Choice Review
This book by Patricia Adler (University of Colorado) and Peter Adler (University of Denver) on the internal complexities of a Division I basketball program is a most informative and insightful study dealing with a sport and its impact on those who coach and play it. The authors' ability to enter the team infrastructure and gather data concerning the social, academic, and athletic hopes as well as the disillusionments of the team members gives the reader a better understanding of today's Division I athlete. The conflicts that the athletes face in dealing with their role expectations are well documented. The verbatum interviews with coaches and athletes and the authors' reflections and interpretations are poignant and profound. The termination of the athlete's role when he has completed his elegibility is very well documented. End notes and an up-to-date bibliography enhance the value of this work. Highly recommended for all levels of academic as well as public libraries. -F. D. Handler, St. Bonaventure University
Library Journal Review
The Adlers, both sociologists, focus this study of American college varsity basketball players on the gradual change in the athletes' sense of self. Drawing on coaches' and players' observations as well as their own analysis, the authors chart the painful journey taken by young people who began with the belief that they could have it all and be whatever they wanted, but came to realize--as college social, educational, and athletic roles conflicted--that a ``glorified'' athletic self was dominating, indeed engulfing their personalities. This lucid work relates the character and form of the athletes' socialization to recent American social and historic trends, away from broad-based interests and role variety toward narrowly focused specialization. Recommended for academics and interested lay readers.-- Suzanne W. Wood, SUNY Coll. of Technology, Alfred, N.Y. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
