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P A R T 2
Socialization and Sports

Sport is a social representation of historical, social and cultural forces. Since the socialization process in
sports takes place within the society, the same problems encountered in the society are often reflected in
the sports environment. Sport affirms, legitimizes and reproduces the conditions in society. Sport, which
reproduces social reality, expresses the perspective of gender, race and class relations, body and physical
activity, which have meanings about the culture, social, political and economic order of the society
(Greendorfer and Bruce, 1991).
The most important feature of participation in sports is that it promotes a healthy life and helps prevent
diseases related to inactivity. Regular sports or exercise have many positive aspects that improve physical
and mental health, such as improving body composition, increasing physical activity, coordination, quality
of life, psychological and cognitive activities (Humphreys et al., 2019). For this reason, socialization in sports
can be thought of as a series of interactions that will contribute to participation in and maintenance (or
even termination) of a sport (Heuser, 2005). Today, the spread of a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating
habits are struggling with diseases caused by obesity, one of the biggest social problems facing humanity
(Lim and Pranata, 2020). In this respect, participation in sports and the process of socialization in sports are
very important. Donnelly and Young (1999) have defined four stages for socialization in a sports culture:
1. To have knowledge about sports
2. Spending time and socializing with people who do sports
3. Learning about the expectations and behaviors of other participants
4. To be accepted into the group by other participants.
Individuals who can complete this process in a healthy way are more likely to continue sports. When
examining socialization and sport, there are two interrelated aspects of the socialization process:
1. “Socialization towards sports”, which examines the factors affecting the forms of participation in sports,
2. It is “socialization through sport” that examines how participation in sport affects individuals, including
sport participants (Leonard II, 1980).
Socialization towards sports and socialization through sports together express the process of socialization
in sports (Leonard II, 1980). Socialization towards sports, parents, siblings, friends, school facilities and
teachers, as well as mediators such as social environment and media are seen as important socialization
mediators in the orientation of individuals to sports. Socialization through sports, on the other hand, refers
to the creation of results such as creating character in the individual, teaching discipline, preparing for life
struggle, helping to be a good citizen and moral development, and developing desired personality traits
through participation in sports.

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