Chris Wilburn 11/11/13 Ethnography Project

A discourse community is a community that has ways of doing things in a certain order and with certain characteristics for example language, different forms of communication and types of genres they use. They have a distinct domineer for what they stand for and usually meet for a specific reason. It is usually a community that is all in for one common goal and the community has the same beliefs on certain topics. In my ethnography I studied how UNC Charlottes Club Tennis team is a discourse community and wanted to answer the question of how this community brings together diversity in many ways. Methods For conducting my research on the UNCC Club Tennis team I watched a couple of the club tennis teams practices as well as participated in one. While viewing these activities I took detailed notes on what I saw, heard, and thought about each practice I attended. I wanted a more in depth view as what went on in the discourse community so I took part and practice with the club for a few days to try and get a better understanding on what they were for and about. After my days of practicing with them I wrote down as detailed notes as I could remember right after the practices. Also another method for conducting my research was by interviewing a few of the players. The first person I interviewed was a freshman who was playing his first year for the club then a senior followed by the president of the club. Each player gave me their own personal views of the club tennis team, some were similar but some views contrasted as well. Findings Viewing practices was very interesting and gave me a lot of information about the team. While viewing the practices the first thing I noticed was that there were guys and girls playing as well as a huge verity of ethnicities, I also noticed that everyone was playing and having what
Commented [KB2]: Go more in depth on your observations and what you noticed. Maybe talk about what they woe, what the weather or location was like and how it affected there playing. Commented [KB1]: Good vocabulary use!

Chris Wilburn 11/11/13 Ethnography Project

looked like a good time, there was no type of discrimination towards other players based on race or skill level. Another thing I noticed is that most players were paired up with or playing with another player around their skill level not depending on race. After warm ups the players played practice matches which is like a real match just at practice, some single matches where it is one player verses another player and some double matches where it was two verses two. In these matches there were girls playing girls, guys playing guys, as well as coed play with both guys and girls. While watching them play each other you could tell the better skilled players were far more serious about their matches they were playing in, on the other hand the less skilled players you could tell were just playing for what looked like fun or just for practice and exercise. During the practice matches you could tell that some players got frustrated and were throwing their rackets and yelling and getting frustrated at themselves. You could also tell that some players were frustrated but just stepped up the level of play to relieve that anger instead of yelling and throwing things. After the practice matches were over the whole club team came together to play games on one court all as one. The game they were playing was some type of hitting game where one person got on the far side of the court and everyone else lined up on the other side. The side that had the line had to one by one play the person on the other side for up to two points, If the challenger won two points in a row then then he/she went to the other side to face the line if not then they rotated to the back of the line. This game you could tell really brought the team together as a whole. Players would get excited and cheer if someone had been on the far side for a long and would get beat by a challenger, also during the points everyone watching the two on the court playing and cheered on the challenger trying to beat the person on the far side. What I though was cool was how well the person on the far side would take getting beat two points in a row, they never seemed mad about it just laughing and having a good time with everyone else.
Commented [KB4]: I like the specific observation of one person! Commented [KB3]: Good comparison between the two types of frustration in players.

Chris Wilburn 11/11/13 Ethnography Project

After I viewed the practices for a few days I decided to practice with them. I was able to get an inside look at how their practices really were like. Luckily I had played tennis for a year in high school so I was able to fit right in the middle of the pack skill level wise. When I played with the club I warmed up with my roommate, which is how I was able to get inside access to the club. My roommate, Charley and I warmed up with two other guys on the club team. These players were just a little better than me, which gave me a very good warm up. After the warm ups I then played a doubles match with some higher skilled guys. Like in my practice observations these players were very serious about the match and me and my partner ended up getting whooped (mostly my fault). Because we got beat so fast I had time to play another match with a lower skilled player which turned out really fun because it took out the seriousness and pressure to do good that I had felt in the first match I had played in. After the second match we played the game they had played before in my viewings which I learned was called king of the court. After playing with the club in practice I learned that it was a very friendly atmosphere that the high skilled players help and kind of coached most of the lower skilled players to try and help them improve their game and feel more involved. I also found out that they did not just play matches based on skill level but they also play double matches with a higher and a lower skilled player verses another higher and lower skilled player. Interviews After viewing and participating in the practices I interview a few of the club members. First I interviewed my roommate who is a freshman on the team who told me so far being a part of the team was very fun. I asked him why he wanted to play for the club tennis team and he said I really wanted to play because I just love the sport, I have played since I have been in middle school and didnt want to stop because I was not skilled enough to play at a big university. I

Commented [KB5]: Awesome that you got to do a hands on observation!

Chris Wilburn 11/11/13 Ethnography Project

wanted a group of people I knew I could count on to play every day like I did in high school. I then asked him how they chose who played in the matches or if everyone did he told me Not everyone gets to play they usually only take the top six players so six men and six women which is chosen by who beats who, they set up a depth chart at the beginning of the year and you can challenge the person thats one spot ahead of you and thats how you can move up into the top six I then asked if he thought it made the team more or less close by only playing the top six and he said most of the lower skilled players come in knowing they will not play in the real matches but from what I can tell it does not really bother them they just are here to have fun and practice to make themselves better players so it does not really have an effect or bring the team closer in any way. We are all real close and cheer each other on no matter what. After I interviewed my roommate I then interviewed a sophomore who is also the president of the club. Emma was playing for her second year and decided to become president because no one really wanted to have to keep up with and do all the hassling jobs that the president had to do. So I asked her what were her responsibilities as president My main responsibility is to inform all of our players on practice times and dates or practice and matches and to just keep everyone communicating through text, Facebook and email. I also have to set the depth chart at the begging of the season to set up our player challenging system to decide the top six. She also said she was responsible for taking up clubs dues which was one hundred and twenty dollars per year and keeping up with the money. I asked why it was so expensive and she said The money is all collected and used directly towards balls, team travel, and team hotels when going to long away matches like the coming up match in Georgia. Each member pays that much knowing that it mostly goes to the top six guys and top six girls that travel but they are fine with it because they know it is going to their fellow teammate and they want to be a part of the club no matter
Commented [KB6]: Instead of formatting your questions and answers in an alternating fasion and using I then asked, try paraphrasing what he said in his answer. Or maybe stating his answer first then followed with he said when I asked him about _____

Chris Wilburn 11/11/13 Ethnography Project

what the cost it is. My final question for her was if she thought everyone, no matter what their skill level or race fitted in the Club or if she thought some felt out casted, she responded with No I fell like everyone on the team feels welcomed here or they wouldnt be here each member is nice and encouraging to each other and they also respect each other. If anyone feels out casted then they probably would not pay the dues or show up to practice. Conclusion After all of my research and studying of the UNC Club Tennis team I had decided that yes this in fact was a discourse community in the ways it ran and operated. But the main thing was I found the answer to my starting question how this community brings together diversity in many ways. I found that each player was happy and content with the position and meaning on the club team that they were getting what they were there for, either having fun or competing. This club brought together different sexes and races to be for one main goal to have fun and play the sport they all know and love. No one in this group is discriminated against and everyone was welcome no matter what skill level you were at. They played many games to help bring everyone together and feel a part of the team.
Commented [KB7]: After youre finished talking about the questions youve asked you could summarize what you thought Commented [KB8]: Make conclusion more in depth. Try to relay back to each observation you did and maybe one thing that changed in your mind after getting an inside look.