Research help: Statistics on race/class in gymnastics

[fuzi]

I wasn't quite sure where to post this.

Anyways, I am working on a research proposal and was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of any statistics (or articles) on race or class in gymnastics. Who has access to the sport? If you know of anything, it would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[JBS]

Ahhh...this will make for good discussion.

 

[Jenny]

I'm sure it varies depending on the area you live in. I would expect there to be a correlation between the area around your gym and the kids in your gym. If it doesn't correlate I would be interested.

 

[lovegymnastics]

Gymnastics is a very expensive sport, especially when it comes to the higher levels.

 

[cbifoja]

I'd be willing to share the demographics of my area and DD's gym:

Statewide: 85% white, 7% black, 1% asian, 3% latino/a
Gym: 85% white, 1% black, 2% asian, 2% latina

As far as socioeconomic class, we have affluent families all the way over to lower middle class families. No one that I would call poor. Our parents work for government, many teachers, a few business owners, a janitor, couple of farmers, a military pilot, some veterinarians, a lawyer, an event planner, electrician, a couple of CPAs, a bodybuilder, a caterer, and even a scientist. So incomes all across the scale. Since I don't have any hard data to reference, I can just offer my opinion that our club is most middle to upper middle class with a couple of families who could be described as wealthy.

 

[bogwoppit]

Where I live it is 95% Francophone and about 5% Anglophone. All white. The area we live is about the most un-multicultural place I have ever been. As the gym does not train mega hours, therefore costs are lower, I would say the socioeconomic range is wide with kids from all families. This is an extremely rural area population wise.

 

[claudidoll]

Where I live it is 95% Francophone and about 5% Anglophone. All white. The area we live is about the most un-multicultural place I have ever been. As the gym does not train mega hours, therefore costs are lower, I would say the socioeconomic range is wide with kids from all families. This is an extremely rural area population wise.

Still probably more multicultural than Newfoundland

 

[CreateMagic]

Are you looking at overall participation stats (including rec) or only competitive?

 

[bogwoppit]

Still probably more multicultural than Newfoundland

True that!!! Canada is a funny place, very multicultural in the cities and west of Montreal, but East of Montreal and urban areas are really not. I imagine the cold has much to do with it!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

our part of the county census lists 97% White British, 3% non-white British. 35.7% listed their ethnicity as Cornish.

In the gym we have 2 mixed race boys (Afro/carribean/white) and from my observations that is it.

Most people are professionals (A,B and C1's) plus a few farmers - gymnastics is expensive and poor families cant afford it.

 

[flippin out]

very interesting topic. I hope that you share the results of all your findings with us.

 

[fuzi]

Thank you all for your comments. I am interested in overall or competitive, anything I can get my hands on. Best I can tell, no one wants to publish (or perhaps even collect) this information, though I am sure many parents would attest to the fact that gymnastics is expensive.

I certainly have my observations based on what I see at the clubs I have coached at and as a judge, but I was hoping some gymnastics federation had stats available. Perhaps no such luck.

 

[bribri514]

Really interesting post! Growing up by gyn was probably 100% white in a middle to upper middle class area. However for locals the population was probably 30-40% Hispanic who were mostly working class. None of those kids were involved in gym. There were programs to get them involved in skiing and snowboarding.

My niece is half Hispanic and speaks Spanish. Her school is 95% African American, 4% Hispanic and 1% white. My brother is a single parent but on the more well off (middle class barely, the bills get paid but things get tight) end of the area, he works for the government (most people here in DC do). There are no gymnastics clubs in the city so we drive out to suburban Virginia which is about 9% African American, 9% Asia. And then predominantly white. From what I've seen at her gym and coaching in VA, gymnastics seems to be "whiter" than the state demographics. (which are similar to Arlington though there are some areas that are predominantly African American, with less gymnastics clubs)

I've always focused on making gymnastics accessible to kids with disabilities. I never really thought about racial socioeconomic accessibility until my niece started gym an inner city rec program. It should be more accessible but it's so expensive!

 

[CoachGoofy]

I'm late to the game, but our gym is almost entirely white except a biracial white/latin@ family, a Korean family, & a few girls adopted from China by white parents. And we have one biracial (white/Asian) coach.

IMy old gym was in a poorer neighborhood & was significantly more diverse in terms of race & class, though I couldn't give a breakdown. We had quite a few African American families, a few Asian families (as well as a number of children adopted from China by white families), a Native American family, a couple Latin@ families, including one that spoke primarily Spanish. That gym offered scholarships based on need & my current one does not.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Located in an upper middle class suburb in Northern California. Our school district demographics break down something like this: 1% Native American, 2% black, 5% Hispanic, 20% Asian, 70% white. I would say our gym breakdown is similar except the Asian percentage is much smaller, maybe 7-10%. I don't think it's an economic issue.

 

[fliptwisttwirl]

I live in a city that's 52% Mexican, 40% white, 8% other. Our gym is about 50% Mexican and 50% White. I don't think we have anyone from other races (unless they're mixed and it's un-obvious).

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

You might contact the owner of this gym. It is operated as a non-profit serving at-risk youth. The owner may have done similar research in order to apply for grants. Regardless, it is a GREAT story! Aim High Academy - Tulsa, OK

 

[Flossyduck]

I think gymnastics fees are way cheaper in the UK, from what I have read on this board. The most anyone pays at our gym (and we are talking world level elite gymnasts training 30+ hours a week) is @ $160 a month. It's similar at comparable gyms across the country. It tends to be a fixed rate from when you get into 'squad' and in our case and in some others, that doesn't increase if the hours increase. Rec fees are higher per hour, but fewer hours. The majority of the girls (maybe 85%) are white, maybe 10% black African and 5% others. The big difference is that I can't think of more than a small handful on team I would describe as middle class or above. Most are working class families, several live in less than salubrious neighbourhoods and drive old bangers. Interesting.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Our gym is very evenly mixed race, Hispanic- Asian- white- black. We live in an affluent Asian community.

 

[bogwoppit]

Our gym is very evenly mixed race, Hispanic- Asian- white- black. We live in an affluent Asian community.

This is a very old thread. We really try not to drag up threads that are over three months old. Thanks.