Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

Sports Metaphors Brittany Harvey Dr. Pupchek April 30, 2011

Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

Introduction School, work, and competitive sports: What do all three of these completely different subjects have in common? Everything. In todays society, people are worried about where they are going to get into college, what job are they going to get after graduation, and who is going to the Super Bowl. Studies have shown that because of how popular sports have become, instructors have been using sports connected examples to keep students engaged in learning. These examples are called sports metaphors which can be defined as two different ideas. One they are used to articulate the tactical and aggressive character of the sport and second to achieve the male bonding yet abolish the female bonding (Archer p.2). However, could it be considered sexism when it has been written in research that the female gender does not quite understand sports language? When living in a world where it is all about competition, especially in the business world, using sports metaphors has been the best way to compare how competitive each individual should be in order to score that goal. If sports are only for men, then why do instructors who are preparing who teach men and women for the business world use sports metaphors as a way of teaching. In order to minimize the sexism, men and women should be able to have equal ability to participate in athletics or have to take a sports class in order to grasp the concept of sports metaphors.

Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

Literary Review Sports Metaphors Communicated in the Learning Environment and Business World What are sports communicating? Sexism has been raised when it comes to sports and what it is communicating in the world. Football has the meaning of macho, what some only consider to be a physically fit man sport (Archer p.2). If a female plays a man sport, she is automatically a tomboy (Archer p.2). Many women tried to avoid the characteristic of a tomboy because society has made the image of a women being extremely feminine making many women wanting to avoid participating in any sports. Has this stereotype affected the full communication skills of women? Due to the fact that men are more aware of the terminology of sports, such as football, baseball, boxing, etc, they are at an advantage of being more competitive speakers. There are many metaphors that are connected to sports ideas. Sports metaphors are known to be used for two things. One they are used to articulate the tactical and aggressive character of the sport and second to achieve the male bonding yet abolish the female bonding (Archer p.2). So how has the competiveness and possible sexism been brought to everyday communication? Not only has it been brought to the attention of researchers about the issue of competitive communication, but also in the world of business. Deborah Tannen and other researchers have found "male speakers to be competitive and more likely to engage in conflict... and females to be cooperative (Archer p. 2-3). The example of where most sports metaphors are used in everyday activity was in one of the most competitive areas of business, lawyers. In this job you have to be competitive when it

Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

comes to proving someone is innocent or guilty. Open the flood gates to potential "cheap shots" against the interest of the defendant" is an example of a sports and non-sports interrelated metaphor that has been used in the case of the State of Ohio v. Nathaniel Lumpkin, Jr.(Archer 3). It is not uncommon to hear sports metaphors being used in legal action environments. It is brought to the attention of researchers who have been studying this subject for some time now that these metaphors used in the court rooms are not only understood by men, but completely befuddle the female lawyers leaving them no choice but to go along with what is said and come up with their own creative metaphors that in return bewilder the men. When it comes to learning lessons that instructors need to embed in their students heads, using a form of metaphor is the way to go. Athletics has obviously grown to become unimaginable force in the world and because of this popularity; it is not uncommon to hear professors using sports metaphors in the classroom setting. When dealing with a lesson that is known to be difficult, using a metaphor can simplify what is being taught (Offstein, Neck p.2). Also the fact that many people today have participated in some sort of sporting event, the use of a sports metaphor can hold the interest of the students (Offstein, Neck p.2). Using sports metaphors have become extremely helpful in the business environment. When students are participating in the classes before actually entering into that hectic business environment, many professors have used sports scenarios to prepare them. Since the environment in both scenarios changes dramatically and swiftly, a decision initially believed to be optimal in a turbulent environment is more likely to become suboptimal. Thus, both managers and athletes are rewarded for making a series of quick but good decisions with the information at hand (Offstein, Neck p. 4). In simpler terms, by

Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

having participated in a sport or knowing the basic of a sports team, it is obvious that there are moments in the game where quick but effective decisions need to be made in order to complete and win the game. Professors compare coaches to bosses and game plays to completing what needs to be done in the office. These scenarios are also reminding the business students that not only are they trying to get the job done effectively, but also be competitive with everyone and everything because that is what gets people to the top of the business totem pole. Yet, if students are deprived of physical education classes then how are individuals who are not as active as sports players going to comprehend the concept of coaches, games, and competing. The example used is the professor portraying a similarity between a game, such as a tennis match, and business, business is a game (Offstein, Neck p.6). By having the students make two columns, one for game and one for business, they describe what the similarities are, whether it is finding the similarities in competition or another characteristic. However, as the times have changed and forms of communication have become more technical, the forms of competition in the business world have become different then they have in the sports world. For starters, technology has diminished the face to face interaction between business people. Unlike sports, where competitive communication is easily directed to an opposing teammate a few feet from you, the business world is dealing with face to face communication over the computer screen or in text. It is important that the instructor continues to stress the importance of competing as if playing a sport to their students. By using sports metaphors as a form of educational teaching, it can help spark interest and mentally prepare students, such as business students, remember important

Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

information and become successful in one of the most competitive fields in the world, the fields of business. Whether in the classroom or in a business office, teamwork is always important to have especially when it comes to working in groups. as conventionally practiced in organizational and business contexts, teamwork is a managed, performed process; it has goals, roles, expectations, objectives, reporting procedures and cybernetic mechanisms to insure efficient progress along a stipulated path toward goal accomplishment (Bokeno p.1). Bokeno has used a soccer sports metaphor in order to get his point across that it takes more than one person to accomplish set goals. Competitive metaphors from sports are used often in management and organization theory and education, as well as office and business practice. Intriguingly, one sport that is rarely if ever used is soccer. Thats probably because Americans understand soccer about as much as they understand teamwork: as I will contend in the paper, this is due, in turn, to the fact that both are quantum phenomena (Bokeno p.2). In simpler terms, not everyone truly understands the importance of teamwork in the business world, just like not everyone understands the importance of teamwork in soccer, especially those who were not given the opportunity to learn the game. A soccer team has the ability to win a game by acting as a team and understanding that there is more than one play that can be used to making that game winning point. Just like in the real world, when having to deal with accomplishing a goal, there could be more than one way to achieving it. Soccer as a sports metaphor is very appropriate, especially when it comes to a subject such as teamwork. This particular sport involves a lot of people on the field and the game plan of who goes where on the field and hat can be run in order to score this goal.

Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

Translation for the business world, a team taking on an important proposal, who is responsible for doing what part and then the whole team being able to collaborate on the entire project in order for it to be a success and promoted. Especially when in school, from going to working on projects and presentations by yourself, to working with one other person, to then working with a large group, it is important to be able to transition to teamwork. Having schools provide a soccer class, is just one way for students to learn and understand what it means to be a part of a team. I think the soccer metaphor would work for them; already possessed of the alternative quantum mindset that soccer entails, they may be the ones ready for the change to genuine collaborative teamwork (Bokeno p.8). With sports metaphors being used not only in the educational process but also in the business world, it is important for everyone to be able to understand the lingo. With studies showing that men are more likely to understand the metaphors being used, it is important for the female population to become familiar with it them as well. Take about competition, winning, and playing hardball is showing up everywhere in business. Though we are living in s completely different time where women are given the same rights as men, we are still facing difficulties getting to the top of the success ladder because men feel that they should be the head coaches of all companies. This calls for a change. Women need to familiarize themselves with every game that the male gender friends to the playing field and start showing that they are able to compete with anything.

Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

Observations

Though Queens University of Charlotte is a school where a majority of the population is sports athletes, there are those who are not participating in collegiate level sports. Many students attending the University consider there to be three major groups, the athletes, the sorority/fraternity, and the Teaching Fellows. There is also a difference in the ratio of males and females attending school, more girls than boys. Based on what is being heard around the campus, it appears that each group has its own different meanings for words. For example, in the sorority/fraternity setting, brother, sister, big, little do not mean the same thing that they mean to the rest of the campus population. When it comes to sports, there are instances where people, especially girls, are asking guys off of the school teams what each play means and why each position on the field/ court is important. Yes, asking these questions as to what is what on the field is a good sign that the female population is interested in learning more about sports, but instead of just asking why not go out for a team, even if it is an intramural team. By getting more of the schools population, especially the girls, involved in the athletic program, there would not be many issues of females being lost when hearing sports influenced metaphors. With the help of Title XI, instead of just being regular students, more female collegiate athletes can compete and continue to understand the concept of competition and teamwork.

Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

Method

Though Queens is a University that provides the opportunity of sports, activities, there are many schools that are not as equipped. The solution, every student, men and women, should have to participate in some sort of physical education class while attending school which is where the Title XI act comes into play. Title XI, though not trying to completely eliminate the entire budget in male sports, is an act that was passed in order to have gender fairness in college sport. By taking some of the budgets from major male sporting events, Title XI has given less advantaged teams and especially female sports teams more advantages. Schools need to take advantage of the Title XI act. Yes, male basketball and football are the biggest sports with the most fan base, but some females sports are becoming extremely popular for example, volleyball and womens lacrosse. By having more of the female population participate in sports activities, not only will it motivate them towards a healthier lifestyle, but it will help them understand the concepts used in the business world such as competition, teamwork, and how to cope with high pressure situations. With more women participating in sports related activities and having classes provided there would be more understanding when sports metaphors are being used to teach. Having classes will give students more of an hands on feel for what competition is, what team work consists of, and what it feels like to accomplish a goal in a high pressure situation which is good training for the business world days.

Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

Analysis and Conclusion Queens University of Charlotte, being a school with a high majority of athletes, is a university that is preparing students for the real world. Professors and staff members are extremely supportive of the athletic program. Attending classes daily, I personally have had many instances where professors have used sports metaphors to teach their students the concepts of that lesson. By comparing something of importance to the student with something that is extremely admired, students are paying attention and understand what is being taught more than ever. Queens students are very blessed with a school full of staff members that use the sports metaphors as a teaching technique and the majority of the students are talented and able to understand the concepts of the sports and putting those techniques together in preparation for the business world. Sports metaphors are often used in many learning environments. The problem with using these metaphors is the fact that individuals, especially females, who are not familiar with sports jargon are becoming lost with this particular learning technique. How should this problem be fixed? By having schools take advantage of the Title XI Act which allows more collegiate sports teams and by providing students with the opportunity of participating in physical educations classes more individuals would be able to get a hands on experience of what teamwork is, how to handle competition, and deal with stress just like in the work world.

Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

References Sited

1.

Archer, M., & Cohen, R. (1997). Leaving Women Out in Left Field: Sports Metaphors, Women, and Legal Discourse. Women & Language, 20(2), 2-6. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

2.

Offstein, E. H., & Neck, C. P. (2003). From "Acing the Test" to "Touching Base": The Sports Metaphor in the Classroom. Business Communication Quarterly, 66(4), 23-35. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

3.

Gozzi Jr., R. R. (1990). IS LIFE A GAME? NOTES ON A MASTER METAPHOR. ETC: A Review of General Semantics, 47(3), 291-293. Retrieved from EBSCOhost

4.

Bokeno, R. (2009). An Alternative Sports Metaphor for Understanding Teamwork as Complex: Soccer. Emergence: Complexity & Organization, 11(2), 79-86. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

5.

Huang, X. (1999). A Semantic Analysis of the Characteristics of Sports Metaphors. Women & Language, 22(2), 55. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Brittany Harvey

Sports Metaphors

Reflection By taking the Writing for Communication class I was able to learn how to properly search for information in the library by using Ebscohost. With being able to properly research and site a study, writing a paper such as this final was made easier and made more interesting. I also enjoyed the fact that not only does writing a paper include all the ordinary fundamentals of research and nonstop typing, but it also included having to write and produce a podcast, which was an interesting lesson and a new one at that. I thoroughly enjoyed recording it. By producing a poster that summarizes the entire paper, it gives readers to opportunity to visualize what exactly is trying to be said. I will be honest, the topic I picked though interesting, became a tad bit confusing and I feel as even though I was going for one concept, many concepts could be found. The final concept was trying to provide a solution to getting more not sports related individuals more involved in sports in order to understand the concepts of the sports metaphors. Another concept that could be found is the fact that because sports popularity has risen, using metaphors on something that a majority of the population like can help spark and interest in the learning process. Hopefully further research is done on the topic in the future. All together the class was fun, interesting, and there was a lot learned and I like that I can take these materials into my other classes.