Taste Culture #2 - Sports and Athletics

Another taste culture that has significantly impacted my life is sports and athletics. I have been an athlete my entire life. I've played numerous sports both recreationally and competitively and have gone to sporting events both locally and nationally. Along with identifying as a fan of certain sports teams and athletes, I identify as an athlete and have aspirations of making a career from sports.

“Ultimately, the media's ability to produce people's social identities, in terms of both a sense of unity and difference, may be their most powerful and important effect” (Grossberg, 2006, p. 220)

Pro Wrestling

I am a huge fan of professional wrestling. I like to joke and say I have been watching wrestling since before I was born as both my parents and grandparents watched wrestling. Over the years I have created parasocial relationships with some of my favourite wrestlers. For example, Team Extreme, consisting of Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, and Lita, were a WWE mixed tag team who I connected with. I specifically connected with Lita who was the only female on the team; her confidence, spunk, and power inspired and encouraged me to adopt these characteristics in my own life. For me, these wrestlers acted as catalysts for my career. I have wanted to be a professional wrestler since I was 15 years old. While this seems like an unimaginable feat, I believe the passion and determination I have garnered while watching wrestling has given me the confidence I need to achieve my goals.

What does professional wrestling and sports mean to me?

I have gone through a lot of "phases" in my life, but the one constant thing that has never gone away is professional wrestling. For me, sports has always acted as a sense of comfort and community. Whether it is connecting with wrestling characters on t.v, or engaging in real-life Rocky moments with coaches, teammates, and trainers, sports has always been there for me. This pop culture influence provided me with lifelong friends, memorable moments, and an exciting future.