Discourse Community

   As I have grown older I have realized that I belong to many groups or communities. I'm in these groups because the people in them share the same interests and views. To outsiders looking in we might be confusing, but to us it's an everyday thing. There are three specific groups that i am very fond of; golf, football, and fitness. Within these three groups I can connect with other members on a different level than someone who is not simply because we are bonded together due to our similar hobbies.
   My first discourse community I'm involved in is golf. Every since I was young I enjoyed the game of golf. It was not until high school, however, that i realized golf was my true passion. I grew up playing baseball year round and I was pretty good, but because I played so much I just got burned out. My brother invited me to play a round of golf one weekend with him and ever since then I was hooked. From there on out I was golfing every opportunity I had and I eventually became good. Now if you catch me with my golfing buddies you might be confused with our conversation when you hear words like slice, hook, fringe, or bunker. To you outsiders a slice is when you hit the ball and it goes from left to right. These words are everyday vocabulary to us golfers but to outsiders we might seem like we are from a different country.
   My second discourse community is football. Growing up in the south, especially in Alabama, almost everyone is a football player or fan. From birth my dad installed the basics of football, and as I matured the passion only grew. From touchdowns to interceptions and false starts to offsides, I could talk for days on football. For example, when a player "false starts" he moves before the ball is snapped. Now when it comes to The University of Alabama football, I can name player after player. The Crimson Tide have always been my team.
  My third and final discourse community I'm in is fitness. As a young kid I was not the smallest boy, I loved to eat . Eventually this caught up to me when I reached high school. I was overweight and unhealthy. I told myself after two years of being overweight that I was no longer going to live like this. I started running and eating healthier and soon enough the pounds started coming off. Now five years later I exercise five days a week. Exercising is a part of my daily routine. On most days you can find me in the gym or the track with my workout buddies. They help me stay committed and focused so that i will not go back to my old habits. If you are around me when I'm exercising you might hear me say, "I need a spot", or "I'm going to max today", which means I am going to attempt to lift the most possible weight. These are just a few examples of my everyday workout conversations that help we communicate with other people in the discourse community.
    These three groups are apart of my live on a daily basis. Without them I would defiantly not be the same person. They are not only apart of my life, but in my families. They help us stay connected with each other and truly have an important role.