The use of non-verbal communication by footballers
It is an undisputed fact that in every human endeavour there exists communication. As social animals we need to communicate in order to move our society forward and get it functioning. It is difficult to imagine how life would be if we were not receiving or giving information. Communication is very crucial to existence, so when we communicate, it is an attempt to solve problems or the need for survival. In that case, we would not see survival as mere existence, but rather a meaningful existence.
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It is in this context that communication becomes extremely necessary and indispensable. Communication occurs at many levels in many different ways, and among most beings, as well as certain machines. Several, if not all fields of study, dedicate a portion of attention to communication, so when speaking about communication it is very important to be sure about what aspects of communication one is speaking about.
Football is no exception; by the referees’ whistle, hand movements and indications, they (referees) “speak” silently to administer the game from start to finish. Players equally issue diverse body twists and movements spontaneously, impulsively or consciously to portray different moods and emotions.
There have been cases where receivers of such messages (spectators) have misconstrued such gestures. The consequences have been favourable or unfavourable to either of the parties (sender or receiver).
Definitions of communication range widely with some recognising that animals can communicate with one another, as well as human beings, and some are narrower, only including human beings within the parameters of human symbolic interactions. The English word ‘Communication’ evolved from the Latin word ‘Communis’ (a noun word) which means ‘common’ or ‘Commùnicáre’ (a verb word) which means ‘to share’.
This indicates that we make the meaning of messages as common and shared with others. We emphasise meaning or understanding to enable the participants involved act on the messages sent and received. Communication is the process of exchanging meaningful messages between two or more participants, thus the purpose is to convey (send) and receive the intended meaning through a shared system of signs in relation to the subject under discussion.
The writer concentrates his attention to this write-up on the use of non-verbal communication which is exhibited by most sportsmen, especially footballers while on the field of play. For the purpose of this piece, the writer is concerned with the non-verbal communication some footballers demonstrate on the field of play which does conflict with the intended meanings or interpretations by football fans.
Non-verbal communication simply means sending and receiving messages/information without words and it has a wider spectrum of meaning. Some players demonstrate some signs and inscriptions to show their happiness, love, hatred for, or shame their fans.
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There are a variety of the signs which I believe most football enthusiasts have witnessed, which create tension and misunderstanding among the parties.
I remember there was a sports discussion on Nhyira F.M (June 25, 2015, 104.5 Mhz at 11:10 a.m.), a local radio station in Kumasi, between the host Bright Kankam Boadu and his team of sports analysts, who lambasted a Kumasi Asante Kotoko football player on a non-verbal sign the player made towards the fans after the player had scored a goal in a league match between Asante Kotoko and AshGod F.C.
The assumption was that the player used such a sign to shame the fans for their persistent scolding on his previous performance. Contributions from the pundits indicated that the fans also booed at the player in retaliation to the sign he displayed to them which meant they were uncomfortable with the sign the player demonstrated.
Within four to six minutes, I had tuned into other radio stations (Fox FM at 11:12 a.m.; Angel FM 11:14 a.m.) which were deliberating on the same gesture by the player. In a related development, the radio stations also mentioned the non-verbal signs which were being expressed by an AshGold F.C. football player in the same football league match to the officiating referee which resulted in him (the player) receiving a Red Card which sent him off the field. Monitoring the conversation, I asked myself: Did these players understand their non-verbal signs and their implications?
This has not occurred only in Ghana but let us not forget that most emerged conflicts were as a result of ineffective communication. This informs my readers that the world of communication does not only involve spoken and written messages but there is non-verbal communication (communication without words) which involves the use of time (Chronemics); the use of distance and its relationship to the communication (Proxemics); body language (Kinesics), which includes facial expression; touch (Tactile/Haptic) and the use of the voice as a complement to the spoken language (paralanguage).
So I ask once again, what was the intended meaning of the players’ sign language and the responses they received from the other parties (fans and referee). Communication is understanding and it creates a conflict-free environment when both parties are on the same life situation or on the same wave length, that is, I am Okay, You are Okay.
I stand to advise our football managers and administrators to, in a way, educate their respective football players on how to effectively express their feelings/emotions at any point in time, as expected by their stakeholders. Communication is contextual and dynamic.
By Vincent Nsiah-Agyei,
CSIR-BRRI, Kumasi)