Hispanic growth not reflected on US Olympic squad

[kalbi]

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=ap-hispanicshortage&prov=ap&type=lgns

Hispanics have rapidly emerged as the largest minority group in the United States, comprising 15 percent of the population. But on the U.S. Olympic team assembling in China they are—for a range of reasons—strikingly underrepresented.

Torres, raised in the Chicago area by Mexican-born parents, says it may take another generation before Hispanic-Americans assume an Olympic role proportionate to their numbers.


“We’re still a young culture—many of us are first-generation Americans,” he said. “The priorities for my parents weren’t sports—they were to put bread on the table, to move ahead and become good American citizens.”


The last quote is striking. Reminds me of us, as a community.

[Heyyu]

As someone that grew up in a Hispanic neighborhood, I have to agree that sports & athletic achievements is not as big of a priority as it might be with White/Black families. Many Hispanic families just don't care, although watching soccer on Telemundo seems to be popular (I say this cause my best friend who's Hispanic; every time I went to his house his grandfather would be watching soccer on TV).

Although the black dominated sports like basketball/football/track-and-field might not attract as many Hispanics for the same reason it does not white kids: they think they cannot compete with the more athletic blacks (whether this is true or not). Especially if you're hoping for an actual Olympic career in it.

And many 1st generation Hispanic families don't have the income to spare to send their kids to all the traditional White Sports like Golf, Hockey, Tennis, Ice Skating, Skiing, Swimming, Gymnastics, etc.

In fact, that might be why the Western nations tend to dominate most of the sports in the Summer Olympic Games: Who the **** would spend a majority of their hours trying to master a sport like archery, water polo, or canoeing? Seriously, those are sports for middle-class white folks. And honestly... I still can't help but laugh every time I see a "sport" like bowling or ping pong being played on TV and all the athletes acting all so serious.

The fact that the Chinese have mastered a sport like ping pong shows they're as good as White people as spending countless of hours on mastering a useless activity... I say that as someone with quite a few white co-workers that are REALLY serious about their local rec bowling league (to the point that some brag about it at work to no end where it just drives me nuts). And I don't even like bowling. In fact, the main difference between White people and Asian people: White people will ask you to go out bowling with them & Asian people will ask you to go out to karaoke. At least with karaoke I can get drunk & plastered a little bit.

[Heyyu]

Actually, there is one sport that many Hispanics do play that I mentioned before: soccer. Hispanics love soccer, and in fact, it is the one sport that South American nations do dominate. Some Hispanics love baseball too, and MLB does have quite a lot of Hispanic players. But most of them are foreigners: many Hispanic-Americans I knew growing up didn't really like baseball for the same reason as the rest of us who didn't like baseball growing up... it's boring as hell. Most popular sports growing up for me in the neighborhood was basketball and tag football... but it's not like anyone was really serious about making the NBA one day.

[nskripchun]

Actually, there is one sport that many Hispanics do play that I mentioned before: soccer. Hispanics love soccer, and in fact, it is the one sport that South American nations do dominate. Some Hispanics love baseball too, and MLB does have quite a lot of Hispanic players. But most of them are foreigners: many Hispanic-Americans I knew growing up didn't really like baseball for the same reason as the rest of us who didn't like baseball growing up... it's boring as hell. Most popular sports growing up for me in the neighborhood was basketball and tag football... but it's not like anyone was really serious about making the NBA one day.

Good observeations, Heyyu.

I think in the coming years, as more Hispanic families become "established" in the US (read: get ridiculously rich enough to train their kid up in a sport), Hispanic athletes will be more common.

Most Hispanic players who play MLB or soccer are foreign nationals though, right? Very few home-grown players.

[Heyyu]

Good observeations, Heyyu.

I think in the coming years, as more Hispanic families become "established" in the US (read: get ridiculously rich enough to train their kid up in a sport), Hispanic athletes will be more common.

Most Hispanic players who play MLB or soccer are foreign nationals though, right? Very few home-grown players.
Yeah, many of the soccer players and MLB players are from Latin America, and not grown up here in the States. Again, minorities like blacks and Hispanics tend to historically dominate sports that are considered "low income."

Like with basketball, all you really need is a court and a basketball. But with other sports like hockey and golf (in which the majority of those athletes are whites, except for a few notable exceptions like Tiger Woods who came from a middle-class background), you have to invest hundreds of dollars in certain equipment. Or to be good at sports like gymnastics, you need to send the kids to specialized gymnastic instructors and training facilities.

Most of the sports in the Summer Olympic Games are dominated by middle class White athletes who had the privilege of having the time/money afforded to devote to their sport. Something that a poor kid in Africa would not have access too... except running. Lots of Kenyans and Ethiopians dominate long-distance running. But running is another sport where you don't need much to excel at it since you can run anywhere.

But those exclusive Olympic sports like horseback riding (Equestrianism) is naturally going to be dominated by whites that have the money to send their kids to take horse-back riding lessons. Or fencing. Or whatever. Gawd, most of the sports in the Summer Olympics are so stupid.

[nskripchun]

But those exclusive Olympic sports like horseback riding (Equestrianism) is naturally going to be dominated by whites that have the money to send their kids to take horse-back riding lessons. Or fencing. Or whatever. Gawd, most of the sports in the Summer Olympics are so stupid.

But you have to admit, the Winter Olympics even MORE exclusive the Summer Olympics.

I guess that's why certain events like track or swimming are appealing to me - in a race, you're either faster than the other guy or you're not.

[Heyyu]

But you have to admit, the Winter Olympics even MORE exclusive the Summer Olympics.

I guess that's why certain events like track or swimming are appealing to me - in a race, you're either faster than the other guy or you're not.

Oh yeah, I care about the Winter Olympics even less. Yeah, sports like track and basketball is more equality-based since it's harder to keep out the lower class athletes like you might with some other sports.

Swimming is one exception though. That is a sport dominated by White Athletes as well, and I'm wondering if there is some truth to the statement that "White Men can't jump & Black Men can't swim." But you do need access to a top-notch swimming pool facility to become an Olympic athlete. But another reason for the lack of notable minority athletes in swimming: There's no money to be made in that sport unless you become an Olympic Gold Medal winner like Michael Phelps.

A promising black or Hispanic athlete that could have been a good swimmer would probably choose something else like basketball or football or soccer or baseball, where they could make millions. Whereas a promising White Athlete might not choose basketball cause it's dominated by blacks and instead go to another sport like swimming, golf, hockey, or tennis.

[awong]

Actually, there is one sport that many Hispanics do play that I mentioned before: soccer. Hispanics love soccer, and in fact, it is the one sport that South American nations do dominate. Some Hispanics love baseball too, and MLB does have quite a lot of Hispanic players. But most of them are foreigners: many Hispanic-Americans I knew growing up didn't really like baseball for the same reason as the rest of us who didn't like baseball growing up... it's boring as hell. Most popular sports growing up for me in the neighborhood was basketball and tag football... but it's not like anyone was really serious about making the NBA one day.

puerto rico is a popular country for MLB...and its part of the US, so technically they are american citizens playing baseball. And I think its more or less latin america, dominicans, PR, cubans and maybe venzuela with baseball. Miami and NYC might be areas where hispanics play baseball,

[awong]

The fact that the Chinese have mastered a sport like ping pong shows they're as good as White people as spending countless of hours on mastering a useless activity... I say that as someone with quite a few white co-workers that are REALLY serious about their local rec bowling league (to the point that some brag about it at work to no end where it just drives me nuts). And I don't even like bowling. In fact, the main difference between White people and Asian people: White people will ask you to go out bowling with them & Asian people will ask you to go out to karaoke. At least with karaoke I can get drunk & plastered a little bit.

hey bowling is fun :D I know asians who got into it and were serious into it lol, sometimes I think I should get into it since I think I found a sport I feel decent in competing at a for fun level