| Black Identity Masked by "Whiteness": A Case Study on Blacks Competing in Tennis at the Division I Level Arguments arise when looking at the dynamics involved with athletics and its relationship with academics, especially when they involve Black males. Literature has afforded very little data and information on the current experiences of Black male athletes in sports dominated by whites, thus offering a limited opportunity to examine the social trends of oppression and its connection with collegiate athletics. Completing a case study on a Black male athlete participating on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Men's Tennis team, while also sharing my past experiences as a Division I tennis player, I investigated the following: (a) the perceptions of Black male athletes and how athletics impacts self-esteem and resiliency ; (b) Black males perceptions of representing a small portion of the Black community in a white dominated sport; (c) the effect collegiate athletics has on athlete's campus involvement and relationships with students, faculty, staff, and members of the community. These themes were used to help guide the research towards answering the question, "What are the experiences of a Black male athlete competing in a white dominated sport at a predominantly white Division 1 athletic institution?" Following a Critical Race Theory framework, this study helped define the responsibilities associated with being a member of collegiate athletics, while being Black and participating in a White dominated sport, and its relationship with Black males and their roles in society. |
