When Shoeboating Goes Overboard
Before my current writing life, there was The Hilltop , Howard University’s and the Nation’s Oldest Black Collegiate Newspaper, where many of the questions and themes I still explore first found their voice. What follows are my early published works, preserved in their original form. From The Hilltop Archives Originally published in The Hilltop , Howard University — September 13th, 2002 __________________________________________________________________________________ When Shoeboating Goes Overboard This everyday phenomenon is occurring in inner cities around the country: children picking up basketballs, bats or tennis racquets trying to emulate their favorite athletes whether on basketball courts wanting to be like Mike, or on a court not traditionally dominated by black athletes in hopes of one day being the next Venus or Serena Williams. Television plays a major role in shaping our children's perception of the appropriate behavior while participating i...