To be a part of the Wolfpack means much more than just being an athlete. The groups and organizations that we’ve become accustomed to in our day to day life - in this case, a sports team - can be explained from a different perspective – a sociological point of view. Hierarchy, culture, norms and socialization processes are all major elements that make up the Wolfpack’s identity. When it comes to the women’s soccer team at TRU, there is a lot more behind that iconic wolf logo displayed around campus than meets the eye.
Although you may simply view our soccer team as nothing more than a bunch of athletes kicking a ball up and down a field, the fact is that there are other noteworthy forces involved – an entire culture, which is, for the most part, unspoken. Obviously, the main function of the team is to win soccer games; we want to put more balls in the back of other team’s nets than they put in ours. However, upon closer inspection, we discover that alongside this primary, or manifest goal, the specific organization of a sports team also secondarily aims to teach athletes lessons in resilience and the never-ending pursuit of excellence The women’s soccer team has its own unique culture, built on shared norms, practices, beliefs and values. Playing for Wolfpack Women’s soccer comes with certain expectations and social norms. Failure to conform to these terms will likely result in your expulsion from the program. From wearing the same colour of socks, to presenting yourself to the community in an appropriate manner, to following your designated fitness regimen - it is crucial that as an athlete you conform to the expectations of your team leaders in order to maintain a reputable standard of conduct. There are both formal and informal mores involved. Formally, it is ruled that as a Wolfpack athlete, you will: refrain from excessive drinking and the use of drugs, you will not tolerate harassment or bullying in any form, and that you won’t use any doping substances, to list a few. These rules are signed off on at the beginning of each year. On the other hand, informal and unspoken team rules include consistently being on time for scheduled team events, resembling role-model behaviour in the public and community, and keeping on top of school work. Wolfpack leaders emphasize values of hard work, dedication and commitment, and members of the team are expected to embody them. In early stages of involvement, most athletes would likely consider their Wolfpack team to be a secondary group in their life, associating themselves more closely with its instrumental functions such as winning games and improving individual skills. …show more content…
Progressively, it is typical for the team to grow extremely close - until it evolves into a second family for a lot of the athletes. At this point, the team may begin to shift into a combination of a secondary group role and primary role characteristics, serving expressive functions in addition to the previously mentioned instrumental functions. The concept of “in-groups” and “out-groups” also effects social dynamics within the Pack. Any Wolfpack athlete must acknowledge the status and prestige that comes along with this association. Knowing that not anyone can join this elite club makes wearing the wolf logo around campus feel additionally prestigious. To some, our women’s soccer team may be considered a reference group; young soccer players look up to our team and try to model its behaviours, with the hope that they too could someday play at the collegiate level. The Wolfpack Women’s soccer team is a formal organization that has a chain of command and leadership structure that climbs up the …show more content…
Veteran players watch with amusement as a new group of fresh, young players seek validation through a ridiculous challenge. Rookie Idol’s participants plug their headphones in crank the volume to full blast, and proceed to sing out loud to the rest of the group, unable to hear their own voice. While this practice may seem absurd to many, it does serve a purpose: gaining respect and status within an unfamiliar group. This function remains the same throughout most examples of initiation or rites of passage, although many groups have their own particular traditions - many of which could be considered exponentially more horrifying than butchering Justin Bieber’s “Baby” in front of thirty new
Although you may simply view our soccer team as nothing more than a bunch of athletes kicking a ball up and down a field, the fact is that there are other noteworthy forces involved – an entire culture, which is, for the most part, unspoken. Obviously, the main function of the team is to win soccer games; we want to put more balls in the back of other team’s nets than they put in ours. However, upon closer inspection, we discover that alongside this primary, or manifest goal, the specific organization of a sports team also secondarily aims to teach athletes lessons in resilience and the never-ending pursuit of excellence The women’s soccer team has its own unique culture, built on shared norms, practices, beliefs and values. Playing for Wolfpack Women’s soccer comes with certain expectations and social norms. Failure to conform to these terms will likely result in your expulsion from the program. From wearing the same colour of socks, to presenting yourself to the community in an appropriate manner, to following your designated fitness regimen - it is crucial that as an athlete you conform to the expectations of your team leaders in order to maintain a reputable standard of conduct. There are both formal and informal mores involved. Formally, it is ruled that as a Wolfpack athlete, you will: refrain from excessive drinking and the use of drugs, you will not tolerate harassment or bullying in any form, and that you won’t use any doping substances, to list a few. These rules are signed off on at the beginning of each year. On the other hand, informal and unspoken team rules include consistently being on time for scheduled team events, resembling role-model behaviour in the public and community, and keeping on top of school work. Wolfpack leaders emphasize values of hard work, dedication and commitment, and members of the team are expected to embody them. In early stages of involvement, most athletes would likely consider their Wolfpack team to be a secondary group in their life, associating themselves more closely with its instrumental functions such as winning games and improving individual skills. …show more content…
Progressively, it is typical for the team to grow extremely close - until it evolves into a second family for a lot of the athletes. At this point, the team may begin to shift into a combination of a secondary group role and primary role characteristics, serving expressive functions in addition to the previously mentioned instrumental functions. The concept of “in-groups” and “out-groups” also effects social dynamics within the Pack. Any Wolfpack athlete must acknowledge the status and prestige that comes along with this association. Knowing that not anyone can join this elite club makes wearing the wolf logo around campus feel additionally prestigious. To some, our women’s soccer team may be considered a reference group; young soccer players look up to our team and try to model its behaviours, with the hope that they too could someday play at the collegiate level. The Wolfpack Women’s soccer team is a formal organization that has a chain of command and leadership structure that climbs up the …show more content…
Veteran players watch with amusement as a new group of fresh, young players seek validation through a ridiculous challenge. Rookie Idol’s participants plug their headphones in crank the volume to full blast, and proceed to sing out loud to the rest of the group, unable to hear their own voice. While this practice may seem absurd to many, it does serve a purpose: gaining respect and status within an unfamiliar group. This function remains the same throughout most examples of initiation or rites of passage, although many groups have their own particular traditions - many of which could be considered exponentially more horrifying than butchering Justin Bieber’s “Baby” in front of thirty new