Americans have long believed that sports are one area in society that offers kids from all backgrounds the chance to succeed to the best of their abilities.
But new research suggests that this belief is largely a myth, and that success in high school and college athletics often is influenced by race and gender, as well as socioeconomic status, including family wealth and education.
"We often think about sports as level playing fields that reward people who earn their success, but that's not the whole story," said Chris Knoester, co-author of the studies and professor of sociology at The Ohio State University.
"Success depends a lot on the advantages young people have when they grow up."
