Bayliss

** A Pre-Game Warm-up **
 * Winter/Spring 2012 Mr. Dunne **

What do sports mean to you as an athlete and as a fan? I think sports are a lot more fun to watch than participate in. I think they are particularly good in bringing together a town, city, or community. They unite people under a common goal, and it is a lot of fun to have so much spirit for something you have no control over. I think it is especially interesting that a sports team runs so deep with someone. It can really be a part of you, and I think that is unique; not a lot of things stay with you for the rest of your life like your faith in a sports team does.

What has been your experience with youth sports? Describe your best and worst experiences. I played softball and soccer in elementary school, and was a pretty solid goalie. In second grade, I started dancing and loved it, I took ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, loved it, and kept dancing for eight years. I stopped softball and soccer to spend more time dancing, and then it started taking up wayyy too much time so I quit when I got to high school. I started track and field and cross country in the ninth grade. Cross country was probably one of the worse experiences I've ever had, and after two years I became the team manager. I pole vault and high jump in Track and Field (the two events I don't have to run in) and it's a lot of fun.

Do athletes make good role models? Identify one or two professional athletes to make your case. They can be good role models. I think generally, no. But there are some exceptions. I think Jesse Owens was a fantastic role model for his accomplishments in the 1936 Olympics and for what he did for African-American athletes; but I think he is the exception. There are too many bad stories about baseball players on steroids, football players participating in illegal activities (OJ Simpson), and golf heroes acting inappropriately (Tiger Woods) for there to be a hard and fast rule that they are all role models. I think this is unfortunate, because so many young boys and girls idolize these sports stars; they should know that since so many young eyes are watching them, they should abide by the rules.

What sports/teams do you pay attention to the most? How much time do sports occupy in your life? How do you spend that time (attending, watching, reading, talking, participating)? Like anybody who lives in Boston, I'm a huge Red Sox fan. I go to their games with my family and follow the players throughout the season. My favorite, of course, is David Ortiz. I follow the Patriots too, mostly because my cousins are big fans. But the Bruins and the Celtics, not so much. Sports occupy pretty much none of my life besides acting as a source of entertainment. I imagine in college sports will occupy more of my life, since I will be attending more games and maybe participating on club teams.

What sports-related issues would you be disappointed //not// to cover in this class? Why? I literally know nothing about sports; so I am completely willing to learn about anything!