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GLOBAL SPORTS STUFF -
USA SPORT TOP UP INFORMATION
US School and college sport is a key artea for exams in global study and compatrative study here are some practice exam questions
School sport in North America is unique in terms of community involvement and links to the professional sports scene.
(i) Explain the popularity of school sport in North America.
(3)
(ii) Outline how elite performers move through the education system of North America into professional sport.
(5)
North American cultures are unique in the status the give to sport within the Higher Education sector.
i) Describe and explain the provision for sport with in the North American Higher Education sector.
(4)
ii) Describe and explain the sports scholarship system and its role in nurturing
elite sports talent in North America.
(3)
Discuss why high school and college sport commands such an important position in the local community in North America?
(5)
How does the historical development of PE in North America cultures reflect the development of North American society?
(3)
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School and college sport in North America is unique in terms of community following and its role in nurturing elite sports talent
Explain why school and college sport attracts so much interest from local communities
(3)
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Outline how the education system in North America acts as a nursery for elite and professional athletes
(5
Paying their way
Most professional sports in North America are based on the franchise system. This works in a number of ways, each major sport has a set number of clubs based on geographical locations. This system is set up to maximise profit and eliminate competition form clubs in a specific area.
Franchises also occur within the sports stadium, here food and drinks companies will have brought the franchise right to serve exclusively their products.
Can you think of any franchise agreements that already exist in British sport?
There are currently 32 NFL Franchise in the USA, it costs $700 million to buy a NFL franchise, the newest franchise in the league is the Houston Texans, they have a playing squd of 90 and 18 full time coaches.
Franchise often move to areas where they think they can make more profit, The Houston Oilers recently moved to Tenesse Oilers, unfortunatley there is no oil in the state of Tenesse, so the team are now called the Tennesse Titans. LA has currently no NFL teams as both the Raisers and Rams have moved to new cities.
The Dream Team and the importance of winning
In 1976, the USA lost the Olympic basketball final to their arch rivals the Soviet Union. There was some controversy about the game, the winning basket being scored in three extra seconds the referee had added to the end of the game.
Basket ball is the USA’s true national sport, it is the only “big 4 “ sport that can rightly claim true all American heritage, so to lose their gold medal was seen as a
national disgrace.
In order to ensure they did not repeat their 1976 failure the USA team flowted the Olympic rules and pitched a team of top NBA professional basketballers they unsurprisingly stormed through the tournament taking the gold with ease.
What change did the Dream Team force upon the IOC?
Women on top.
Although American football remains the main football code in North America, the USA can also claim top spot in another code soccer. Their women’s team are recognised as the top international team having won 2 out of the first 3 Women’s World Cup Championship.
Women’s soccer is now a ‘boom’ sport in the USA and the national team are looked upon as both role models and super stars. Top players like leading goal scorer Mia Hahm are household names.
Why is it acceptable for women to play soccer in the USA?
Train to Win.
Although that we have stated that the USA has a decentralised system of administration and funding there is one area of sport that is centrally co-ordinated and receives federal funding.
The United States Olympic Committee established in the early 1980’s Olympic Training Centres with a central facility at Colarado Springs.
The USOC felt that such an initiative was required in order to compete with the numerous Sports Institutes and academies being established around the world.
The OTC’s act as training and support centres for all current and potential USA Olympic athletes. Once again there is one aim behind this initiative winning gold medals.
At what stage is the UK at in terms of developing elite national training centres?
THE ABOVE IS A SECTION FROM THE NEW ADVANCED PE & SPORT TEACHERS GUIDE PUBLISHED BY NELSON THORNES
AUSTRALIAN SPORT TOP UP INFORMATION
A sporting lifestyle
A generally temperate climate . relatively easy access to sports facilities as well as the presence of beaches, surf, rivers, open spaces and the outback give Australians ample opportunity to take up sporting and outdoor activities. There are more than 120 national sporting organisations (NSO’s) and thousands of State, regional and club bodies. It is estimated that around six and a half million people, about a third of the total population are registered member of sporting clubs or organisations. Man others are involved recreationally in activities such as fishing, bushwalking, boating, hose riding, fitness and aerobics.
How does the level of participation differ from that of the UK?
Sports development and the social class chains
As in the UK, early sports development in Australia was limited to those upper and middle classes who could afford the time and income to enable them to follow their chosen pursuits, the following extract gives a good idea of the social limitations of sport in nineteenth century Australia.
Nearly all men, whether miners or shop keepers or farmers, worked on Saturday afternoon, and it was not easy to obtain leave merely to play football. Even then they usually lost part of Salary or wages if they gained permission to leave work early on Saturday afternoon in order to go to the football ground. Only a large town possessed a sufficient number of those bank clerks, school teachers, self employed tradesmen, owners of gold claims and other men of property who had the freedom Saturday afternoon to chase a football.
Blianey, G A Game of our own: The origins of Australian Rules Football, Information Australia 1990
What similarities were there between the development of “football” in both the UK and Australia during the latter part of the nineteenth century.
Women on top
Australia has produced many international champions and world record holders in a wide range of sports. In the medal winning stakes, Australians have won 78 Olympic and 396 Commonwealth gold medals. One remarkable feat is the fact that since the 2nd World war Australian women have won more than 40% of these gold medals. This despite the fact that 23% of the events during this time were available to women, and that women made up only 21% of the Australian Olympic teams during this time.
Can you suggest any reasons why Australian women have been so successful?
The Commonwealth Games
Australia has been a solid supporter of the Commonwealth Games, possibly due to the fact that since the 2nd World war they have been the most successful competing nation. The idea of a Commonwealth games movement was first muted at the turn of the twentieth century, many people in Britain expressed concern about the physical degeneration of the “Anglo” race an the long term future of the Empire. They were also concerned by the way French man Baron De Coubertin and his Olympic movement was challenging Britain’s ole as sporting champion. The initial idea was to hold a Pan-Britannic festival to “ celebrate the industrial, cultural and athletic prowess of the Anglo-Saxon race.” There was even a move to enter an Empire team into the Olympics , but this was rejected by the I.O.C. A small sporting event was held as part of the 1911 Festival of the Empire staged to celebrate the coronation o George V. The first Empire Games proper were staged in 1930 at Hamilton, Canada.
Why do you think the Commonwealth games have been so important to the Australian nation?
THE ABOVE IS A SECTION FROM THE NEW ADVANCED PE & SPORT TEACHERS GUIDE PUBLISHED BY NELSON THORNES
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