Sports, Society, and Me

Starting at the age of five my parents placed me on a soccer team. Rather this was to get me physically active or get me social within my peers I am not quite sure, but I would like to think it was a good-hearted attempt at both. Through my adolescence I played soccer, baseball, basketball, and football, yet soccer still seemed to be my calling. Perhaps this was because it was the first sport I played (and also happened to be the best at), and all of my friends played it as well. Through sports as a child I was able to really experience the four dimensions of sport ethic first hand. I was able to experience pain and sacrifice in order to win games, and I was able to seek distinction in my area by winning our first state championship of the decade.

Now, I am experiencing sport in a much different way than I did as a child, but likely much more enjoyable. I now snowboard, and even though this sport is on the side of a mountain, deep in the snow, it is still a sport nonetheless. I still sacrifice my body daily, as well as seek distinction, etc., but in a much different way than before.  Instead of putting in extra hours at the soccer field trying to perfect my penalty shot so that when placed in the right moment, my team and I may reign victorious, I send myself off of 25 foot gaps practicing my rotations in the air for eventual competition. Both involve the sacrifice of the body in order to gain distinction.

Sports in the society are very highly valued, rather it is Texas High School football, University of Colorado basketball, or Denver Broncos professional football, according to Eizen, all sports have extremely important roles in society. First and foremost, sport can really bring together a community. The Oklahoma City Thunder were able to bring together a neighboring community after a horrible tornado that killed dozens by going out as star professional athletes and getting their hands dirty, helping out others in the process (http://onlyagame.wbur.org/2013/05/25/thunder-support-community). This alone shows that sport can be examined outside of the ball field, and that teammates can be teammates on and off the court.