Emily Carrasco paper proposal

Much like art education and the creative practices where the boundaries from work to play collide, professional athletes face this type of conflict as well. Here these people begin their practices of playing football or basketball as little children where it’s all about running around, making friends and paying somewhat attention to the ball until this athletic interest gradually becomes more of a competition on so many different levels. Play time is considering the beginning of the interest in becoming a professional, like how it all started, what was it about the game that linked this small child to it. Then there is the very intriguing fact of how as the child grows and matures into different pressures that come with age, so does this profession or “game”. For example, body type is one pressure that is important to athletes, how fast they are, how strong, their endurance, etc. Also, how in shape they are (in general). If they don’t maintain their health, this can and will affect their profession. Also, much like art: while the child is growing up, they must maintain a clear interest in this profession throughout all of their years (including how we mold mentally and physically) in order to make sense in continuing on and into schooling for a degree (or in this case, getting drafted?-need more research-) If you want to get a college degree in art, it is a very slim chance of making it a comfortable environment and living comfortably for yourself once out of school, the same goes for athletics. Becoming a professional athlete is something that isn’t very common unless you have the right amount of talent, the right amount of money, or the right amount of connections- similar to the art world. We are the underdogs in a sense, but we chose to be. (Patching this up because it’s getting rather lengthy) In terms of work, I am looking at how once the athlete is acknowledged and even drafted onto a somewhat well-known team, although he is experiencing everything that he has prepared for, and trained for (body injuries and all), he will be facing the difficulties of its work. Its Work is to be the best, to make the touchdowns, to make the free throws, no exceptions, no excuses, no injuries. The athlete must fly from one state to another one after the other (without the consideration of families and time and health), show up for practice, listen to the coach and his play sheets, win games, carry the team, etc. What was fun for the athlete (or even artist) is now overbearing right? What was fun (shooting hoops with dad) is now work (playing against other professional athletes in an arena with thousands of fans who scream at you when you miss one basket). Even though a lot of artists are stereotyped for lacking any athletic talent, we really have a lot in common with them especially with how our lives will be structured and possibly how we may feel about it.
-Emily Carrasco