Sports Culture

Countless essays and papers have been published on the benefits of how exercise and sports can actually improve your schoolwork, and get you more motivated mentally and physically. But what if you’re just not one of those people who enjoy sports? Can you still get those benefits of straight A’s, a good physique, and a clear mind? How serious can it be?

For starters, everyone is different. We grow up with different interests and some of them never reach the basis of sports entertainment or even being an athlete. Growing up, we have definitely been familiar with sports culture.

Parents might have thrown their kids to compete in T-ball tournaments, or actually thrown them in the pool. Why? Because they think hard work goes together with athletic achievement. Academic intelligence is believed to be an “innate talent” whereas athleticism is said to be achieved through training, practice, and discipline.

Though this is true, it is also not. Intelligence is certainly not innate. And no amount of training will send us to the professional league. Some important factors that influence academic or athletic success, are a combination of genetics, intelligence, and hard work.

Academics can only get you so far. American colleges look for sports participation, as well as music, community service, and other artistic avenues. These assets can improve your admission process, and higher considerations for a scholarship. For some, even if the grades are perfect and you get the green light to Cornell, there’s still no way to afford it, so this added skill set, can help immensely.

Only if you truly are passionate, can sports reap the many benefits in our lives. Skyline student, Orlando Reyes, may not currently be participating in sports as he used to, but still feels passionate about the entertainment aspect of it.

“When it comes to sports, I think conversation dominates. As long as you know the rules and how the game works, you can bring it up anywhere and carry it into work and school conversations. They’ve also brought the sport into gaming too, which is, in a way, more room to compete if you’re not an athlete.”

Competition is actually another very important aspect that is not only in sports culture, but in our competitive nature and the American way of life, including business, the tight labor market and our financial system. Sports can encourage this nativity in us, and not only teach us competition, but failure as well.

The more one experiences failure, the more they build a tolerance for it, henceforth preparing oneself better for the next time around. Whether it is mentally or physically, the ability to bounce back from failure, is essential to literally get over life’s hurdles.

In the spirit of sports preparation, discovering your talent, something you enjoy, can enable the grit to push yourself—as with achieving good grades and such—but in this case, a physically stimulating aspect.

Ovie Ogege, a Skyline student, said that “Passion in sports, just like in anything else, can help strengthen belief in ourselves and give us a sense of pride.”

Cheers from an audience in a sports environment, brings people and communities together, and gives players instant gratification from society and personal fulfillment. During practice, players can gain leadership and interpersonal skills, teamwork and discipline.

The discipline aspect is one of the greatest lessons learned according to both athletes and their coach.

“Sports teach you about life, most importantly teamwork, dedication and discipline. It starts spilling into other areas of your life and you become a better person because of it.” said Eddy Harris, the assistant coach of the men’s basketball team.

In addition to the motivation and encouragement that sports give you, so do the players in the game. Born a foster child, Toby Ezra has played a variety of sports and feels part of a family when he’s with his team.

“It’s also taught me a lot about how to schedule my life properly. Taking an hour out of my day to exercise, wake up early, or go to practice.” Said Ezra. “This kind of discipline can make us feel more accomplished.”

Whatever your philosophy is on sports culture, make sure it’s not forgotten. It is the highest form of human nature that spills out into all aspects of our lives. As it unfolds in real time, we can follow the games, listen to the scores, and let the inner child out. It is non-scripted, built on personal resilience and dedication, despite it’s players that are respectfully unlike anyone else.