North American Society for the Sociology of Sport :: Société nord-americaine de sociologie du sport :: La Sociedad Norteamericana para la Sociología del Deporte
The North American Society for the Sociology of Sport is organized exclusively for educational purposes to promote, stimulate, and encourage the sociological study of play, games, and sport, to support and cooperate with local, national and international organizations having the same purposes, and to organize and arrange meetings and issue publications concerning the purpose of the Society. The Society shall recognize and represent all sociological paradigms for the study of play, games, and sport and will promote scholarly activity and exchange among these alternative paradigms and perspectives.
The origins of NASSS can be attributed to the efforts of a small group of individuals who, by promoting and supporting the formation of a new society, contributed to the evolution and growth of our present organization.
In 1978, March Krotee organized the 2nd Big Ten CIC Symposium on the Sociology of Sport at the University of Minnesota. This was a well attended conference and many leading scholars in the newly emerging field of sociology of sport were in attendance. At the end of the final session, and after consulting the matter with several interested members, Andrew Yiannakis stood up and called for the formation of a sociology of sport society. Some discussion ensued. A group of about twenty interested members then moved to the lobby of the auditorium (Mayo Memorial Auditorium) and continued debating the issue. The majority of those present endorsed the need to form such a society (there were some mild objections raised) and Yiannakis, who moderated the session, called for the formation of a steering committee. This being agreed to, a committee was formed that was composed of Susan Greendorfer, Lee Vander Velden, Peggy Cramer, Eldon Snyder and Andrew Yiannakis. Yiannakis was appointed Chair of this committee, Susan Greendorfer assumed the position of Treasurer and Lee became the society's Secretary. The committee was entrusted with the task of starting a newsletter, collecting membership dues, planning for an annual conference and investigating the feasibility of starting a journal.
The first newsletter, known as The NASSS Newsletter, was published in December of 1978. Andrew Yiannakis was the first editor. In subsequent issues John Sugden joined the editorial team as associate editor.
Founders: Andrew Yiannakis, Susan Greendorfer
Founding Members: George Sage, March Krotee, Eldon Snyder, Elmer Spreitzer, Lee Vander Velden, Peggy Cramer, Jim Bryant, Merrill Melnick, Tom McIntyre, Janet Harris, Jim Frey, Joel Thirer, Rich Lapchick, Dean Anderson, Gunther Lueschen, Jim Santomeir, Fred Hatfield, Dan Landers and Jim Lapoint.
