Before I came to Sydney, I knew very little about Australian sports. Although I had heard about rugby and cricket before, I did not know any of the rules. I had never seen a game of either sport. I had absolutely no idea that netball or lawn bowls even existed. I read in my guidebook before coming to Sydney that Australians played a lot of sports. However, I did not know how significant sport plays a role in Australian culture. I learned that children are socialized at an early age to engage in physical activity whether it is organized or recreational sport. From what I witnessed at the University of Sydney, sport is also ingrained in college life on campus. I also learned that Australians cherish their sports teams and love to cheer them on at professional sporting events. The field trips opened my eyes to indigenous sport as well.
Our first field trip to watch the nippers was both exciting and educational. The atmosphere reminded me of youth soccer in the United States. Both environments provided an experience for young children where they could participate in an active experience while learning important skills both socially and physically. I learned that Australian’s physical environment plays a significant role in participation in sport. Children learn swimming and surf rescue at an early age because most of them live in communities located right by the ocean. I was impressed by the seeming fearlessness of the children running into the enormous waves at Maroubra beach. It is my perspective that young swimmers in Australia are tougher than American youth swimmers. I learned that the Surf Live Saving Association depends a great deal on the support of volunteers to provide a safe, fun, and educational environment.
I decided to attend a cricket game on my own to learn more about the rules and structure of sport at the college level. I watched a match between St. Johns and St. Andrews at the University of Sydney. It was a great feeling to know that I could just sit by the cricket field for a couple hours without having to pay a fee to get in. Collegiate games in the United States usually require tickets or money for entry. At my home university, we can go to any sport game for free. However, I still have never been to watch many of the sporting events at campus. Therefore, I was very excited that I could just drop by the cricket game whenever I wanted. The fans, who were mostly residents of the two competing colleges, were very supportive of the players. They made signs and cheered them on from the sidelines. Even though I found American baseball more enjoyable, I valued this experience because cricket is unique to Australian culture.
After going to the cricket game on my own, I was inspired to go to watch a professional rugby league game on my own. I attended a match between the Roosters and the Wests Tigers at the Sydney Football Stadium. I was proud of myself that I knew there are two types of rugby, rugby league and rugby union, before attending this event. I really enjoyed this experience because I was able to get a taste of sporting events in Australia as a form of entertainment. This experience was educational because I learned a lot about the rules and regulations of rugby league. I also was able to get a feel for the passion that Australians feel about sport. I was attracted to a particular section in the stadium because the fans were loud, energetic, and enthusiastic. In addition, it was enjoyable to watch a game that is interrupted little by penalties, television breaks, and promotional stunts. I learned that the passion for the game rather than commercialization drives Australian sports. Our field trip to the indigenous rugby league match at the Coogee Oval provided a good contrast to the rugby league game at the SFS. I learned that participation in sport pervades all ethnic and racial groups. The indigenous rugby players were extremely tough and aggressive. The players did not care about the fans or the weather conditions given that it started to pour in the second half. They were very focused on playing their best and winning pride for their team.
My favorite event this semester was the field trip to the Sydney Swans AFL game. Again, I noticed how accessible it is to attend Sydney’s sporting events. I noticed on the Sydney Cricket Ground’s website beforehand that they encouraged attendees to take public transportation to the game. The site even laid out all of the major transportation routes to make it easy for people to get there. I thought this was symbolic of Australia’s sport culture. It shows that they really care about people getting to the game rather than raking in large sums of money in parking fees. We arrived just a little bit late and the match had already started, which is typically not the case in the US. I learned that Australians do not waste time on big elaborate introductions and promotional acts. Australian football itself is very entertaining because it is very fast-paced and quick. People who attend American NFL games also tend to be older males, who go with their buddies or work friends. However, I noticed a wide variety of people at the Swans game ranging from young kids to older adults. Everyone seemed like they were having a great time whether they were with family or hanging out with friends while sharing a beer.
Overall, I really enjoyed this course because I had the opportunity to learn through personal experience rather than academic materials. The field trips were both educational and enjoyable as they aided the lectures taught in the material and provided a way to explore Australian culture first-hand. I appreciated how enthusiastic and knowledgeable the instructors were about Australian sport. They effectively conveyed the role of sport in Australia’s sense of who they are in the world. I thought I was just going to learn about the rules and structure of each sport. However, I was pleased by how much I learned about the intersection of sport and Australian culture. I even enjoyed writing in my blog every week because it gave me a chance to interpret my observations and impressions of each event. I was so impressed by how much I learned that I made my family read my blog too. I also was able to educate my other study abroad friends about Australian sport, who did not have the opportunity to take this class.
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