The Sidney Effect: Competitive Youth Hockey and Fantasy Relationships
The Sidney Effect: Competitive Youth Hockey and Fantasy Relationships by Matthew John Ross Theoret A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfillment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in Public Issues Anthropology Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2009 © Matthew John Ross Theoret 2009 Author’s Declaration I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. ii Abstract This thesis explores how a group of 17 male youth athletes, and their families, experience competitive hockey. Many of the youths seem to forge fantasy relationships with hockey celebrities, heroes, and stars – e.g. Sidney Crosby – emulating them with regard to the “best” attitudes, equipment, and styles of play to have or use. Their parents invest considerable amounts of money and time into their sons’ participation in hockey, not because they necessarily share their sons’ dreams of athletic stardom, but because they hope that it will help instill community-defined “positive” values into their sons—tools needed to become “successful” youths and, eventually, adults. iii Acknowledgements First and foremost, I want to thank the anthropology department’s faculty and staff at the University of Waterloo for two great years. I am particularly grateful to my primary supervisor, Dr. Harriet Lyons. Taking her advice to switch thesis topics was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The dedication and support that she gives to her students is second to none.
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