Drugs Usage in Sports

Drugs Usage in Sports Introduction During a 30- minute interview, I sat down with a former coach of mine and discussed drug usage among high school athletes. The coach touched upon a few issues concerning drug testing policies, drug education and awareness programs for coaches and athletes used at high schools in Mississippi.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Drugs Usage in Sports specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More INTERVIEWER: Are the incidents of drug abuse frequent among athletes and what measures are taken for improving the existing situation? COACH: The problems of drug use are a common scenario among young athletes that does not receive the proper attention. The main causes making athletes to look for performance-enhancing substances include their low self-esteem and willingness to enhance their chances for making outstanding achievements (Coakley, 2008). International Olympic Committee (IOC), National Collegiate Athletic Association (N CAA), and Professional Sports League united their efforts for developing drug testing policies as well as education and awareness programs for the purpose of ensuring drug-free environment for athletes and strengthening sport ethics. INTERVIEWER: Why do you think these measures can be ineffective? COACH: The main difficulties in implementing the drug testing and controlling policies are preconditioned with the main controversies of applying them in practice. On the one hand, drug-free environment is important for the health of athletes and integrity of sports. On the other hand, drug testing procedures frequently turn out to be ineffective. Partially violating the rights of athletes for privacy, these policies can result in the protests of athletes (Coakley, 2008). Additionally, athletes can use legal substances (aspirin) which can still be regarded as performance-enhancing, complicating the task of coaches suspecting them of drug use. INTERVIWER: As a high school coach, have you ev er faced the problem of drug use in your professional practice? COACH: Yes, I have faced this issue in my practice. Some athletes were certain that by using performance-enhancing drugs, they could improve their achievements.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More INTERVIEWER: What can make you suspect an athlete of drug abuse? COACH: It can be seen from sportsmen’s behaviour and their performance. For instance, a player may start to lose concentration, not attend sessions or unexpectedly improve performance. For this reason, a coach has to take into account the previous observations of athletes’ performance and behavioural characteristics. INTERVIEWER: Can certain tests be used for defining the instances of drug abuse and in which cases these tests can be taken? COACH: Yes, drug screening tests can be used in case of reasonable doubt of a coach, tutor or p arent. Reasonable suspicion can be defined as the quantity of proof which is beyond mere intuition, but still lacks argumentation. As to an incident, it can be defined as a positive screening test or a situation in which an athlete was found in using or possessing certain banned substances. INTERVIEWER: Is there any possibility of getting false results of a drug screening test? COACH: If the first drug screening test is positive, athletes have to take a second one. Additionally, according to the drug testing policies of the state of Mississippi, if certain outside substances are found in the athlete’s urine, it is regarded as an attempt to disguise the results, and the test is automatically regarded as positive (Coakley, 2008). INTREVIEWER: Can you give examples of the most famous cases of drug abuse which can be used in education program for athletes for enhancing their awareness of possible physiological and psychological changes which can be caused by drug use?Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Drugs Usage in Sports specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More COACH: Snoop Dogg is a rapper who was arrested because of an incident of drug possession. Alanis Morissette is a singer who had undergone bulimia and anorexia drug addictions before she attained 18years. Cathy Rigby is a gymnast who suffered from an eating disorder. Christy Henrich is a gymnast who died because of anorexia complications. These famous people suffered or died because of drug abuse. INTERVIEWER: What awareness programs have been implemented for ensuring drug-free environment for students? COACH: Awareness programs for coaches and athletes have been established to educate and counsel young people on the effects of drugs. Additionally, participating in these programs, coaches can receive valuable information concerning the drug controlling and testing policies and act in accordance with the legislation norms of the state of Missi ssippi. Most high schools and youth leagues participate in these programs. Complying with NCAA regulations, Mississippi high schools pay attention to the three main elements of drug-related programs, including those of education, prevention and rehabilitation (University Microfilms International, 2005) INTERVIEWER: Are there campaign awareness programs for players only? COACH: Yes, they exist. These awareness programs are meant to create awareness about the effects of drugs on their health. The players are also encouraged to pass on the message to other upcoming players (University Microfilms International, 2005). INTERVIEWER: What measures need to be taken for enhancing the effectiveness of the existing programs and improving the results? COACH: I would recommend devoting more time to educational programs and enacting a procedure of random testing for all athletes which is currently prohibited by NCAA, but is still used in other states. Taking into account the incidence of drug abu se and possible consequences for the athletes’ health and sport ethics, I insist on taking critical measures.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reference List Coakley, J. (2008). Sports in society: Issues and controversies. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. University Microfilms International (2005). Dissertation abstracts international. Berkeley, CA: University Microfilms

Analysis of Eliza Doolittles Pygmalion Monologues

Analysis of Eliza Doolittles Pygmalion Monologues In the final scene of George Bernard Shaws play Pygmalion, the audience is surprised to learn that this is not the fairytale romance that  the entire play has been building up to. Eliza Doolittle may be the Cinderella of the story, but Professor Henry Higgins is no Prince Charming and he cannot bring himself to commit to her. The fiery dialogue also transforms the play from comedy to drama as Elizas monologues are filled with passion. We see that she really has come a long way from that innocent flower girl that first appeared on stage. She is a young woman with a mind of her own and new-found opportunities in front of her though she does not quite know where to go now. We also see her slip back into her Cockney grammar as her temper flares. Though she catches and corrects herself, these are final reminders of her past as we wonder about her future. Eliza Expresses Her Desires Prior to this, Higgins has run through Elizas options for the future. It seems to him that her best prospect is to find a man unlike the confirmed old bachelors like me and the Colonel.  Eliza explains the relationship she desired from him. It’s a tender scene that almost warms the Professor’s heart despite himself. ELIZA: No I dont. Thats not the sort of feeling I want from you. And dont you be too sure of yourself or of me. I could have been a bad girl if Id liked. Ive seen more of some things than you, for all your learning. Girls like me can drag gentlemen down to make love to them easy enough. And they wish each other dead the next minute. (much troubled) I want a little kindness. I know Im a common ignorant girl, and you a book-learned gentleman; but Im not dirt under your feet. What I done (correcting herself) what I did was not for the dresses and the taxis: I did it because we were pleasant together and I comecameto care for you; not to want you to make love to me, and not forgetting the difference between us, but more friendly like. When Eliza Realizes the Truth Unfortunately, Higgins is a permanent bachelor. When he is incapable of offering affection, Eliza Doolittle stands up for herself in this powerfully feisty monologue. ELIZA: Aha! Now I know how to deal with you. What a fool I was not to think of it before! You cant take away the knowledge you gave me. You said I had a finer ear than you. And I can be civil and kind to people, which is more than you can. Aha! Thats done you, Henry Higgins, it has. Now I dont care that (snapping her fingers) for your bullying and your big talk. Ill advertize it in the papers that your duchess is only a flower girl that you taught, and that shell teach anybody to be a duchess just the same in six months for a thousand guineas. Oh, when I think of myself crawling under your feet and being trampled on and called names, when all the time I had only to lift up my finger to be as good as you, I could just kick myself! Does Civility Equal Kindness? Higgins has readily admitted that he is fair in his treatment of everyone. If he is harsh with her, she should not feel bad because he is equally harsh most people he meets.  Eliza jumped on this and the realization forces a final decision from her, at least when it comes to Higgins. This also makes the audience wonder about the commentary on wealth and civility in relation to kindness and compassion. Was Eliza Doolittle as kind when she was living in the gutter? Most readers would say yes, yet it draws a stark contrast to Higgins excuse of unbiased severity. Why does a higher class of society come with less kindness and compassion? Is that really a better way of life? It seems that Eliza struggled with these questions herself. Where is the Happily Ever After Ending? The big question that Pygmalion leaves the audience with is: Do  Eliza and Higgins ever get together? Shaw did not initially say and he intended for the audience to decide for themselves. The play ends with Eliza saying goodbye. Higgins calls after her with, of all things, a shopping list! He is absolutely positive that she will return. In reality, we do not know what happens to the two characters of Pygmalion. This confounded early directors of the play (and the My Fair Lady movie) because many felt that the romance should have blossomed. Some had Eliza return with the necktie from Higgins shopping list. Others had Higgins toss Eliza a bouquet or follow her and beg her to stay. Shaw intended to leave the audience with an ambivalent conclusion. He wanted us to imagine what might happen because each of us will have a different perspective based on our own experiences. Maybe the romantic sort would have the two live happily ever after while those jaded by love would be happy to see her go out in the world and enjoy her independence. The directors attempts to change Shaws ending prompted the playwright to pen an epilogue: The rest of the story need not be shewn in action, and indeed, would hardly need telling if our imaginations were not so enfeebled by their lazy dependence on the ready-mades and reach-me-downs of the ragshop in which Romance keeps its stock of happy endings to misfit all stories.   Though he also gave arguments as to why Higgins and Eliza were incompatible, he did write a version of what happened after the final scene. One feels that it was done with reluctance and its almost a shame to pass along this ending, so if you want to retain your own version, it would be best to stop reading here (you really will not miss much). In his finale, Shaw tells us that Eliza does indeed marry Freddy and the couple opens a flower shop. Their life together is filled with dreariness and not too much success, a far cry from those romantic thoughts of the plays directors.