1.
POPE, C. C., & O'SULLIVAN, M.
(2003). DARWINISM IN THE GYM.
JOURNAL OF TEACHING IN
PHYSICAL EDUCATION, 22, 311-327.
Ty;ler Goad and Karl Zang

2.
Type of, purpose of study/paper,
theoretical framework/background
• Ethnographic qualitative study
– Descriptive study looking at custom/practices
• Attempt to understand how urban youth
experience sport in a ‘free gym’ setting
– During lunch hour and 2 rec centers
• Ecological evolution through sport
– modified version of Darwin's “survival of the fittest”
theory

3.
Background and significance of
study…what did it report to add?
• Researchers are ‘tourists’ in the gym
– Unable to recognize complexity of social interactions
and structure
• Long-term observation needed for true
understanding
– Extra curriculum learning from free gym experiences
• Determine how urban youth shape social
constructs
– before/during/after school (recreational times)

4.
Setting of the Study
• Shady Woods high school free gym
– Urban high school in large American city
– One-hour free gym during lunch
– 65% free/subsidized lunch
– 65% African American, 25% Caucasian, 3% Asian
American
• 90% of those who participate in activities are African
American males.
– 51% male 49% female
– Study took place over 5 months

5.
Setting of the Study
• North side (4x) and Crosstown (2x) Recreation
Center
– 90-120 min observation
– Directly after school or in the evenings
– 15-40 high school students

6.
Analysis Methods
• Field notes from observations
– Microcassette recorder
– Small notebook
– Occasional interviews
• Log entries
– Observational notes
– Personal notes
– Theoretical notes

7.
Analysis Methods
• Peer Debriefing
– Respondents categories
• Descriptive review of contextual
characteristics
• Interpretation of data that supported the
emergence of certain themes

8.
General Findings
• Similar social constructs observed at recreational
locations.
• Basketball was the only game played
• If environment was public, intense, or subject to
peer scrutiny
– Only students who played where the males who were
highly skilled.
– Participants where aggressive and boisterous
– Possessed strong attributes in social skill or “street
literacy”

9.
Findings/Main arguments
• Student imposed hierarchy
– Determined play in free gym
– Mainly pick-up basketball games
– 7 categories in lunch-hour gym, similar in rec centers
• Bullies
– Alphas of the gym
– Male, skilled performers
– Games filled with trash talk and slam dunks

10.
Findings/Main arguments
• Jousters
– Small group of males
– Move around gym like ‘nomadic disturbances’
– Antagonized their way into games with disruptive behavior.
• Posers
– 10 males, seldom participated
– Used public forum to showcase physique and strength
– Pop their shirts off and wore jewelry
• Benchies
– 30-40; Usually males, some females
– Waited to invited to play or watching classmates play
– Played “catch a glance” game

11.
Findings/Main arguments
• Hangers
– Even amount of males and females
– Used gym as social area
– Only watched games if they were “good games”
• Venerators
– Female version of posers (grades 9-10)
– Well Dressed
– Worked in groups of 2-4 to get attention of players
• Contestants
– Skilled and competitive male performers
– Took games seriously; 4v4
– Vocal on and off the court

12.
Conclusions/implications for practice
and/or future research
• The author concludes that physical educators
– be aware that more than sport skills need to be
addressed in class.
– Educators need to acknowledge impact of street
literacy
– Take advantage of free gym time to use sport as an
educational medium
– Suggest that the sport education and social
development models are options in promoting
inclusive practices outside of the gymnasium in a
sport environment.

13.
Conclusions
• “There needs to be a place where interesting
programs are available to those who seek health
and enjoyment through sport. The challenge for
teachers is to ascertain whether the suitability of
participant experiences in certain sport forms is
meeting the developmental and social needs of
many young people. Any effort to enhance the
wider sport culture should include paying
credence to the experiences young people have
with sport.” p. 325

14.
Questions?
• How can we use this knowledge to decrease
the impact mis-education of sport in these
settings?

15.
Personal Meaning
• Karl- Shows potential of using sport outside PE
for socialization and development. Also how
that be have negative aspects if not properly
monitored.
• Flash backs to elementary school
– This is how most peer groups were formed.