The Sport Ethic

Hughes and Coakley's purpose in their journal article lies in examining the 'sport ethic' or inherent code that all athletes feel compelled to follow and then to determine how it influences athletes lives outside of sports. Not only this, but the two authors go one step further and assert that following this code causes social deviance among athletes that is often perceived in public poorly but in reality much of the deviance is positive. The authors attribute this deviance in athletes to the coaches and role models or more generally the people who the athletes look up to. The deviance is accepted by fans as well as anyone else involved in sports culture, but alienates outsiders. 

The main positive deviances inherited by athletes include making sacrifices for the betterment of the whole, striving to be the best, accepting risks and pains in order to achieve goals, and refusing to self impose limits. Hughes and Coakley go on to examine the empirical data supporting the alleged positive deviances gained by athletes, and present the negative ones as well.

I tend to agree with the two authors in their assertion, as when I was a basketball player in highschool I tended to hold myself up to a higher standard. I'm not certain whether or not this was for the sake of the team, but I have definitely lost some of my drive and willingness to accept 'pain for gain' as the years go on.