As we continue to go through these surreal times of the Covid pandemic, we are constantly hearing stories about how can we get back to having sports, should they take place, under what conditions they might take place and all the news surrounding the sense of comfort and normalcy sports can provide whether for those participating or watching.
However, my blog post title does come with a question mark... do sports really have the power to heal ? With everything else going on in the world, are sports really that essential. Should significant resources be put into sports when they might have bigger impact elsewhere? Sports is a fascinating topic, for some people. For some, let's be honest, the eyes tend to glaze over when a game is playing on the television or they witness heated debates about the great sports moments between others. Yet, there is no denying that sports are very important to some of the people, that it is important to understand what’s happening so that you can truly understand why sports can solicit such intense and passionate responses by some many people. At the basis of it all, sports are an important relationship-bonding event. However, when you look the why sports appear to so many, you have to keep in mind that they are a global phenomenon that has endured through the ages. All the revenue sports generate and the resources that that are thrown into sports are not pocket change. Not to mention sports at its highest levels are about incredible feats the physical (and mental) that we sometimes can't imagine the human body accomplishing. But sports are even more than dollars, great displays of physical prowess and passionate discussions among fans. Sports are about the stimulation the sense receive as we approach the start of the season. For me, when I started coaching ( and before coaching soccer became a 12 month / year commitment), sport was about the sights, sounds and smells that came with spring leading into the start of practicing. Sports have this amazing, unique way of making a positive impact in society. Whether it's helping children, communities or even nations, sports make a difference on a daily basis. Sure, nothing is all sunshine and lollipops, but there is good being done with sports as the platform. Team and player foundations are raising money for worthy causes, major events are boosting local economies and kids are encouraged to get out and get active. So instead of focusing on off-the-field scandals or even the games themselves, let’s take a few moments to focus on nothing but the positives. Sports provide a platform for people to come together and support their country, city, groups with common traits. International events like the Olympics and the World Cup serve as a point around which to rally and show national pride and unity. Sports also have the power to lift people up in times of turmoil. Look no further than examples like The Miracle on Ice during the 1980 Olympics which came at a time when tensions were high in the Cold War, South Africa’s 1995 Rugby World Cup victory helped a nation heal from decades of Apartheid, not to mention that entire ideal behind the Olympics of conflicts coming to a close so people could share in sporting events ( although let's be honest, the Olympic is flawed as politics now play such a huge role. Along with national pride goes city pride. There is a certain togetherness, a certain camaraderie that total strangers can achieve simply by virtue of living in the same city and rooting for the same team. Here in Montreal we have seen the passion hockey can ignite in true fans, like the Richard Riot in 1955 which was as much about sport as it was about culture identity ( you can find more about this riot via this link en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Riot or if you've ever lived a Stanley Cup parade down Ste Catherine's it is a sight of wonder ( ok we are waiting since 1993 for another one). Ask young children who their role models are, and I bet a good amount of them would name an athlete. Young people who look up to athletes might be more likely to get out and play sports themselves. Not to mention sports have so many benefits to our youth that go far beyond the on field accomplishments. Besides helping children get active and healthy, sports participation can have other major benefits such as mental well-being and increased self-esteem. Many studies also find that sports can have a significant impact on employment outlook as well reaching the conclusion that young people who were active in high school or youth sports had a better career outlook and performed better in their jobs later in life. I know this sounds hokey, but one of the most positive things about sports is the pure, unadulterated joy that can result—for the players, coaches, fans and everyone involved. Sports are emotional, and they can incite great passion. Sometimes it’s joyful, and other times it’s not. But anytime something can bring out that range of extreme, raw emotion in people, it’s a good thing. One of my favorite sports related speeches was given my Jim Valvano during the 1993 Espys www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E He shared about his passion for sports and the role they played in his life. So maybe, when we are going through all this weird, uncertainty, scary time, where our pastimes are limited, where travel is near impossible, where human contact is reduced and at a premium, some level of sport, any sport, might just be what we need....... Stanley Cup playoffs in the summer... 2020 is weird but still no Stanley Cup for us
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AuthorAfter many years of coaching at various levels and with different teams, I thought I would share some of my experiences and thoughts about coaching. Archives
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