Socio-Cultural Book 3

Single sport: cheese rolling (gloucester) Multi sport: the highland games. . Characteristics:

• traditional
• social
• isolated
• roudy 
• tourism
• annual
• ritualistic
• local

Gentleman Amateur: wealthy upper class men who excelled at sport and played for the love of it.

Working Class Professional: working class men who can't afford to miss work to play, so must be enough to be paid to play.

• reduction in working hours meant more time to play
• The RSPCA put a stop to cruel sports such as dog fighting
• improve literacy meant people could read about thier heroes and be encouraged
• improved transport meant teams could play others further afield

Also, middle and upper class boys attended public boarding schools with good facilities and staff, lots of time to practice sport and house captains to encourage participating. The headmasters encouraged sport to keep them out of trouble.

The boys went on to become:

• vicars
• industrialists 
• parents
• army officers
• teachers

..they spread thier passion and ability whereever they went.

When British colonialists arrived on Australian soil over 200 years ago they brought with them the British way of life, government, education and judicial systems plus sports and games.  Australia adopted these British games.

Australia's a great sporting nation because it has:

• accessible natural resources
• sport is fashionable
• good political support and funding
• succesful Australian elite performers as role models
• relatively roung population
• plenty of space
• healthy economy
• media interest
• traditional respect for bush culture - stamina and pioneering
• favourable climate

win ethic: coming 2nd isn't an option and through 100% commitment, ability and sacrifice this can be obtained.

What is ‘The American Dream: Prosperity depends on ability and hard work, not on a class system. It assumes anyone can be successful irrespective of age, gender or ethnic background. 

Capitalism: A system based on private or corporate ownership and the investment of money for profit.

• gives athletes a better chance of success
• promotes events which otherwise may not happen
• only a few sportsmen become super rich
• traditional values can be lost
• performers become mobile adverts