My defense of sports

Three weeks, or four weeks tops into my gym fitness come back and I’m feeling quite sure of myself.  I also just wrote a short story about baseball this past week. And on Sunday the Superbowl will be played.  So in this entry, which will be brief since it’s past midnight on a work night, I will defend sports.

As a child I tried soccer, then baseball, before I fell in love with skateboarding in middle school and high school. Skateboarding albeit a unique one is a sport in my opinion because it takes athletic ability, one progresses at it, and there is a judgment of what is good or not.

When I focused on skating when I was younger after school each day I would spend hours at a time trying to learn.  Before I was old enough to drive, a lot of times I would be outside practicing and would come home only when it was time for dinner. Today there is a change in society were kids after school simply want computer time or to play with gadgets.  It’s sad that a lot of kids are inactive.

This is a digression, but a lot of people say that childhood obesity is a product of unhealthy food choices. I’m sure that is part of it, but I’d be willing to bet that lack of activity has more to do with the nationwide problem.

I think kids should be motivated to play sports, and for that they need to be inspired by something. They need to see on television or better in person something that makes them wonder how did that person do that. Every kid needs to see something athletic that gives him or her this reaction; how is that possible? I want to be able to do that, and I’m going to practice until I can do that.  For kids to be inspired there needs to be professional sports, and a goal to attain or dream about.

A lot of people see professional sports as a childish dream that does not mesh with the adult world. I think the skill displayed in any sport at that level makes as much impact on society as artists, musicians, and maybe even writers. This brings the question of what is more of value, intellectual pursuits, or sports.   Of course we need artists, musicians, and writers, but I think athletes can be put in cultural significance as well. Each of these disciplines takes incredibly hard work, but sports do not get the credit for making one think, but all athletes can think through situations in a very quick manner.

I never watched much football until I started watching some games with my roommate about eight years ago. When you watch a full game you see the strategy involved by the plays, and also the coordination it takes. My favorite play that you see regularly in football is when a receiver catches a ball near the sideline, and manages to keep his feet inbounds while running a full pace. I can’t imagine to focus on catching a ball, and to know precisely where your feet are.  Millions of kids want to be able to do that, and if they practice toward it I think that’s okay.

In high school I ran track only for two years, my junior and senior year. Even though in my adult years, my exercise routines are sporadic, I know how to get in shape from running. I think the more kids fall in love with sports, and are given the opportunity and support to practice, society will be healthier because healthy kids more than likely became healthy adults.