Transcript Sport and Culture: Amateurism and Professionalism

Sport and Culture:
Amateurism and Professionalism
Mr. Leighton
St Mary’s 11-18 High School
Today’s Session…
• Introduce and discuss Amateurism.
• View its Roots.
• Compare Amateurism and
Professionalism.
What is Amateurism?
• Amateur comes from the Latin word
“Amare” meaning to love.
• Amateurs do it for the love of the game,
rather than for the monetary rewards etc.
• However, amateur has been used as a
derogatory term in today’s Multi-million
pound sports society.
So where is it from?
• Amateurism came from the upper classes
of the 19th Century.
• Boarders at schools like Charterhouse and
Eton treated the schools badly; leaving
teachers with no choice but to administer
corporal punishment i.e. the cane.
• Society as a whole was reflected in these
schools, unruly and unsophisticated.
• Headmasters decided to use team games
to tire the pupils out; no energy to cause
trouble in schools.
• This was ideal to help boys learn valuable
lessons such as……..
• Teamwork
• Self control
• Fair play
• Boundaries
“Gentlemen Amateurs”
• Wealthy individuals who excelled in in
sport were referred to as this.
• They were upper and upper middle class
• Class Level= enough time to spend away
from work for enjoyment.
• However, they could not give up work in
order to play= Professionalism… The
working class could afford this as they
basically had nothing!
Working Class Vs Gentlemen
Amateurs..
Working classes.
• Sport used as a
release/Job
• Spectators interested
• Playing for payment and
competition.
Gentlemen Amateurs.
• Sport used as enjoyment
• Spectators busy or not
allowed to be involved
• Playing for pleasure- no
financial need!
Professionalism then…
• Doesn’t just mean that you excel in sport- it means you
get paid as well!
However… there are many professionals who are paid and
yet do not excel…E.g.
Elena Marcelino:
Formerly of Newcastle Utd- Cost them
5 Million Pounds- played 19 times in 3 years: that’s
263,150 pounds a game!
Professionals who suffer…
• As competitive team games are the main draw
for spectators, sponsorship and media; there are
many elite athletes who excel but do not get paid
or recognized for their efforts….
• Beth Tweddle- multiple British and Olympic
champion.
• Gail Emms and Julian Robertson- 2006
Badminton World Champions
• Susan Moncrieff- UK Record holder- High Jump:
1.95m
Discuss…
Cricket example Pg 239.
What is this system like?
Should we still have this? What benefits
could it have?
Who’s this?
Case Study: NZ “All Gold's”.
• The ALL GOLDS was a play on the
amateur ALL Blacks name.
• The amateurs criticized the sharing of
wealth proposed by the professional ALL
Blacks.
• Their supporters were known as the “Lily
Whites”
• The first tour took place of GB in 1907.
Review…
• Write down two sentences to describe
AMATEURISM.
• Write down two sentences to describe
PROFESSIONALISM.