This term, we have seen how sports stories can connect to historical moments and sociological concepts. Greek philosophical ideas help us understand the idea of the hero. The history of civil rights in the U.S. helps us understand the film 42. Gender issues surface in Dare to Dream. There is always a context for our stories. Sometimes it is spelled out in the story, and sometimes there are aspects that are not explicitly considered. For this assignment, you will be exploring an idea that reaches a sports story beyond the bounds of the details of the story. For example, the story of Cubs fan Steve Bartman says a great deal about fandom, about how fans affect how stories are told and remembered. A League of Their Own is a film that uses sports to reveal how women's societal roles were changing, in great part due to World War II.

Regardless of how you put the story in context, you want to develop your own clear idea (thesis) and support it in a thorough essay. Secondary research is expected (aim for at least three sources). The essay should be 3-4 pages. MLA must be used to format the essay and for documenting your sources. Remember the golden rule: "If you use a source (quote, paraphrase, or summarize), you must cite it in your essay and then provide the full citation in a Works Cited page."