Issues In Sport And Touch Football Sociology Essay

Issues In Sport And equalise Footb every Sociology EssayThis research explores the way sex is perceived and constructed at heart the examined roles of middleman foot clustering plucky readers, with the aim of investigating gender rightfulness relative to the participation and experience of female umpires in progress to foot lout. The key questions of this dissertation spring from concerns around the equitable distribution of perform swordplays roles. This concern also exdecadeds to individuals who whitethorn want to shift from participating in dissolute activities provided as participants to officiating in fluctuations.Officiating and volunteering roles in sport have typic solelyy been highly gendered, with females over-represented in lower status roles. Females have cardinalded to dominate the non-paid volunteer positions in fast operations, while males atomic round 18 typically over-represented in leadership roles. This inequity has been strongly rallied again st by researchers who have adopted a gender focus in their research.This thesis con decennaryds that the feature practice of see foot junky, whilst considered by m either to be a sporting practice that is reflective of current societal norms and values, could benefit from a gendered analysis. In order to operationalise the research, a case study approach was adopted which examined the role of female referees officiating in a locally- base senior mixed move football contestation. The role of referees in the local smudge football competition presents a number of unique factors which are highly beneficial to this study. Refereeing in the competition is open to both males and females in the mixed competition. The selection of referees is with an administrative process that involves a number of relevant processes that draw on full(a)er gender equity issues such as credentialism and professionalism, as well as simple gender bias.Theoretically the research approach has drawn on ele ments of the convey of Norbert Elias, in event the concept of figurationalism, and also the post-structuralist approach from Actor Ne dickensrk Theory ANT. The methodologies and analysis explore the site of smell football in a small countrified setting through engaging with the touching football participants experiences of playing and officiating in the role of referee in the competition.The research is signifi locoweedt for several reasons and at different trains. First, Australian Government policies such as the Active Women National Policy for Women and Girls in Sport, Recreation and fleshly Activity, 1999-2002 (1999a), and How to include Women and Girls in Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity Strategies and Good Practice (1999b) require Australian sport institutions to foster sporting cultures that allow and value the full involvement of females in every shot of sport.Second, societal practices that support inequities are persistent and allow for re-emerge as dominan t forms if they are not subjected to critical examination and leadership given for just change.Third, at a game administration level, gender equity is identified as a key strategy to ensure the long-term growth of the sporting practice by ensuring equal opportunities in all aspects of the game.Fourth, at a game and individual level, the inclusion of an appropriate gender mix will dish up to neutralise unwanted masculine traits of overt aggression and sexist behaviour from the sport. Female participation in the referee role that is reflective of the female actor cohort will arguably help to shape the sporting practice to reflect the shared values of a mixed competition, focusing on the arbitrary social and physical benefits of the game.Last, the research area is of keen interest to the researcher and is an area of inquiry where there is prior hit the sackledge of the location of roles inside the sporting practice, and a capacity and ease for the researcher to engage with those in volved at the local level.1.2 question hypothesisThis thesis seeks to explore whether a gendered approach to examining a local touch football competition will assist in improving the outcomes of both males and females in relation to officiating within the sport. Therefore, this thesis is concerned with the equitable representation of female referees in the local mixed touch football competition. Individuals dreads of gender differences within the role of referee and applicable strategies to address gender equity will frame the thesis.This thesis is best(p) read as a preliminary analysis of gender equity in refereeing within the sporting practice of touch football. The research is approved by the CQUniversity Human Research Ethics Committee H12/02-019, Queensland shake Association and Central Queensland hang Association.1.3 Research background1.3.1 Key concerns in sportSport has historically attracted considerable attention from social theorists and commentators, with approache s ranging from macro and meta-analysis of sporting behaviours and outcomes to micro approaches that examine the everyday and routine elements of sport. This thesis adopts a gendered, post-structuralist approach to exploring the key issue of gender equity in the roles of officiating in sport. In the next section, a background will be given of the key concerns that helped shape the research process and an introduction to touch football will assist the uninitiated to the sporting practice. An elementary on a lower floorstanding of the sporting practice, together with a familiarity with the general history and values embedded in the sporting practice will assist in a instruction of the research.1.3.1.1 Gender in sportThe research adopts a gendered approach as gender is seen as an important social construct. The construct of gender empennage be used to uncover and understand better sporting practices, offering an chance to improve the individual and collective outcomes that are asso ciated with particular sports. The sociology of gender has developed in line with successive waves of the feminists movement and creates an intellectual endeavour in its own right (Weedon 1997). This thesis uses a working definition of gender as a system of social practices as a means to interrogate the social arrangements of touch football (Ridgeway and Smith-Lovin 1999, p. 192). The gendered social practices establish and maintain gender distinctions, differences and inequalities. Relationships between actors are organised to some extent on those distinctions, differences and inequalities. Gender represents those social, cultural and psychological traits linked to males and females through particular social contexts and translations.Debate remains on all elements that comprise feminist theory, but basically, the consensus is that a theory is feminist if it can be used to contest a status quo that is damaging to females (Chafetz 1988 Hall 1996). Feminists work through various avenu es to increase females empowerment. Feminists accept the goal of ending sexism by empowering females (Weedon 1997), though there is a great deal of disparity about how that goal can be achieved.One interpretation is that there are numerous femininities and masculinities which are more multiple than singular or bi-polar expressions of gender. Miller (2009, p. 127) contends masculinity and femininity is best viewed not as a property or an essence, but as a series of contingent signs and practices that exercise power over both males and females, and to know it is to shift it, not just to love it. The processes and relationships through which males and females conduct their gendered lives should be the focus of researchers (Connell 2005). Males and females cannot be defined as being a certain gender, as their gender is a fluid aspect of their identity that is not constrained to one of a finite number of gender categories. However, outcomes for males and females differ, which subsequent ly introduces a contest tension with conceptualisations of gender as subjectively fluid and yet objectively presenting as correlated to differing outcomes.The demand to formulate opportunities for females to successfully compete in sport then becomes both complex and highly disputed (Hall 1996 Hargreaves 1994). This is illustrated in debates over separatist sporting activities as opposed to mixed competitions, or with regards to the imbalance in media representations of females sport compared to males sport. As a clear reminder of the relevancy of gender equity in sport, the World Economic Forums Global Gender Gap force shows that Australia is ranked twenty-third out of one hundred and thirty-five nations on a series of gender-based disparities, with a considerable decline in the relative elevate (Hausmann, Tyson, Bekhouche and Zahidi 2011).1.4 Research approach why studying touch football is importantThe research involves a case study of a locally-based senior mixed touch footb all competition. The next section provides a contextualisation for the research by describing key elements of touch football. A brief history of the game of touch football in Australia is also presented.1.4.1 Key elements of touch football1.4.1.1 Getting to the field of play11.4.1.1.1 The playing field and the ball inter-group communication football, also known as touch rugby or touch, is typically vie on a rectangular field, and measures seventy metres in length from score line to score line2and cubic decimeter metres in width ( couple football game Australia 2007). The playing surface is normally grass however, other surfaces may be used. The game is play with an oval, inflated ball fairly smaller than rugby confederacy and rugby union balls. The formal ball size is thirty- hexad centimetres long and fifty-five centimetres in circumference ( excite football game Australia 2007).1.4.1.1.2 modality of playThe aim of the game of touch football is for each team to score touchd owns3and to prevent the opposition from scoring (Touch football game Australia 2007). The ball may be passed, flicked, knocked, handed or thrown but not kicked sideways or backwards between teammates who can run or else move with the ball in an commence to gain territorial advantage and score (Touch football Australia 2007). Defending players prevent the fight team4from gaining a territorial advantage by touching5the ball carrier or attacking players may initiate touches at which indicate, play stops and is restarted with a roll ball6(Touch Football Australia 2007).1.4.1.1.3 PossessionUnless other rules apply, the team with the ball is entitled to six touches prior to changing self-will with the opposing team (Touch Football Australia 2007). Following the sixth touch or the loss of possession due to any other means, players of the team losing possession are to hand or pass the ball to the nearest opposition player, or place the ball on the ground at the point out7without cont ain (Touch Football Australia 2007). Attacking players who ask for the ball are to be handed the ball. Players are not to delay the changeover procedure.1.4.1.1.4 DefendingFrom the bang8for the start of the game or from a punishment, the defending team must be at least ten metres from the point of the tap (Touch Football Australia 2007). After making a touch, the defending team must retreat the distance the referee marks, at least five metres from the mark where the touch occurred, and remain there until the half9touches the ball (Touch Football Australia 2007). If a player does not retreat the entire distance the referee marked, they are considered offside. If a player makes an attempt to defend whilst inside this distance, they will be penalised.1.4.1.1.5 ScoringA touchdown is awarded when a player without being touched and other than the half places the ball on the ground on or over the teams attacking score line and within the boundaries of the touchdown zone10(Touch Football A ustralia 2007). A touchdown is worth 1 point. The team who at the end of play has scored the around touchdowns is declared the winner. In the event of neither team scoring, or in the event of both teams scoring the same number of touchdowns, a draw is declared.1.4.1.1.6 The halfThe half or acting half is subject to a number of restrictions that do not apply to other players. If the half is touched with the ball, the attacking team loses possession. The half cannot score a touchdown since trying to do so results in a change of possession. If the half takes too long to retrieve the ball, the referee can call play on and defenders are allowed to move forward before the half has touched the ball.1.4.1.1.7 Commencement/recommencement of playPlay is started by a tap at the beginning of each half, following a touchdown and when a penalty is awarded. The tap is performed by an attacking player placing the ball on the ground at or behind the mark11, releasing both hands from the ball, touch ing the ball with either foot a distance of not more than one metre and retrieving the ball cleanly (Touch Football Australia 2007). The defensive team must stay at a minimum distance of ten metres from the mark during the tap, unless they are positioned on their own score line. The defensive players can move after the ball carrier has touched the ball with their foot. The player who has performed the tap may be touched without losing possession. The attacking side must be positioned behind the ball when it is tapped. The attacking side may move the ball up to ten metres directly behind the given mark when taking a penalty tap. In this case, the defending side must still remain ten metres from the original mark, not the new mark.1.4.1.1.8 Player attire completely participating players are to be correctly attired in team uniforms. Uniforms typically exist of upper apparel t-shirts or polo shirts, shorts or briefs for female players and socks with footwear (Touch Football Australia 2 007). Shoes with screw-in studs are not to be worn by any player. Light leather or synthetic boots with soft-moulded soles are permitted, as long as individual studs are no longer than thirteen millimetres (Touch Football Australia 2007). All players are to wear an identifying number clearly displayed on the front or rear of the upper garment (Touch Football Australia 2007). Players are not to participate in any match while wearing any item of jewellery. Long or sharp fingernails are to be trimmed or taped.1.4.1.2 Administration of touch football1.4.1.2.1 The referee, line judges and touchdown zone officials, and the importance of the whistleTouch football must have at least one referee to officiate the game but most major games encompass one central referee and two sideline referees, who interchange roles constantly throughout the game (Touch Football Australia 2007). The central referee is the sole judge on matters of fact and is required to arbitrate on the rules of the game duri ng play (Touch Football Australia 2007). The central referee may impose any sanction necessary to control the match and in particular, award penalties for attacks against the rules (Touch Football Australia 2007). Line judges and touchdown zone officials assist the central referee with tasks associated with sidelines, score lines and touchdown zone lines, and other matters at the discretion of the central referee. Their normal duties include indicating the ten metres distance for taps from a penalty, controlling substitutions, matters of backplay and other advice when sought-after(a) by the central referee (Touch Football Australia 2007).The central referee must have a whistle to control the game. The start of play and a touchdown are signalled by long whistle blasts. A sixth touch, short whistle blast and the end of play, a long, fluctuating whistle blast (Touch Football Australia 2007). The commonplace whistle in Australia is the Acme Thunderer fifty-eight point five.1.4.1.3 Rul es of the game1.4.1.3.1 Team composition and substitutionA team consists of fourteen players, no more than six of who are allowed on the field at any time (Touch Football Australia 2007). In mixed competitions, the maximum number of males allowed on the field of play is lead (Touch Football Australia 2007). The minimum male requirement on the field of play is one (Touch Football Australia 2007).Players may substitute at any time during the game in keeping with the interchange procedure (Touch Football Australia 2007, p. 10). There is no limit to the number of times a player may interchange, but substitutions can only be made from players who are registered at the commencement of the game (Touch Football Australia 2007).1.4.1.3.2 DurationThe match is forty-five mins duration, entailing two twenty minute halves. There is a five minute half time break. When time expires play is to continue until the ball next becomes dead12(Touch Football Australia 2007). Should a penalty be awarded d uring this period, the penalty is to be taken.1.4.1.3.3 Competition pointsPoints are awarded in competition matches throughout the season. Teams are awarded three points for a win or a bye, two points for a draw and one point for a loss or a forfeit (Touch Football Australia 2007).1.4.1.3.4 PenaltyA penalty is to be awarded for an infringement by any player in line with the rules of the game (Touch Football Australia 2007). For example, a penalty is awarded to the non-offending team if the ball is passed forward, a touch and pass is committed, a player does not perform the roll ball at the mark, an obstruction is committed, a defending player does not retreat in a square line to an onside position, a player is offside on-field player or substitute, and a player acts in contradiction of the rules or spirit of the game (Touch Football Australia 2007).1.4.1.3.5 PositionsTeams are split into three positions, two middles the central players, two wings the players on either edge of the f ield and two links the players between the wings and middles.1.4.1.3.6 GradesTouch football is normally played in four different ability categories ranging from A grade the most competitive through B, C and D grade the most inexperienced and usually the least competitive.1.4.2 The history of touch football in Australia13Touch football has evolved over time and is now considered to be a relatively fast-paced game. Changes in the structure of the sport have enabled the tuition of touch football to proceed.1.4.2.1 From humble beginningsThe game of touch football has humble beginnings. Historically employ as a training model for rugby league and rugby union teams over the summer months of the 1950s and 1960s, it was in the beginning not seen as a sport in its own right (Touch Football second Australia n.d.). Progressively more people, explicitly males over twenty-five years of age14, were recruited to touch football teams and formal competitions were established (Touch Football Wes tern Australia 2007 Townsville Castle Hill Touch Association n.d.). The popularity of touch football was credited to the game being considered relatively safe and sound compared to rugby league and rugby union (Touch Football capital of Seychelles 2009). Touch football was also considered to be a social activity affording the prospect for participants and supporters to ruck up in a relaxed sport setting.The first formal game of touch football in Australia was reportedly held in South Sydney, a strong handed-down rugby league area (Touch Football Western Australia 2007). The South Sydney Touch Association was formed in 1968 and convened a competition at Pioneer Park, Malabar in that year (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Victoria 2009). Not long after, the sport gained popularity in a number of inner-city areas of Sydney. Consequently, the New South Wales Touch Association was formed in 1972, incorporating the six regions of Southern Suns, Sydney Scorpions, Sydne y Rebels, Sydney Mets, Hunter Western Hornets and Northern Eagles, and about 1,500 registered players (Shilbury and Kellett 2006 Touch Football South Australia n.d.). The first country crosstie was in Wagga Wagga, which was formed in 1973, and womens touch football was first played at a representative level in 1979 (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Victoria 2009).Touch football appealed to ex-rugby players retired from the game through age or injury, and to players not willing or capable of playing rugby, but interest in playing a form of rugby (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Victoria 2009). An increased awareness in fitness in the adult population and the availability of former rugby players to take part, all served to develop the game (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Victoria 2009).1.4.2.2 The development of a touch football identitySubsequently, touch football later appeared in numerous other New South Wales country regio ns before it became an official sport in Brisbane (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Victoria 2009). From there the game developed in every other State and filth in Australia, and the Australian Touch Association, now trading as Touch Football Australia, was founded in November 1978 (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Victoria 2009).With the cheek of these associations, game rules came to be standardised. However, a formal rule book was not developed until late in 1980 (Touch Football Victoria 2009). In September 1981, the sport agreed to change its name from touch football to touch15, though to many the sport has also been known as touch rugby (Touch Football Australian Capital Territory 2007). A number of other changes resulted, such as the introduction of an official touch ball, which is notably smaller than both league and union balls, and the playing field size lessened, seventy metres by fifty metres (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Victoria 2009). Major rule changes occurred during this period, abject from seven players per side, which was implemented in 1980, to six-a-side (Touch Football Australian Capital Territory 2007 Touch Football Victoria 2009). Shortly after, the marker16was removed from the roll ball and the half was prevented from being able to score a touchdown (Touch Football Australian Capital Territory 2007).Recently, the Australian Touch Association has rebranded the sport as touch football in an attempt to clarify that it is a sport with a ball (Touch Football South Australia n.d.). While tackles and scrums are not elements of touch football, Touch Football Victoria (2009) suggested employing the term touch rugby lends itself to an impression that the sport may be of a rough, physical nature, which is anything but reality.Touch football was originally played under rugby league laws without activities that comprised hard physical contact (Coffey 2010). The simplicity, skills-based mo tion and avoidance of full-contact, together with team social and communication benefits and minimum equipment requirements, have become distinctive elements of the modern game.1.4.2.3 Elite competition emergesWhile the majority of touch football games are played at a local competition level, State level competitions have featured prominently in touch football. The earliest interstate clashes in touch football occurred when the Brisbane Touch Association representative team played the South Sydney team in 1973, 1974 and 1975 (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Victoria 2009). In the development of a standard set of rules for the sport, there has been a history of negotiated arrangements. For example, South Sydney wanted to have interstate matches played ten-a-side but Brisbane would not allow this, and the matches were played eight-a-side on a standard-sized rugby league field, metre one hundred and twelve to one hundred and twenty-two metres by sixty-eight metres (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Victoria 2009). One of the games in the series was played as a curtain raiser to an interstate rugby league clash (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Victoria 2009). Touch football was played as a curtain raiser to the Sydney rugby league grand final in 1976 (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Victoria 2009).In December 1980, the inaugural National Championships were organised on the Gold Coast. This was essentially a contest between New South Wales and Queensland (Touch Football South Australia n.d.). Only three divisions were contested in that year, the open mens and womens, and over thirty-five mens, and included about 700-1,000 officials and players (Touch Football South Australia n.d. Touch Football Western Australia 2007). By 1995, the National Championships provided for eleven divisions, together with 1,500 officials and players (Touch Football Victoria 2009). Development of the game meant tha t by 2005 the National Touch League formerly the National Championships catered for open, under twenties and senior divisions (Touch Football Western Australia 2007).1.4.2.4 The rise of Internationalism17The success of the interstate clashes sparked interest in International competitions. In 1985, the Federation of International Touch was formed in Melbourne with Papua New Guinea, Canada, the USA, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia constituting the first members (Touch Football Victoria 2009). The first recognised International game was a test series played between Australia and New Zealand at the South Melbourne Cricket Ground on 23 March 1985 (Touch Football Victoria 2009). The game has continued to expand abroad with the last World Cup in Edinburgh, Scotland attracting teams from twenty-six countries, including Spain, South Africa, Japan, USA, Scotland, Singapore and the Cook Islands among others (Federation of International Touch 2011a 2011b).Touch football was a National phenomen on based on participant skill and teamwork, with a degree of fitness thrown in at the elite level (Coffey 2010). The non-contact format that allows participation by all ages and both genders, even in mixed form has helped the sport to gain popularity.1.5 Referee demand in touch footballAs mentioned earlier, the development of touch football and an associated playing code for the game has clearly established the role of officials as arbiters of the game. While there is clarity over the need for officials in the touch football competition and a playing code is well established, there is a level of ambiguity in the sporting practice which allows for negotiated changes to the playing surroundings and to particular interpretations of the rules of play. As is common in most sports, the performance of referees is a discussion point that can cause some levels of concern. Officiating in sports can be a difficult task, particularly in a fast-moving sport in which there is a level of interpre tation and limited technological economic aid at the local level to aid referees. At a sports administration level, the demand for referees at local sporting fixtures has frequently been mentioned over the past ten years (Touch Football Australian Capital Territory 2009 Touch Football Australia 2010b Touch Football Victoria 2011). The unmet demand has led to the establishment of numerous broad recruitment and retention strategies. The success of these strategies varies within different levels of the sport.This thesis contends that touch football represents more than simply a new game and is in fact, an opportunity to better understand the gendered nature of sporting activities. The thesis sets about this issue through a case study of a locally-based senior mixed touch football competition. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the gendered nature of refereeing roles through personal interviews with participants, together with female referees in the competition. This gendered understanding will arguably facilitate better recruitment and retention strategies for female referees in touch football.1.6 Structure of the thesisThis thesis will explore perceptions and constructions of gender within the roles of touch football referees and suggest ideas for recruitment and retention. Chapter Two examines relevant theoretical concerns proceeding from the work of Norbert Elias and the post-structuralist works of Bruno Latour. It then reviews the literature regarding gender in sport.Chapter ternion discusses the research approach that was utilised. It then describes the methods that have been chosen to explore the gendered nature of refereeing roles in touch football and the data analysis methods. It concludes by discussing ethical considerations in the research process and the limitations of the research.Chapter Four describes the findings from the research. The desktop research results are presented first. These results are presented in a quantitative format t hat empirically describes the gender partitioning of the sport. Second, the qualitative data that was obtained from the in-depth interviews with the eleven members of the touch organisation is presented. This data was compiled after the initial quantitative research was completed in the research process. Participant expression results are presented third.Chapter Five discusses the findings that resulted from the research. The significance of the findings is then discussed.Chapter Six, the conclusion, suggests directions for future research.CHAPTER TWO Literature Review2.1 IntroductionIn Chapter One the preliminary argument is proposed that touch football is a unique sporting practice entailing a continuum of social practices and values that are in many ways gendered. This chapter will broaden this discussion through an exploration of the sociological literature