Sports Ethic

Hughes and Coakley the sports ethic referring to the criteria for defining what it means to be a real athlete. The ethic for having what it takes to be a real athlete has four dimensions that basically sacrifices to play the game.

1. Making sacrifices for the game.
2. Striving for distinction
3. Accepting risks and playing through pain
4. Not accepting no limits in the pursuit of possibilities

Hughes and Coakley present studies in which athletes over conform to these deviations to the point where they become norms within their sport group to such an extent that their sport participation was disruptive to pretty much everything else in their lives. This includes family relationships, work responsibilities, and even their own physical health and comfort. Athletes conform because their sports mean so much to them and are such a huge part of their lives, that they are willing to do anything it takes to succeed or even get a small edge up. They also see people around them such as their teammates conforming, so they feel like they need to.