Athletics & Service

Final Project

2009-03-12T14:25:00.001-05:00

Athletes in Service (Final JUA Project)

View more presentations from Hans Mundahl.

Personalizing Our Experience

2009-03-11T12:41:00.006-05:00

Original stadium seating at the Garden.

If you were a professional athlete what cause would you support and why?

Bruins Community Relations March 10th

2009-03-10T21:47:00.005-05:00

Bob Sweeny, the Director of the Bruins Foundation, talked to us about the importance of service.

Today we went to the TD Banknorth Garden and interviewed people in North Station, which was a real interesting experience. It really introduced us into the promoting and business aspects of the world. We were shown around the Boston Sports Museum and saw everything that goes on in the main level, where the ice and court are with the most action that takes place there. Next we were shown the museum that the Garden had, which was really a representation of all the sports activities that were participated in or affiliated with the Garden. The museum of course represented mostly the main Boston professional sports, but also reflected on others such as boxing, Special Olympics, high school teams, local teams, women sports ect. really almost anything that touched upon sports and had connections through the Boston Garden. It was really nice to see Boston sports reflect on the other athletic programs that they had supported. Once we were done with the tour we went into the offices of where the community relations was introduced to us about the Boston Bruins hockey team. The team really takes pride in there work that they do for the Bruins program. The Bruin's foundation is a young foundation, and has only existed for six years. The Bruins community relations program really tries to emphasize that even a little here and there helps. The Bruins team is very young with ages that range from 18 all the way to 40, from all over the world. When it comes for mandatory fundraisers and such for the team they are only required to attend four main events, but many players go out and help out with there own foundations, or even just doing little things that the they had an interest in doing for community service. The other thing is the players need to feel comfortable doing the service that they are being asked to do, they never have to do service if it makes them feel uncomfortable. Another thing that really stands out about the Bruins and really makes them true leaders in the athletic world is that the leaders of the team will get the rookies to do good things, and it is all contagious so that all the players are real true leaders and are good role models for the kids that are watching them.

We also got the opportunity to meet with Bob Sweeny who was a former player of the Bruins, and is now working with the community relations program. He said that he had wished he had the opportunities that we have today. He really promotes us to take the opportunities given to us seriously and hope that we go out and make a difference in the world. Even if it isn't through athletics, which is also really good because in life you need more than just athletics to get by in the real world. He enjoys his job because he really wants to be able to make those less fortunate, and truly make a difference throughout kids lives. The Bruins organization seemed as though it was a very strong organization but at the same time young. It also showed a lot of good leadership and promotion of making a difference, which is what this nation really needs in these tough times of the economy and world differences. - Vanessa Campbell

Garden Interviews March 10th

2009-03-10T20:37:00.003-05:00

Kids interviewed for their view on todays athletes.

Today our group visited the Boston Garden. We took street interviews of sports fans in the station. Interviews lead to general conclusions about sports fans in Boston. We asked essential questions about how athletes in service and their effect on the community.

1. Has your opinion about a professional athlete changed after they made a poor decision?

2. How do you feel about the team after a single player makes a bad decision?

3. Do/Should players get special treatment?

4. Are Athletes role models?

Most people who answered the first question changed their opinion of an athlete once they made a bad decision. However, their opinion of the player's franchise did not change. They also did not hold the franchise responsible for one athlete's choices. Most people thought that athletes should not get special treatment, even though they are considered to receive more leeway from the law and community. Almost every person we spoke with believed that athletes are role models. Many people told us that the children of Boston and the greater New England area treat professional athletes as heroes. About half of those we talked with admitted that although athletes are role models, they don't always setting a good example for the children that idolize them. through our interviews we learned how the Boston sports fans regard famous athletes, and how athletes appear to everyday people.

Leanne

Patriots Visit March 9th

2009-03-10T09:17:00.007-05:00

Jesse Freeman, community outreach associate with the Patriots speaks about athletes and their service to the community.

Today we met with the community outreach leader of the New England Patriots, Jesse Freeman. She gave us an overview of the Players roles is the Boston community, and answered our questions about athletes in service.

Players serve community through non profit organizations. Service is important to the players because they truly enjoy helping the community, and it enhances their appearance as a role model. We discovered that many players take initiative in the community, they approach community outreach leaders about how they can help the Boston and New England areas. Ms. Freeman says that every player is an extremely good leader, from the starting line up to the second and third strings. Most of the players see the importance of service and go out of their way to participate in the Patriots foundation. The foundation was the first initiative after the Kraft's bought the team. Currently the Patriots have the second most endowed foundation in the National Football League. This endowment allows the players to participate in many events in throughout New England.

Although most players enjoy service and participate willingly, there are mandatory events that players must attend. In every contract there is a mandatory number of events that a player must attend. The Foundation Fund Raisers are the only events that players must attend. Every rookie that joins the New England Patriots must participate in a Rookie Training Program which teaches them how to conduct themselves under their new stardom. They learn how to deal with press, how to stay out trouble, and how they can effect the community around them.

The players participate in a large number of different services. The Patriots franchise feels that their service in the community benefits both themselves and the community. The players work to help better the community, while the community turns those players into local heroes. Ms. Freeman said, "doors are open to allow the community to reach out to us just as we reach out to the community." The Patriots are involved in a variety of different non profit organizations, from building college scholarships, to the kids café services. The players from truly want to make a difference in this community. Their image is secondary to their will to aid people in need.

Here are some of the Questions we had about the Patriots Foundation and the players services:

What the majority of players that participate in optional service?

Some players enjoy service rather than others, some have their own foundations. Many of the players don't always feel comfortable doing service. Usually the players will come when they are available and also able to come. It's also a good opportunity for the player who is not a starter, to get his name out and known through community service.

What kind of service does a player like Randy Moss participate in? Does he think that serving has changed him for the better?

Randy Moss does not like the events or the dressing up for them, although he has shown an interest in the foundation "Make A Wish" and he gets very involved with it.

What does "damage control" consist of and are players given community service as a punishment?

Damage control comes directly from public relations and is taken very seriously. Players are not invincible and will have consequences for their actions.

How does service effect Boston's sport culture?

Service is a big positive for Boston's sports culture. Fortunately the Patriots are well endowed, so it helps them do more throughout and community and foundations.

Do players partake in individual service?

Some players have their own foundations, that the Patriots support, but do not endorse.

Is there a minimum of service that players must participate in?
The players must make a certain number of appearances as stated in their contracts.

Leanne and Vanessa

Athletics and Service 2009

2009-03-08T21:35:00.014-05:00

Greetings!

While a similar group existed last year, this year's Athletics and Service group will explore the relationship between professional athletes and the community service they engage in. Our primary consideration will be, "what motivates sports franchises to have community service departments or maintain relationships with charitable organizations?"

Our perspectives are as follows:

1. Professional athletes are committed to community service. They dedicate time to service because it is an integral part of their career. They also consider service to be a return to their roots and they feel obligated to give back.

2. Professional athletes make really poor decisions both within and outside of their sport. As a result, franchises maintain community service departments and relationships with charitable organizations in order to preserve the reputations of their athletes.

3. Service to one's community is essential to being a meaningful participant in society. Athletes are motivated and contribute to society for the same reasons that we all do. Their status as athletes is irrelevant.

In order to investigate these perspectives we will visit with the Director of Community Outreach for the New England Patriots, the Foundation Coordinator for the Boston Bruins and we will conduct street interviews.

Does charitable work mask the violent behavior that is so prevalent during hockey games?

Does reforming someone like Randy Moss contribute to the integrity of the Patriots?

Final Group Project

2008-01-27T22:22:00.000-05:00

Here is the final group project from the group, "When they score, who wins?" To find out more about the Junior Urban Adventure please visit the portal blog for the project.

| View | Upload your own

BU--Center for Athletic Enhancement

2007-12-18T18:40:00.000-05:00

We spent several hours at Boston University today: first taking part in a "learn-by-doing" workout (which they sweat through and was fairly entertaining for me to watch and take pictures of) and then discussing the psychological aspect of sports. All of the students enjoyed discussing the "mental preparation" phase of sports. All of Mr. Naylor's presentation was geared directly towards the students--asking them questions about their sports and the psychology behind everything. I was very proud of my students for their great participation.

Murphy's Law

2007-12-18T18:33:00.001-05:00

Anything that can go wrong will....
but we'll keep our chins up!

Several of our planned appointments cancelled on us at the last minute--so, Ms. McCormack was fairly frustrated but the 8 students in her group kept her laughing. We spent much of the first day in Boston conducting on the street interviews (although it was very cold so people were not overly thrilled about sharing their thoughts). Students asked what people's thoughts on sports in Boston were--what would happen if the Red Sox moved? Are the sports in Boston a major source of income for the city? etc...

We spent much of the day walking around the city exploring and having a great (cold) time.

DRIVING QUESTIONS

2007-12-16T18:30:00.000-05:00

Kyle: Why is it so important to keep a good mental game during a real game?
Pat B: How do sports in cities bring people together?
Craig: Boston is a major city for professional and college sports, does that inspire youth to take part in athletics? Does that effect the economy?
Jason: How do youth sports effect the rate of violence in young people?
Rob: How do student athletes help the community?
Sean: How does playing sport improve the health of Boston?

Metrolacrosse

2007-12-16T13:20:00.001-05:00

MetroLacrosse is a not-for-profit organization that provides sports-based character education programs to approximately 500 youth in eight of Boston's urban communities -- Allston/Brighton, Chelsea, East Boston, East Cambridge, Dorchester, Hyde Park, Mattapan and Roxbury.
Through its character education curriculum that builds upon the lessons learned while participating in team sports, MetroLacrosse highlights the importance of a healthy lifestyle, focuses on developing strong teamwork and communication skills, and aims to teach participants lessons that are transferable to their daily lives.

http://www.metrolacrosse.com/index.php

ITINERARY

2007-12-16T13:12:00.000-05:00

Monday 2pm: Metrolacrosse

Tuesday 9am: Northeastern University Center for Sports and Society

Tuesday 1pm: Boston University: Center for Sports Enhancement

Relevant Articles

2007-11-19T22:22:00.000-05:00

Here's an article you may want to check out:

Why Athletes Make Good Employees
http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2006/07/09/athletes_know_how_game_is_played/

What Boston's Sports Victories Mean For Boston
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16422227

JUA 2007

2007-11-13T13:56:00.000-05:00

Hi All, JUA 2007 is upon us. We will be researching how sports effect the economy. Last years sports essays are posted, and although they had different topics they may help give us ideas. It's time to start brainstorming--Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO LEARN?

Funding for Athletic Facilities

2007-02-06T10:49:00.000-05:00

By Preston Y.

Our Junior Urban Adventure was held in Boston, Mass. It was an experience that was very interesting, informative, and exciting. Before I went on the outing, I thought it was going to be boring, and a waste of time. I soon found out, that there was much more to ‘Sport’s and Society,’ than I could’ve imagined. With the adventure, giving me a lot of information, I have decided that the sports industry is where I would like to see myself in the future.

My assignment for the JUA trip was to find out where colleges get their funding for the sport facilities. After visiting Boston University, Boston College, and Northeastern College, I found that there were many different ways that colleges fund their facilities. One area which they receive funds from, is from the Alumni. Boston College, receives a lot of funding, from their own, Heisman Trophy winner, Doug Flutie. Alumni, such as Flutie, continue to fund their ‘Alma Marta,’ because they feel they owe their success to their schools. Where they were taught, the skills and education, that they use in their every day lives.

In researching my question, I have found out, that some of the biggest schools are now using “Venture Capital Investment Programs.” Through this action, Capital is invested and the interest earned, is used for the betterment of the College sports program. Stanford began their program at just $100,000. But, now they have 85 million, of which 30 million is earmarked for upgrades to their Stadium.

Any sports player, or hardcore fan, wants to be on the “winning team.” These players, and fans, will do just about anything to be a part of the winning team. Also, the school itself has its own fund, which goes directly to the sports complex. Most schools feel as though, a winning team, will bring in some “winning students.”

A big, if not the biggest contribution to funding for the sport programs, is Advertisement. By recruiting one of the “top player’s” a college can gain many endorsement deals, through some big names, such as: Pepsi, Coke, Olympia Sports, Nike, etc. The better the teams are, the more they are shown on T.V. And, the more they are shown on T.V, the more valuable the advertisements become to the college, players, and also the Company’s advertising. Everything that you purchase at a college game goes right into the sports division. Even the hotdogs, and soda you purchase during the game, a cut goes straight into the sports program. Which shows that the how a “winning team” can affect the sales, and performance of a certain school.

After my trip to Boston, I realized how important it is, to have winning teams. I wish that this year, was a better year for New Hampton, and after being part of two losing teams, I feel as though we are not doing enough, to keep the “winning spirit” alive. I hope, with the New Year ahead, we can find our “winning spirit,” once again.

Ricky's Essay

2007-02-03T20:44:00.001-05:00

How are college athlete effected by supplement abuse? What are some of the long term affects?
How are supplements monitored in college sports? Do you find that college athletes find it necessary to use supplements now, to go that extra mile?

On our trip to Boston we visited Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern, and The Boston Globe. I learned a lot of new things on our visit, from, health and nutrition at Boston University, to sport criticism at The Globe. At Boston University we had a work-out session with the performance-enhancement instructor, and we talked to a nutritionists and a sports psychologist. At Boston College we talked to with the people at the Football program, on how they finance their program and their training. At Northeastern we talked to the Baseball coach, he had a vast range of knowledge on all of our subjects. At The Globe we spoke with the head guy, there we asked him about numerous subjects, from, how they get the papers out in the morning, to the effect of performance enhancement drugs on athletes.

Most young athletes can tell you that the competitive drive to win can be fierce. For a growing number of athletes, winning at all costs includes taking performance-enhancing drugs. The long-term effects of performance-enhancing drugs haven't yet been rigorously studied. In most amateur sports, the athletes who win are those with the greatest strength, speed or endurance. Athletic performance has more to do with skill and hard work than popping a pill or downing a super-drink. Concern is growing that young athletes will follow sports figures who use performance-enhancers in a search to gain a competitive edge.

From what I learned on my visits, most colleges encourage performance enhancers such as creatine and protein, and have consequences should an athlete be caught using an illegal performance enhancer. The colleges that we visited said that they have no real big problems with supplement abuse at there schools, and if so it is very secretive. The supplements that are encouraged like creatine and protein are usually monitored by coaches and people like the instructor at Boston University who specifically work with athletes on that. So in reality Performance enhancement drugs are really not a problem with the colleges that we visited, therefore my question wasn’t really a good one.

Doug's Visual Presentation

2007-01-11T16:09:00.000-05:00

Doug T's Essay

2007-01-10T22:13:00.000-05:00

Many people believe that sports only require physical assets such as strength and quickness. That was my mission in going to Boston and studying sports and society, to figure out the importance of the mental side to sports and how sport psychology helps in the development of it. By doing so I had the opportunity to talk with Boston Universities Sport Psychologist Adam H. Naylor and how he approaches this.
In sport psychology one of the first roles is to develop effective responses to the challenges of sports. Pretty much one needs to be able to keep their cool in pressure situations, and this will help an athlete prepare their selves. In sports, an athlete can have all the talent in the world, but won’t be able to pursue the next level without confidence. By nurturing the confidence necessary for success, this can help an athlete tremendously in excelling in a sport. Every coach at one point or another has said practice hard because you play how you practice. Well this is one hundred percent true, and sport psychology actually works on improving the quality of an athlete’s practice in the long run improving their game work. For instance in hockey if one is conditioning, their legs are shaking, their skates feel like they are about to slide out from under them, everything is starting to go blurry, mental toughness has to kick in and boost them through this gruesome situation.
A long term goal of sport psychology is to nurture persistence and motivation throughout a season or career and develop cohesive teams with effective leaders. Unlike physical training sport psychology mentally trains athletes to step up and unite. If one is a leader, this will help dig up that quality in them, and even if one isn’t a natural leader, it can help an athlete step up to the plate. Most athletes receive injuries throughout their career and that is perfectly normal. One of the thoughts that goes through an athletes head is the fact that they will be unable to continue training and lose everything they have. This is a very stressful situation coming from experience, but a athlete needs to be able to manage the stresses of injuries. This is a point covered in sport psychology. The last role is something that many athletes forget to do because they are worried about working hard and not making mistakes. That is to have fun, because a athlete having fun is a athlete at their best in my opinion, and they make sure that they cover this in sport psychology.
In achieving the mental toughness in sports, there are ways to do so and skills that will aid one along the way. By goal setting an athlete can help their selves in figuring out where they are going or want to go in the future. Productive daydreaming can also help by picturing what it is they plan on doing such as imagining make a big play in a game on a game day. Self talk is necessary for instance if one makes a mistake, they can’t get down on their selves all game long or they will continue to make mistakes. They have to realize everybody makes mistakes and pick themselves up. An athlete needs to figure out relaxation techniques which work with the mind and body. Everybody is different so routines vary from everybody, it is the athletes job to figure out what brings them into their comfort zone.
Sport psychology has been a subject that has had my mind racing for a long time. I never realized how important mental toughness is in sports such as hockey or football, because it would seem that if one is strong and quick there isn’t any other factors that would come into effect in the performance of an athlete. I was sorely mistaken, now in understanding sport psychology it has made me realize what the difference is between a good athlete and a great athlete.

Jarrod G's Essay

2007-01-10T22:07:00.000-05:00

My essential question was: What is the main method of college recruiting? Who exactly does it, who approves it, and how long does the process take?
In response to this I have taken the information gained from that of the Northeastern baseball coach, along with the football staff at Boston College. At each of these places different information was shared in relation to the topic of recruiting. Between the two schools there were things alike along with differences among their means of recruiting.
The main method of recruiting done at Northeastern University Baseball, is done in a few different ways. One way recruits are discovered is by showcases. Showcases are similar to combines, in which several athletes come together to “show off” their skills in order to be looked at by colleges. Most of the showcases that Northeastern does their recruiting are held in the North East region. The main method of recruiting at Boston College Football is done at combines along with over the internet. At Boston College we were shown a whole on-line database of recruiting, that pretty much contained their entire methods of recruiting. Also some of the recruiting is done by phone calls, and by word of mouth. Not so much word of mouth although, they still do use it to a certain extent. For the most part, Boston Colleges’s recruiting is done in the Northeastern region of the placecountry-regionUnited States. This region includes New England, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.
The recruiting at Northeastern University for baseball is done mostly by the coaching staff. The head coach does not play as much of a role in it as you would think. It is the pitching coach, and other assistant coaches who do a lot of the recruiting. Yet, of course the final decisions on the recruits is usually approved by the head coach of the staff. At Boston College, there is an entire staff set aside that conduct the recruiting for the football program. These people are considered coaches yet they do not conduct anything on the field and primarily work in offices or in the “booth.” Yet much like Northeastern University’s baseball program, the recruits before they are admitted must be approved by the coaching staff. More specifically the head coach of the staff.
The over all recruiting process at Northeastern University’s baseball program is on average done over a two year span. What is meant by this, is that when a certain player is a junior in high school, they are sometimes begging to be recruited. The final decisions at Northeastern are based off of a scale. The coach/ coaches that recruit the player grade the athlete on a level form one to three, one being the best and a three being the lowest. This scale can be a key factor in determining which recruits are accepted. At Boston College the same can be said about how an athlete is recruited two years prior to graduating.

Brandon L's Essay

2007-01-10T22:04:00.001-05:00

The funding of school campus school teams and scholarships come from within the school and outside funding. The student’s tuition pays for the teachers, campus areas, most of the sports and all the other staff members within the school. Also some other ways money comes in is the people that work at the school go out and try and fund money within the town and other areas around the schools, Such as small businesses, big businesses, students themselves will pay if they have a job and the parents may contribute even more.
Some of the sports teams at a school such as northeastern the baseball team is not funded so they have to go out and raise money but doing what the school does, so they are able to buy new uniforms or new gloves or and thing that they would like for the team. The sports teams that are funded that come out of the students tuition and they are given the money, like at BC the football team is given the money and also the ticket sales and food help pay for things at the BC football games.
Funding for Scholarships is a different thing the money is either set-aside by the school and it’s only a certain amount or the recruiter goes threw out the town visiting businesses or house asking for money. The amount raised is divided into different scholarships. A sport is aloud an amount of scholarship a year, which means a coach, can only pick a certain amount of players that season so the coach has to pick the player he/she wants and give them a scholarship. Also the scholarships are not always a full 4 years of school some may only be a year or two or a full 4 years. The coach picks the best player for a full 4 years because another school may offer a longer if they were to give that player a year or a two-year scholarship.
The amount of money maid decides how long the scholarship is used and how many the coach or team gets. The students that are recruited and have a year or two year scholarship pay after there scholarship expires and they are expected to pay tuition the following year. That money is used to pay for the school and campus areas.
Students have to buy there own books from the school and this money is used to pay the company and school for the books giving the school more money to spend on new campus things and new dorms.

Derek S's Essay

2007-01-10T22:04:00.000-05:00

Steroids are synthetic substances that are related to male sex hormones called androgens. They are used to increase the growth of skeletal muscle and androgenic effects that foster the development of male sexual characteristics. These types of steroids are called anabolic steroids.
The use of steroids and banned supplements can help the individuals at first and then hurt the sports that they are used in later. It can help sports that don’t get much attention because then the players start making the big plays that attract big crowds to the games. You have to control the use of the supplements so that it doesn’t get out of hand and people start abusing them. Then if people start abusing them you have ban them or limit the supplement that they are able to use. Even then you’ll get players who think they’re above the rules and use them anyway because they see results fast, and then you have to suspend or even dismiss them from the league.
Most people abuse anabolic steroids do so because they have a desire to build muscles, reduce their body fat, and improve sports performance, they can also see the muscle growth. Anabolic steroid abuse is most common in competitive bodybuilding.
Most of the steroids you can buy you get order online at websites such as norxshop.com, elitefitness.com; you can get supplements over the counter at stores like GNC and others. Trainers in college and other semi-pro sports might not give them to their players, but some professional trainers may provide players with supplements under the table. Or the trainers might give the players the steroids, without the player’s knowledge like what happened with Barry Bonds.
What the coaches do about the use of steroids differs as you go up the ladder. In the NCAA there are random drug tests and most of the schools do random tests too on top of the NCAA. At Northeastern University their policy is that they test two random players every two weeks and they are tested by the NCAA. At Boston College their players are tested by the school and by the NCAA, the punishment of this goes up with each infraction. The first offence you will be suspended for a couple games, second offence you will be suspended for the whole season and, the third offence you will be removed from the team. If you are on a scholarship that will most likely be taken away as well. In the college ranks, the coaches try to prevent the use of these steroids supplements, in the semi-pro and professional levels most of the time the coaches don’t even know that they are being used. The punishments if you get caught are worse. In major league baseball players are randomly tested often and the punishments are harsh. The first offence is a fifty game suspension, and the second on is the entire season that is 182 games! In the minors leagues the rules are much tighter; you are not allowed to use chewing tobacco in the minor league like you can in the Pros. Also in the minor leagues steroid use is not a big deal. Two players from Northeastern University who are now in the Major League Baseball (MLB) say that they never saw any one use steroids used in the minors; they heard people say they have taken them but haven’t seen anything.
Steroid use is monitored very closely in all sports at all levels and if players are caught with them they will be delt with accordingly.

Will N's essay

2007-01-10T22:03:00.000-05:00

On the Junior Urban Adventure e my essential question was, Do supplements improve an athlete’s performance or not, and how are these supplements monitored? My group went to three major universities in Boston as well as the Boston globe to find an answer to our essential questions. At BU the nutritionists talk about how supplements are good and bad and that you just need to look into a product before just reading what it says on the label and using it. Also that a lot of protein supplements are just like if you were to eat a chicken for dinner. When we went to North Eastern the baseball coach there told us about how supplements were monitored. He said that there were “random” drug testing and that the players where aloud to use protein and creatine as long as nothing was going to pop up on a test result. Two of the baseball players we talk with told us about how they use protein supplements and creatine, they said they just have to be careful because some times curtain supplements do not tell what is in them
and that stuff can show up on a drug test. At BC they talk a little bit on supplements. They said that there are random drug testing for illegal supplements but athletes are allowed to use protein and creatine. The two-baseball players form Northeastern both said that they think protein helps a lot and creatine helps a good amount to. They said it is a good supplement to take on the off-season to build muscle mass and gain weight. The Junior Urban Adventure was a good trip to help us as students understand and learn more about what we wanted to know and I defiantly found out what I wanted to know about supplements and how they affect athletes performance and how hey are monitored. For the most part most of the supplements do help an athlete’s performance and do increase strength. Not to say you just have to take them and you will be good, you need to work out and train while on these supplements. The answer to my question is that supplements are monitored to some extent and there are curtain ones that are g
ood and ones that are bad. They are proven to enhance an athlete’s performance but also have been proven to bring an athlete down in some areas. The best way to use supplements is just to look in to them and not just take something because of what it says on the label, make sure there are no forms of steroids that could harm you.

Alex C's Essay

2007-01-10T21:59:00.000-05:00

During my time spent in Boston, along with my group, I visited three colleges and the Boston Globe to ask questions. We talked to different kinds of coaches, faculty, and others involved in athletics. Throughout spending time in Boston University, North Eastern, and Boston College I gained the information needed to answer my essential question about funding for sports. How does each select college decide what program receives the most money and where does the money come from? Do the coaches make the decision? Alumni?
First my group went and visited Boston University. After doing a speed and agility work out with the staff and BU. Funding at BU is well spread though the different athletics. Boston University has most major sports besides football but is known for their hockey teams. They most money is usually given to the hockey team to recruit players. They spend more money on players then they do on equipment. Funding is provided by Alumni and people in or related to the school.
When we went to Northeastern University we learned a lot about the baseball team and program. They however do not have great funding because of being a smaller school and do not compare to big schools like Boston College. Coaches do not have any say in how much money is given to what program. However because they do have most major sports the number is even smaller. Funding for equipment at Northeastern is nothing above good because of the lack of money and they have to spend it on players.
Boston College was the nicest college that we visited while staying in Boston. Their facilities are by far the best and are taken care of very well. Boston College is well funded and because of this they are able to spend a large amount of money on their buildings and equipment. Funding is also a big part of being able to have those nice things when smaller or financially littler schools cannot. BC is also the school with the most scholarships to give and have the most recruiting money. Most of the funding is decided by the Admissions buildings. The money comes from Alumni, students, and commercialism. The majority of the money and Boston College goes to the football program.
The Boston Globe has the inside track to all of the professional and college sports that happen in Boston. During our time spent there we received a recap of most of what we learned at the schools. The only thing said about funding during this stop is that it is different at every school.
During my JUA experience I learned a lot about sports in the North East and in the New England area. Although some questions were left up in the air I feel a good sense of knowledge about funding in these certain schools. We had a great leader and a good group of guys to travel around Boston with for two days. Coming from the Mid West and hearing mostly about a big state college, it was interesting to learn about how some schools have to really make good decisions with their money because of how much they can spend. Funding in colleges mostly comes from Alumni, Facility, and people associated with the university.

Justin D's Essay

2007-01-10T21:58:00.001-05:00

Is it worth taking supplements to enhance your physical condition? I do not think so. I have found out from this trip that any type of supplement is in a way not good for you in the end. There are other ways to get in shape and be physically fit without taking supplements. The best thing to do is to work out on your own and by eating as healthy as you can. Most, if not all, colleges do drug testing on a regular basis and it is not worth getting kicked out of college for taking supplements. Most supplements work and are effective, but down the line and later in life you will see that it was not worth it.
We talked to the coaches, recruiters, and health advisors and three different colleges, Boston College, Boston University, and North Eastern University. Each and every one of these people strongly advised us and their players not to take supplements. These people said that it is a risk and that you could have a reaction to the specific supplement. There are some healthy supplements such as certain vitamins like the most common vitamin C. We were advised to make sure that you are positive about what you are taking and even consult your doctor and ask him / her if this supplement would be ok to take. Some could have a certain illegal drug in it that you are not aware of and when you get drug tested at school, it will show up. You would not want to risk getting expelled from college from something you were not aware of. They wanted to clarify with us students not to just take any supplement that looks like a normal pill. Also to be sure that you do not get in trouble in high school with something that involved
illegal supplements. Lets say you were going to try and go to college for a sport, and you talk with the coach. He will eventually find out that you were using supplements in high school, which could alter his decision to give you a scholarship and accept you onto the team.
It is not worth taking any supplements because it is not good for you in the end, when you get older. They work and are effective, but it is a big risk to take in college where there are random drug tests. If you were to fail a drug test, there is a chance that you could be expelled from the college. Once again, if you were to take any type of supplement, make sure that you consult your doctor to see if it would be acceptable and healthy to take. There could be an illegal drug in it that you are unaware of which could get you in trouble. Also, there are other ways in shape and be physically fit other than taking supplements. So basically, we learned that we should not be taking supplements and try to stay away from them as much as possible.

Steve G's Essay

2007-01-10T21:58:00.000-05:00

Question: How does a certain university or college make the decision to allow how much money goes to all of the different sports?

Answer: When our group went to Northeastern University and met with a man who answered to “scruff”, he told us that many different issues go into making a decision such as how much money goes to what sport. First off, “scruff” told us that the sports which will benefit the school with revenue as well as those with the most recruits involved will get a fair share of the scholarship and financial aid money. “Scruff” is a baseball scout coach now and told us that the university only gives 11.5 scholarships to people recruits on the baseball team. Then the baseball coaching staff has to decide how much money goes to what player. “Scruff” told us that he looks at players in three different levels 1a, 1b, 2, and finally 3. The players with more talent will be either 1a or 1b, while the walk-on players will typically be a 3. The majority of the money given to the baseball team will be given to the players who are ranked either 1a or 1b. Then, if there is any money left over they will begin to look at the pla
yers who ranked in as 2. Usually, the money will run out before they can get to the lower ranking players like the walk-ons, but in the off chance that there is still some money left, they will have to come up with a way of spreading the money out evenly or give it to the player who most deserves it.
When our group went to Boston College, we met with a man who is now a scout for the football team. When we asked him similar questions he told us a completely different answer. The process of deciding how much money goes to what sport is much easier at Boston College than it is at Northeastern University because of the differential of incoming revenue. Boston College has a great deal more money to give to their sports than Northeastern University does. For example, the football team’s success is huge to Boston College’s overall revenue income. The better the team does, the more people are going to want to watch them, therefore they buy more tickets which increases revenue. The football team is fully scholarshipped in the idea that the school gives out 85 “full-ride” scholarships solely for football players. Well obviously, more than 85 players will show up at the team’s try-outs but the either the players who make the team, or the players who have been recruited will receive the scholarship. However
, most people need the scholarship to be effective immediately because they cannot pay for college without it. This means that they will receive the scholarship before try-outs and it does not get revoked if the player does not make the team. But, if the college is willing to give the scholarship to that person, chances are they have great confidence in the person’s abilities to make the team. If a player is injured or needs to stop playing football for any reason and they have received a scholarship for playing football, the college will not and can not revoke the scholarship.

Justin M's Essay

2007-01-10T21:57:00.001-05:00

How are teams spending their money on recruiting players and paying for other expenses and where does the money they fund come from?

College and University Sports Organizations must do a good job year round in order to reap the benefits of successful sports programs. First of all, the head of the organization (most likely the head coach) must have an experienced coaching staff. Some big time college teams are fortunate to have many people working for the coach playing important roles in their jobs, whether it is with the play book or in the office. A key ingredient in this cycle is the recruiting end. Most initial recruiting is done online with many schools having their own website, such as the Boston College Football Program. Before the season begins the coaches work with the players and drill the play book into their heads until they perform the skills they are taught to the best of their ability. If the players and coaches each do their part they will succeed as a team. As a result, the organization gains popularity and top athletes will want to join the team to continue the success. When players as individuals put up impressive nu
mbers, they will be recognized and may have a chance to play in professional leagues such as the NFL, MLB, and NBA, to name a few. All of this recognition brings money into the college program by ticket sales and donations. A large sum of money comes from alumni. Many of the alumni make generous donations to their college as a sign of respect, pride, and gratitude. The schools depend on these large donations to keep their sports programs alive.
To have a successful organization such as Boston College’s football squad, many spots are filled early. We met with a man who scouts high school players from all over the country. Recruiting players throughout the United States works out very well money wise because it attracts more fans and player interest. Players visiting the school recognize the beautiful campus and tour the football building. The building alone can fulfill the player’s needs. It is an impressive facility which cost the college over 26 million dollars. This is an attraction that is much needed to bring in talent at this level. These students are getting offers to many schools and seeing the campus and this facility makes an impressive first look.
Northeastern University has a good baseball program. We met with the coach and he explained his method of recruiting. He searches for players all over New England by going to games, showcases, and etcetera and rates them one, two, or three with one being the best. Then he recruits six players a year for his ball team which is about half of what the average baseball team would get in that same division. If a player doesn’t get recruited he tells them not to lose interest. There are walk on tryouts and the coach knows he will benefit from these players as well. It is also important what the student’s first impression is of the coach. I got the impression that the Northeastern coach cared about his players and the game of baseball. He wants to succeed and that is really all you can ask for in a coach.
When an athlete is involved in an organization, both the athlete and the organization have to do their part. Trust is a big factor. The athlete puts his or her trust in the school’s program and the program trusts the athlete
to do a good job in order to keep the cycle going. The organization and the athletes feed off one another. You cannot be a successful athlete while working with a failing organization and you cannot be a successful organization when you have unsuccessful athletes. Just like any other business, it is a team effort. In order to keep the ball rolling and the money flowing you must have cooperation from both sides working together.

George J's Essay

2007-01-10T21:57:00.000-05:00

How Do coaches handle issues with players if they misunderstand a play or
get in trouble? Is each player handled differently.

When I first started this project I did not know how to word my question.
I found it difficult to take all the questions that I had and make them
into one essential question. When we first arrived in Boston we went to BU
and had the opportunity to work out at there track and field facility. A
Sports psychologist taught us the correct way to stretch and conduct
pre-game warm ups. The warm up usually would take 15 minutes but because
we were learning it for the first time it took us 45 minutes. We then met
with a Sports Nutritionist and discussed proper eating habits. We learned
all the essential foods that are necessary for optimum weight gain and
which products were the healthiest for us. She guided us through the
proper steps of hydration how much Gatorade, water and other fluid drinks
an athlete should
consume to reach there peek performance. We then had a sports psychologist
come in and discuss how they work with coaches on dealing with the student
athlete. What there roles are with in the world of
sports. This was getting to the core of my essential question how does a
college coach handle the player who doesn’t understand what is expected of
them or worse the player that gets in trouble during the
season.
Our next stop was the assistant baseball coach at Northeastern. Here we
discussed supplements and talked to two pro baseball players that were in
the Minor League and what there lifestyle was like. I asked how they could
stay focused with such a long playing season in such tough playing
conditions they said it was easy because they love the game.

On the second day we started our day at Boston College. We were taught
about a day in
the life of a Boston College Football player. Although it was an awkward
time to be there with the sudden departure of Coach O'Brien it turned out
to be a wonderful experience. We learned how the student athlete is taught
to manage there time. The coaches set them up to succeed not only on the
playing field but in the classroom. Depending on there grades they are
told how many hours they need to spend in a designated study hall for the
student athlete. They are placed in these study halls with a specific time
for accomplishing there homework which is based on there current grade
point average the lower the grade the longer they are required to study.
In addition to the academic classrooms located in the athletic facility
they also have film rooms for each position played in Football. The
quarter backs, linebackers etc. each have there own rooms available to
them to study the films. It all makes sense to me now why Boston College
has such a rich and successful Football Program. The athletes are given
everyt
hing necessary to succeed on the field and in the classroom. You could say
that if they don’t succeed it is there own fault. Our next stop was the
Boston Globe. Here we met with the Sports Editor I learned a lot about
what event is put on the front page or how they select the sporting event
that will get front page coverage. I did not learn anything that would
help answer my question however I did learn about how the Boston Globe
Sports section reports its news of the day.

When I think back to my essential question for this project and I think
about what I thought would be the answer and compare it to what I learned
during my visit, I find it interesting that this is a relatively new area
of study. What I mean is that there are people trained as sports
physiologist who then help the College Coach with the student athletes.
They have learned that just as teachers have had to understand that not
all students learn the same way in a classroom, just as many athletes come
to a program with a different approach to a game. Often this can lead to
misunderstandings as to what is expected of them. A coach needs to be
versatile in there style of coaching so that each athlete can perform to
there optimum level. If they don’t understand a play the first time it is
explained often there can be another way to show it. Some student/athletes
work better with visuals, some may want to read the play and some may
prefer to physically perform the drill or play several times to completely
understa
nd it. This makes sense to me as the world of sports psychology is being
focused on not just at the college level but in the world of
professional sports as well.

Pictures from Boston College

2007-01-02T15:39:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures Derek S. shared with me from the visit to Boston College. Thanks for getting these to me to post to your blog!

The easy part is over...

2006-12-13T15:23:00.000-05:00

It all started a while ago when we were preparing and sculpting our essential questions...now it's time to reflect on our experience in Boston and make sense of all the information we gathered.

We had a great workout and information session with the folks from BU's Athletic Enhancement Center and learned a whole lot about recruiting and coaching from the pitching coach at Northeastern on Monday. On Tuesday, we were able to view all the in's and out's of Boston College's football complex and finish the day with the Sports Editor from the Boston Globe.

Here's a great place to read about each group member's experience...enjoy!

Our Essential Questions

2006-12-10T09:32:00.000-05:00

Here's a look at our Essential Questions!

Update-Friday, November 10th

2006-11-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

Sorry I missed some of you yesterday during office hours. From what I hear, Ty informed you of a game we can possibly attend on Sunday, December 10th. It is important for you to understand that you will have to pay for the ticket to that game. We will have a meeting immediately upon your return from Thanksgiving Break.

I have been in contact with people from places that we want to visit. There may be an opportunity at Boston University to work directly with their Performance Enhancement Center (we have done this in the past). There is a fee for this. I need to know how many of you are willing to contribute. Also, we have an opportunity to meet with people from Northeastern University. These people study Sport in Society...pretty similar to what you are doing.

Please let me or Ty know if you have questions or comments. We'd love to hear some feedback from you.

In the meantime

2006-11-07T18:49:00.000-05:00

If you are wondering what you should be doing to prepare for the meeting on Thursday...you can post a comment on our blog. Otherwise, you can email Ty or Mr. Perfield with questions.

Our Next Meeting

2006-11-07T18:47:00.000-05:00

We will meet during office hours (in the football office) on Thursday, November 9th at 10:20 am. You should bring a notebook, something to write with, and at least five ideas and questions that you want to explore during our time in Boston.

Welcome to Sports and Society

2006-10-31T14:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 2006 edition of New Hampton School's Sport and Society group for JUA. Students will have the opportunity to "use" the city of Boston and a number of the athletic environments that consume the people in Boston and surrounding areas. Researching and investigating an Essential Question that is originated by each student; the "Sport" environments include spending time with BC's football team and coaching staff, Northeastern's baseball coaching staff, Northeastern's Sport and Society program directors, and a hockey program from one of the teams in the Boston area.