomfortable being among black kids. I formed a community to overcome my uncomfortable state.
Significance in Sports (21:19)
We need to have the difficult conversations to move beyond our ways.
- Get out of your comfort zone - be honest with yourself
- Unlearn our poor behaviours - making assumptions/biases
- Acknowledge and embrace the good, the bad, and the ugly of our reality
- That is how we grow and progress the culture of sport - expand our minds and change our perspective
Summary of Points (23:40)
- Recognize the components of our identity: racial, ethnic, and athletic identity - embrace who we are as individuals to unify us
- Acknowledge our realities and hold ourselves accountable to overcome biases and progress the culture of sports
