Examining How Sports Facilitate Social, Emotional, and Academic Development for Black Male Youth

• In Event: Youth Development Through Sport in a K–12 Context

Abstract

High school sports a top extracurricular activity for Black boys that help them establish their social identity in school. Moreover, Black boys can place significant weight on sports participation to establish their social and masculine identity inside and outside of their schools, which may influence their perceived academic abilities. This research analyzes how high school football and basketball coaches serve as mentors for their students, and how these relationships can be beneficial in gaining social capital, transformative masculinity development, and academic development for Black boys. This study utilizes critical race theory to understand the non-dominant experiences of these youth, while promoting the pedagogical underpinnings of these coaches to advocate for new possibilities for Black boys in public schools.

Author

• Kevin Hicks, University of Wisconsin - Madison