The Athlete's Covenant: The Moral Transformation of Team Players

(Hardback)

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Using everyday sporting experiences as a foundation, Suzanne S. Hudd lays out a set of informal rules that athletic team members learn to uphold. Prescribed within the athletes covenant, these guidelines support the transformation of the players individual commitment to hard work into a set of collective, role-related obligations that are applicable across time and sport. Hudds analysis highlights this everyday sportsmanship practiced within the team which flows naturally from the mimicry and synchrony that players routinely use to perfect their talents. Working to turn star players into team players, the covenant encourages athletes to set their sights on goals that surpass what their individual talents alone can provide. Hudd theorizes our waning commitment to these important collectivistic properties of sport has contributed to the belief that sportsmanship is a thing of the past.

Reviews

The Athlete's Covenant connects classical sociological theory to the world of sport and to the identity of "athlete." Susan S. Hudd's interviews reveal that it is not the sport itself that athletes remember--not the events or contests themselves--but the experiences which surround our participation in sport--our identity as athletes, and as members of a team. Reading this book from the perspective of a sociologist, I was struck by how clearly the author demonstrates the continued relevance of classical sociological theory. By connecting Emile Durkheim's theories of morality and the moral community to sport and the social identity of athlete and teammate, Hudd provides an insightful framework for understanding the experience of team sports participation. Sport is not about winning or losing, or even how you play the game; it's about with whom you play the game, and, more tellingly, who you are when you are part of a team.

Author Bio

Suzanne S. Hudd is professor of sociology at Quinnipiac University.