First Observation!

I chose the subculture of being a student athlete at Nova Southeastern University. I spent my observational time at the gym on Nova’s campus. Many athletes along with other students spend time at the fitness center to get into shape or prepare for a season. I’m going to take this time to tell you what I observed while at the gym. Students come to the gym wearing fitness clothes and carrying towels with them, they don’t have to wear a uniform but everyone must be appropriately dressed to workout. The gym is located in the University Center on Nova’s campus. The location is key for athletes who are trying to fit working out into their busy school schedules. Athletes are offered a roped off area to guarantee them the workout time they need each week. The male athletes generally came in pairs to allow them to have someone to spot them while they lifted weights, while the females came in to do more cardio. Everyone seemed to have a specific routine that they stuck to that day. The athletes are given goals to achieve throughout the season and are at the gym to work towards that goal. I stopped to ask a few soccer players about their routines during the off season and they gave me some insight. These soccer players said they still go to the gym weekly to stay in shape for their season and remain motivated to achieve their goals. I asked them if they enjoyed playing a sport while going to school and they responded by saying, it is very difficult sometimes to balance the work but they love the sports they play, so it’s worth the time.
In the future I hope to find out more information on students that play sports in college and how it affects their lives. Are athletes more successful than other students after graduation? How does playing a sport affect grades? What do student athletes have to say about time management?