Ch.

8 Summary – Diversity and Inclusion – Ryan Collins

This chapter focuses on the differences in people based on factors such as race, nationality, ethnicity,

gender, religion and mentions a few others. The primary focuses in the chapter seemed to be focused around

gender, sexuality, race and where some people come from, and disabilities. The reading discusses a lot about

culture, and how things can influence that and people fitting or not into the culture. Multiple specific topics or

concepts covered in this chapter I believe can span multiple disciplines or contexts other than that in which they’re

presented in here and we can as a result use the information to best serve those we currently or will serve. One of

the greatest examples I found of this was in the section on Acculturation of Immigrant Athletes as it spoke about all

the changes and challenges these individuals will face when going to a new location, school, or team. The text

spoke on the high percentage of these athletes that do not last in their new environments for very long and end up

returning home. In my sport of swimming, the majority of athletes we tend to see are not of a diverse ethnic or

socioeconomic background as it tends to be athletes coming from an affluent background. Our team at Mount

Union doesn’t have any kids from other countries but we do have kids from all corners of our country, such as South

Carolina and Louisiana, California, and New York and east coast (as well as many local Midwesterners). Even

though they may all be of the same racial and similar socioeconomic backgrounds, being relocated into wherever

their college choice may be can be a difficult transition, and many times we see cases where this doesn’t work out.

It may be as simple as a new city and state you’ve never lived in most likely without the immediate support of

family and similar challenges that many college students would face if going to a further from home school, athlete

or not. When we bring all these different people together and try to establish an organizational culture and they each

bring bits of their own cultures and norms it can be a challenging experience for all. We learned from reading that

the diversity is a strength and can benefit performance as others that may be different from us bring different ideas,

viewpoints, and perceptions on topics than we do.

Being my first year working with this team I’ve personally experienced some of these challenges after

being in one program for 3 straight years, despite my current coworkers being of the same race, socioeconomic

backgrounds, and close in age. Some of these differences that persist are on how we treat and communicate with

other and how passionately and persistently we pursue our goals instead of being apathetic about them. It seems

likely to me that these differences may come from different values, beliefs, goals and interests despite the other early

factors listed being similar. I believe we can use the information and strategies presented to best serve whoever and

whatever challenges we face.

Ch.8 Summary – Diversity and Inclusion – Ryan Collins

In future other positions, the information on immigrant athletes may be more useful in the direct context it

was presented in. The University of Akron’s swim team as a local reference and others at division 1 and 2 levels

generally have a very high percentage of their student-athletes from over seas and are well known for that. In a

position that their coaches are in/I would be in this information on acculturation would be extremely useful as well.