Email Article

Printable Page

Does Intimacy Affect the Score? Opinions Differ

By Brian C. Browley and Marcus Norris
Black College Wire

Despite all the myths, rumors and legends of how pregame sex can affect an athlete�s performance, the issue is still debatable.

Opinions differ among the sexes and among athletes, coaches, doctors and observers of sports in general. There are purists who believe that engaging in sexual activity prior to an athletic contest can diminish an athlete�s ability to meet his or her usual standards. But others say sex can actually enhance athletic performance � be it mentally or physically.

So where does the truth lie?

�Researchers believe it has more to do with the individual�s overall physical fitness and stamina,� said Helen Lilliard, human sexuality professor at Tennessee State University. �It also has more to do with how extensive the sexual activity is before the sporting event.�

Indeed, much of the physical recuperation time after having sex depends on an individual�s physical conditioning. But for many, sex is much more than a physical act. The mental aspect can be far more significant when it comes to an athlete being able to focus and accomplish field goals or score in a game.

Some athletes practice sex as a pregame ritual. But when no partner is available, problems can develop from an inconsistency in habit.

�I think that it�s both mental and physical,� said senior Tigerbelle Marhonte Tennial. �If it�s a routine for you, and you don�t get it on a particular day, you might not be able to focus.�

Studies throughout the years have tried to correlate the impact of sex on athletes, but no conclusive evidence has been found.

�I don�t know if it does or doesn�t� affect athletic performance, said Jerita Powell, a junior majoring in business management. But, she added, �I don�t think it should.�

Personally, sex is just sex,� said Carlos Wright, a junior tight end for the TSU football team. �I can�t tell if it makes me weak or not.�

In a 1995 study by sports specialist Tommy Boone, it was suggested that sex might actually boost athletic performance. When sex chemicals like endorphins and serotonin are released after having sex, an athlete might actually get a second wind. This could help in such sports as long-distance running, football and basketball, where athletes are required to maintain a level of energy and concentration.

�I guess it�s good,� said sophomore football player Charles Anthony. �You�re more focused, when you go out (because) things tend to happen.�

Sophomore guard Jeremy Jackson agrees with the notion that tranquillity is needed before an athletic event. �You feel relaxed,� he said. �You want to be relaxed and have your mind clear before anything you do.

Still, coaches over the years have made it a requirement that players be isolated for 24 hours before competing. The thinking is that this helps the athlete to focus entirely on the game. Wright acknowledged that the football coaches do take the team to a secluded area before each home game to keep the athletes� minds on the game, and not other extracurricular activities.

�I think the coaches secluding the football team away is good,� said Tony Davis, a senior drum major for the TSU Aristocrat of Bands. �They need to have a clear head and focus on the game and not on some girl.�

Some athletes feel that coaches are overstepping their bounds and that the setting of rules for their athletes� sex lives is unfair and unnecessary.

�I�m a strong believer in someone not dictating the things you do,� Tennial said. �I�m emotionally androgynous, I�ll go and turn off that switch and perform.�

Some say a large venue or an important game can increase the potential for sexual activity before athletic performance.

�It�s a lot of temptation,� Anthony said. �You�re playing a big game, and everyone is looking at you. You�ve got a girl in one ear and coach in another. It�s hard!�

Wilt Chamberlain

Some athletes still insist that their sex drive does not interfere with sports and may even help their performance. The example often given is the NBA�s late legend Wilt Chamberlain, who boasted in his 1991 autobiography, "A View from Above," that from age of 15 to 40, he had sex with 20,000 women.

Earvin "Magic" Johnson, saying he contracted the AIDS virus through heterosexual sex, admitted he "truly lived a bachelor's life" before his marriage, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram recalled last year. He had slept with so many women that he earned the nickname "Buck."

(The NBA, prompted by Johnson's revelation, presents a sexual-health-education program every season. Mosaic Health in Elkridge, Md., conducts a condensed sex-ed class that includes information about sexually transmitted infections and relationship issues. Rookies are required to hear the presentation at the rookie transition program before the season, and veterans receive the lesson annually, the Star-Telegram said.)

It is possible that performance may vary depending on the type and frequency of sexual activities engaged in before sports.

The celebrity status an athlete garners from sports often has a direct effect on his or her sex life. The athletes are expected to perform to their highest ability on the field and in the bedroom. However sex affects athletic performance, one thing is certain: Ego plays a large role.

�If you put all your energy into satisfying a girl, you�re going to be tired,� Anthony said. �And you don�t want to leave a woman unsatisfied, because she will tell her friends.�

Posted March 31, 2003

Brian C. Browley and Marcus Norris are students at Tennessee State University, where they are sports writers for The Meter.