Physical prowess, aggression and hypercompetitiveness. These characteristics make up America’s constantly narrowing definition of masculinity. Masculinity, the set of attributes that are commonly assigned to males, isn’t inherently harmful or negative – however, the strict definition of manhood it promotes creates a standard for males that is impossible to reach, by definition.

Pressure to be extremely physically fit can lead to injuries and feelings of inadequacy for athletes. Hypercompetitiveness can lead to an us-versus-them mentality that affects the way one behaves off the field. Aggression – even in small doses – can lead to violent, angry outbursts. Although all of these stereotypically masculine qualities can be helpful in sports, the specific environment high school athletics creates often emphasizes these qualities, making them more harmful than useful.

Hypercompetitiveness

High school sports are uniquely able to emphasize the hypercompetitive aspect of masculinity. “High school sports promote this idea of competition […] they validate that masculinity,” junior Henry Ziemer said. Ziemer is on the fencing team at SPA. “If you can win it shows you can provide, you can be independent […] that’s very integral to being male — the ability to take on a challenge and beat it alone, or to be the star of a team,” he said.

However, there are also positive effects from the emphasis on masculinity in high school sports. “If you’re able to work as hard as you can, that’s a really useful tool in sports, overcoming adversity,” Ziemer said. “The side effect would be to see it as a zero sum game, where if I win, someone else loses, which is the idea behind many sports […] if you carry it to an extreme, it’s a potential negative, there’s a whole spectrum along those lines,” he said.

Ziemer has experienced this pressure firsthand in his sport, fencing. “You see a lot more competition in the areas where there’s a lot more of a reputation to uphold,” Ziemer said.

The pressure to be more masculine, for Salverda, comes from a personal desire to be his best. “I have two older brothers who played varsity sports by the time they were freshman, and when I was young I would try to compete on the same level. I try to be as masculine and as strong as I could…[to] match their standards,” he said. “Some of it has taken some of the fun out of sports when I was little and made it more about the competition,” he said.

Physical prowess

Salverda believes that the physical abilities of an athlete are especially emphasized in high school sports, particularly on varsity teams. “Everyone watches varsity sports. It’s a little emphasized that you need to be stronger, faster, and more masculine than someone who doesn’t play sports,” he said. “If you’re getting hurt by little hits or something it [also] questions your masculinity.”  

Off the field

Outside of sports themselves, the emphasis on masculinity in school athletics could have effects that materialize in the classroom. “Within a school setting [masculinity] breeds a mentality […] like “I need to win” – in a test or a discussion, hypothetically,” Ziemer said. Athletes can also injure themselves if they are under too much pressure to be better and stronger, since the physical toll from participating in a demanding sport can be very dangerous, according to Salverda.

The culture surrounding high school sports could also affect the SPA community at large. “The biggest impact you can see in a community is in the sports team; you do have groups forming around team loyalty,” Ziemer said.