Sport and Culture Amateurism and Professionalism Mr Leighton

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 19 th 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. 95 m

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.