Despite the heavy media coverage of Jeremy Lin, there’s no hiding the fact that Asian Americans are severely underrepresented in professional and collegiate sports.
Statistics quoted in the China Daily show that only half of one percent of Asian students choose to participate in college-level athletics, according to the NCAA.
One reason cited is the perception that Asian American men lack the physical strength or height. Also athleticism in the Asian American community is not considered a spring board to success at the same level as it might be seen in other communities.
Jeremy Lin has been open in asserting that stereotypes played a major part in him not being offered a division 1 scholarship to play basketball. Asian American coaches have said they haven’t been offered head coaching jobs because their ethnicity is seen by some as a barrier in recruiting African American and white athletes.
Do you agree with these reasons cited? Read the China Daily blog and let us know what do you think some of the reasons might be.
