Masters sport participation is continually increasing, and although much research has uncovered masters participation motives, it has been noted that an understanding of community among masters athletes was also necessary. Online communities of sport participants have been examined only minimally, with research uncovering correlations between new-media use and sport-participation frequency. Using uses and gratifications theory, this study sought to examine masters gymnastics participants to develop a better understanding of athletes’ use of online communities in relation to their sport participation and examine differences in online community use based on demographics. Online survey results from 164 international participants revealed they used new media primarily for fanship, information, and technical knowledge, and online masters gymnastics communities were most often extensions of in-person training groups and communities. These findings and their implications are discussed in the article.
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Online Communities Among International Masters Gymnastics Participants: A Uses and Gratifications Analysis
Andrea N. Geurin-Eagleman
I Am Woman, See Me (Sweat)!: Older Women and Sport
Maureen M. Smith
As women age, society assigns stereotypes that suggest that older women are no longer capable of being competent athletes. In considering the experiences of older women in sport from a sociological perspective, this article provides a short summary of works examining older women in masters sport settings, as well as three brief case studies of older women engaged in sport and movement. As American women age, more of them will have experienced organized high school sport (after the passage of Title IX), suggesting that the experiences of older women in sport will take on new dimensions and meanings worthy of exploration.
Kinesiology and Physical Education: A Curriculum (Dis)Alignment Perspective
Ang Chen
constantly reduced instructional time in K–12 schools. The goal of mastering sport skills has given away to providing recreation opportunities in most programs for enjoyment or “breaks” from academic learning in other subject matters. Throughout the evolution, the K–12 curricula in most schools are rarely