As we all know usually Asian and Indian kids don’t go for athletic programs, is there any incentive to encourage them to join sports, sort of like affirmative action for academically or financially underprivileged minorities?
So do you want free sign up for little league and elementary school rec programs for Asians? Is money really the issue or are their parents maybe directing them to spend their time on academics instead?
Sports in school. J guess colleges can put URM of sports on teams to bring diversity, just as they do academically.
This is a head-shaker. An affront to the term “historically underprivileged” and racist toward Asians – all combined into one post.
Not many Asian students go on sports teams, shouldn’t they be encouraged just as URM encouraged to do better in academics?
I have two daughters. The Asian one attends college on an athletic scholaship, the white one doesnt. Both had the same opportunities growing up.
The Harvard women’s tennis team has 3 Asians out of 7 players. The golf team has 4 or 5, and one black player. I think there are plenty of minorities in college sports, even in those thought of as prep schools sports.
Not in football, baseball, basketball, wrestling, track etc
The only thing that should matter to the coach, is whether or not you are better at your sport than someone else. There is tremendous pressure on the coaches to be blind to everything else.
Affirmative action seeks to make amends for historical racist and sexist barriers. Are you suggesting that there are historical barriers against Asians in HS sports that need fixing? Really?
Or is it more likely that you’re taking a swipe at affirmative action for women and minorities in other ares of actual historical bigotry by making this false analogy with an absurd idea?
T26E4, I think you are too strong here. You can ask yourself the same question wehther there are historical barriers against women and URM in HS academics that needs fixing now?
These days, even when universities and corporations argue for women and URM, it centers around diversity and that can help everyone. Not on affirmative actions to correct past wrongs.
I’m not following you @pastwise. I agree that there DO exist barriers against minorities that require fixing. I’m saying that the OP’s assertion that additional affirmative action might be required to get Asians into HS sports is a false analogy – because I posit that no barrier exists.
Perhaps the OP is simply making a joke. If so, I’ll accede to that and let it pass.
Asian and Indian kids aren’t in sports because either they or their parents don’t want them to be. Kids playing sports at the higher level that you are talking about start out with T-ball and things like that. These kids have been playing since they were toddlers. The sports programs in that age range are open to everyone. You can’t just decide in HS you want to play basketball expect to make the team.
I don’t have a position on this topic. But I’m just being a devil’s advocate here.
Really what kind of barriers exist now in HS that prevents minorities to do well in academics compared to Asians in the same school that’s the fault of the government?
I would imagine people can argue too some groups don’t do well in academics because their parents don’t care and don’t want them to? Can’t you argue the same thing that some kids don’t do well in HS because their parents let them wander on the street while young instead of taking them to libraries?
Baseball is pretty big in Japan and a lot more fun to go to a game there than the U.S. Starting to see players from Japan in MLB. I agree it’s all about priorities and exposure, not a barrier.
I think if or when the parents clue in to the huge advantage good athletes have in college admissions, that there will be a natural increase in the number of East and South Asian kids in team sports. Otherwise it looks like a waste of time that can be spent in Mandarin school, math school, etc. But I wouldn’t necessary encourage kids in contact sports against bigger, heavier kids!
“good athlete” conveys no advantage. You’re talking about recruitable athletes; GREAT athletes. This isn’t something that parents, regardless of ethnicity, can just WISH. The competition is too stiff.
The numbers of recruited athletes where the sport really makes a difference is miniscule. My local HS has about a dozen a year who go on to play at the next level. Maybe only 3-4 have significant scholarships. Very few D1 program athletes. One or two every few years. And we are a BIG sports community. And lots of Asians, too.
No, because while a lack of an education is critically socio-economically limiting, the lack of basketball prowess isn’t. The whole premise of this thread mocks the dire circumstances of poor people.
I agree with @T26E4 in that there is nothing barring Asians from playing high school sports.
@pastwise
What barriers are there in HS academics that for URM? The fact that the amount of funding for public schools in many states is based upon property taxes in the area. Thus, lower income areas have less funded schools. Ever seen the public schools in Compton?
Choosing to not do something does not make you underprivileged.
I think odds are really stacked against first generation Asian/Indian kids, parents don’t really know much about school and college sports and many consider it a waste of time and money so kids get pushed into spelling bee and math whiz sort of things. They are more afraid of their kids failing academically as they know little about US educational system.
It’s same as we most URM who are first generation thinking of college, don’t get much support from their families. People with better physique tend to get more chances to break into sports and with parents not stopping them, can devote their time to sports as much as they need or want.