California is renowned for its cultural diversity, and this has had a profound effect on the state's athletics. Sports training educators have the opportunity to use this diversity to their advantage, by incorporating multicultural education and diversity awareness into their educational programs. This can help to improve the quality of their curricula and pedagogy, and ensure that students are prepared to address and manage critical problems in the future. In order to understand the importance of multiculturalism in sports education, it is essential to consider Banks' definition and purpose.
According to Banks, multiculturalism should be a constitutive and fundamental element of all sports education programs. This is reflected in Hannam's modified list of priorities for athletic education, which includes the need for students to benefit from a multicultural experience of meaning and exploration during their years of formal education. The National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) has recognized the need for training on cultural sensitivity and competence in educational programs. The number of ethnically diverse members has increased from 7% in 1998 to just under 10% in 2002, despite the fact that 26% of the country's population represents ethnic minorities.
This highlights the importance of implementing diverse and creative strategies to implement a multicultural agenda in sports training curricula. The advantages of doing so are numerous and significant. It allows future health professionals to address intercultural experiences, improves their critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills, and inspires them to be fundamental agents in a world that benefits everyone. It also helps to ensure that sports coaches are prepared to work with a diverse patient population in clinical and industrial environments.
In conclusion, it is evident that the diversity of cultures in northern California has had a considerable influence on athletics. Sports training educators should take advantage of this by actively including multicultural education and diversity awareness into their educational programs. Doing so will have numerous benefits for all stakeholders, including allowing students to benefit from a multicultural experience of meaning and exploration during their years of formal education.
