Are Indigenous/Dark footballers more gifted than Caucasians?

[Phil McCreviss]

The number of AFL footballers with indigenous backgrounds is at an all time high so have recruiters realised that Aboroginals are more developed than caucasians and are naturally more athletically gifted for AFL football?

Studies have been done in the States which put African-American's above other races for sporting prowess (cant remember the exact details but it wasnt a surprise). Are the indigneous players in the same bracket?

 

[frantelle]

The number of AFL footballers with indigenous backgrounds is at an all time high so have recruiters realised that Aboroginals are more developed than caucasians and are naturally more athletically gifted for AFL football?

Studies have been done in the States which put African-American's above other races for sporting prowess (cant remember the exact details but it wasnt a surprise). Are the indigneous players in the same bracket?

maybe u should slow down on the threads

african americans are proven very strong

the reason was when they were enslaved they only kept those who had superiour strength so they could get more work done
it was like a process of natural selection where only the strongest would remain
it was a bad era of american history

 

[sydney eagle]

Simple answer. No. Many indiginous footballers have been brilliant over the years, but so have many caucasian footballers. Fortunately Aussie Rules is a code that has a place for all shapes and sizes of players (more so than League, Union or soccer) and attracts more indiginous players than the other football codes, but I have seen no evidence that indiginous players are more or less gifted than other players.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

the reason was when they were enslaved they only kept those who had superiour strength so they could get more work done
it was like a process of natural selection where only the strongest would remain

I did read about Africans (from Africa) who were good long distance runners in east Africa where as in west Africa were good short distance sprint runners. I might of gotten the parts of Africa mixed up though.

 

[Upgrayedd]

African Americans have developed bigger cells in their muscles which=they USUALLY have more explosive power then "whites"

But it would be a complete myth, i think aborigionas LOVE the sport much more then white people, and are playing by age 3.

And my opinion? not really, just as many good "white" players then "black" players Nothing to do with the shade of your skin. we are ALL THE SAME

 

[Zeke]

African Americans have developed bigger cells in their muscles which=they USUALLY have more explosive power then "whites"

They actually have shorter muscle fibres, which makes strength building faster.

 

[Butane]

What about swimming?

 

[Ragnarok14]

I think the studies your talking about showed that african americans tend to have a heavier frame which lends itself to sports like sprinting etc. You'd still have to put in the work though to become good at the sport.

EDIT: the talent part probably comes from early childhood experiences, if a kid is playing a game from age 3 or 4 he's probably going to have better skills than someone starting in their late teens.

 

[Upgrayedd]

EDIT: the talent part probably comes from early childhood experiences, if a kid is playing a game from age 3 or 4 he's probably going to have better skills than someone starting in their late teens.

Very well put, you'll find aborigionals LOVE the game much more then whites, When i was up north for a few months i saw a little aborigional kid who would of been 3 who was trying to bounce a full sized basketball though his legs. which spun me out.

 

[justthedukes]

Their muscle mass is different, not sure the exact defintion, but lets just say, its no coincidence that their are a lack of african american swimmers. Learnt about it in P.E few years back, can't remember the details though.

EDIT: Talking about the question about swimming.

 

[Phil McCreviss]

What about swimming?

Interesting one with swimming. Its the only sport they struggle in. Tennis, motor racing and golf have all been recently conquered.

 

[Phil McCreviss]

Their muscle mass is different, not sure the exact defintion, but lets just say, its no coincidence that their are a lack of african american swimmers. Learnt about it in P.E few years back, can't remember the details though.

EDIT: Talking about the question about swimming.

Do you know if indigenous Australians have the same or similar physical make up as the Afro Americans? It seems their speed and body shape are incrediby similar.

 

[McManus2Waterhouse]

yep its true darks are more naturally gifted

im part torres straight islander half ynolgnu and yea i can say first hand that where a lot more talented and have a bit of extra magic but where also less consistant and not very good at hard work

 

[Feerits Elf]

maybe u should slow down on the threads

african americans are proven very strong

the reason was when they were enslaved they only kept those who had superiour strength so they could get more work done
it was like a process of natural selection where only the strongest would remain
it was a bad era of american history

Amazing when you consider that the Americans were able to condense hundreds of thousands of years of human evolution into a period of 15-20 generations.

They must have had some pretty cluey eugenicists, those Americans.

Incidentally, what was the good era of American history?

 

[Phil McCreviss]

yep its true darks are more naturally gifted

im part torres straight islander half ynolgnu and yea i can say first hand that where a lot more talented and have a bit of extra magic but where also less consistant and not very good at hard work

Wow interesting insight Mc. You play footy?

 

[Ragnarok14]

I would liken aborigines more to eastern/southern africans rather than african americans (of course this a HUGE generalisation here with next to no back up).

To be honest I doubt race has anything to do with a persons overall sporting ability. I'd be more inclined to think their lifestyle/environment would play a larger part. African americans have a culture of not having very much to do with the water hence there aren't many in any of those sports i.e. cannoeing, sailing, swimming.

In places like Kenya running is a huge part of life, european countries kids play football almost exclusively, and then you could argue where the various countries generally play their football has a large influence on their play style when older. Scandinavians grow up around alot of ice and surprise surprise they turn out to be pretty good skaters.

So yeah I think race has very little to do with how well you perform in a sport, of course it always helps to have things like huge feet if you want to be a swimmer etc but it doesn't make the athlete.

 

[rizzbang]

Interesting one with swimming. Its the only sport they struggle in. Tennis, motor racing and golf have all been recently conquered.

a lot to do with genetics. the dark races have a greater % of fast twitch muscle fibres which are used in tennis, golf, football and good for reaction time in motor racing. swimming requires greater use of slow twitch which caucasian people have higher %. long distance running dominance by the african nations can be explained with the altitude which they live. the train the same as other nations but in the mountains the air contains less oxygen and they adapt to that and running in regular conditions becomes much easier. these are just generalisations though. if you love a sport and commit to it you can become very skilled at it.

 

[Animosity1989]

Apart from Lance Franklin and Adam Goodes and to a lesser extent the Burgoyne brothers. The Top players in the AFL are mostly Caucasian.

 

[Phil McCreviss]

Apart from Lance Franklin and Adam Goodes and to a lesser extent the Burgoyne brothers. The Top players in the AFL are mostly Caucasian.

Thats a given. There are a lot more Caucasians in Australia than Aboriginals.

 

[McManus2Waterhouse]

yea mate ive played a fair bit of footy in me time still goin strong

 

[skipjack]

a lot to do with genetics. the dark races have a greater % of fast twitch muscle fibres which are used in tennis, golf, football and good for reaction time in motor racing. swimming requires greater use of slow twitch which caucasian people have higher %. long distance running dominance by the african nations can be explained with the altitude which they live. the train the same as other nations but in the mountains the air contains less oxygen and they adapt to that and running in regular conditions becomes much easier. these are just generalisations though. if you love a sport and commit to it you can become very skilled at it.

exactly,

it's all about the combo of white / red muscle fibres and muscle mass vs fat level.

 

[Blues_Man]

The number of AFL footballers with indigenous backgrounds is at an all time high so have recruiters realised that Aboroginals are more developed than caucasians and are naturally more athletically gifted for AFL football?

Studies have been done in the States which put African-American's above other races for sporting prowess (cant remember the exact details but it wasnt a surprise). Are the indigneous players in the same bracket?

Leigh Mathews
Gary Ablett
Wayne Carey

3 of the best players to ever play the game ..what colour are they ?

 

[ming65]

From what I've read the physical differences within racial groups is far greater than any difference between them.

Like Che Cockatoo Collins said - there are plenty of Aboriginal footballers who are shit.

There was some thought that African/American footballers and runners have a higher crural index (short thigh/long lower leg) which makes for better leverage when jumping and running - but otherwise their is very little proof of any biological differences.

Like this boffin says

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3293729

The explanation of why black athletes dominate so many sports is most probably sociological.

I grew up playing footy with Nyoongar boys and my explanation as to why they take so strongly to the game is sociobiological.

Aussie rules is one of the few contact sports that requires a 360 degree awareness,

Aboriginal culture is almost completely contextual/relative - there are very few absolutes. From a young age aboriginal people see themselves as part of something - mostly land and family.

In short - a white fella tends to run to a contest seeing themselves, their opponents and the ball. A black fella runs to a contest with a continually refreshing 3D snapshot of where eveyone is around them.

Of course their are exeptions to this trait on both sides - but that's what I reckon is the explanation for why aboriginal footballers - if they are lucky enough to have chosen their parents well and recieved good athleticism (cos I remember plenty of heavy/slow Noongar boys growing up) -then they will flourish at our game.

 

[Phil McCreviss]

Leigh Mathews
Gary Ablett
Wayne Carey

3 of the best players to ever play the game ..what colour are they ?

And these Caucasian footballers come from 80% of the total Australian population. The Aboroginals dont have that luxury do they? Compare the numbers - that was the point of the OP.

 

[MacMum]

I believe they are....I would love to see a team of indigenous players only.....they would be a joy to watch...have often thought that if NT came into AFL, it should be indigenous only....they seem so gifted, agile and quick of foot and play on pure instinct...