Sports, what are sports exactly?
Google the definition of sports and one of the first definitions that popped up for me was the following; an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. However, let's be honest, sports are and have become much more than "just" that simple definition. Look back throughout history and you will find countless examples of how sports, reflect, mirror and affect society. One such example is the whole notion of the Olympic Games. Sporting events were originally associated with funeral rituals, particularly those of heroes and the fallen in battle, but then Olympic Games came to be held very four years at the sacred site of Olympia, in the western Peloponnese, in honor of Zeus, the supreme god of Greek religion. Involving participants and spectators from all over Greece and even beyond, the Games were the most important cultural event in ancient Greece and were held from 776 BCE to 393 CE, a run of 293 consecutive Olympiads. So important were the Games in the ancient world that they were even used as a basis for the calendar. Wars and other disputes were put aside during the course of the games so that individuals from many regions could come together and celebrate. Even the event considered the signature moment of the Olympic games, the marathon, has historical context, with the event being instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, who reported the victory and the race covering the distance he was considered to have run to do so. Move forward to the so called modern Olympic Games and the purpose of these was to promote peace and unity within the international community through the medium of sports. The founder, Pierre de Coubertin, saw the games as a way to bring political enemies together. But , seriously, are the Olympic Games really that, given the money involved, the lengths some will go to cheat in order to win, the economic windfall for the hosts, TV contracts etc, can we really say that the Olympic games are a way to promote peace through sport. Are the Olympics or any other sport really just " an activity physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment"? The pervasiveness of sports worldwide today is undeniable. Pretty much all sports, have become so interwoven into the fabric of families, friendships, and business connections, it can be argued that sport plays a role in shaping the minds and lives of individuals of all ages. Take a closer look at sports and you will find that they are a microcosm for many of society's realities when it comes to socio-economic issues, gender and culture disparities, and a means by which many individuals, organizations and countries try to promote themselves. Social and cultural bonding through sports, which extends beyond the playing field to activities such as parents playing sports with their children or families and friends tailgating before their favorite team's game, helps shape the values of those involved. Conversely, it could be argued that sports journalism describes athletics in ways that reflect people's cultural, economic, and moral values. So, in a social climate characterized by corporate executives fabricating financial records, employees cheating employers, and thousands falsifying their reported taxes, it should come as no surprise that many athletes, coaches, sport administrators, and owners choose to cheat in sports--whether in class, during games, while recruiting, or in gaining economic and competitive advantages. Today, looking out for one's own self-interest often seems to trump everything else inside, and outside of, sports. Many coaches, athletes, sport administrators, and owners even claim that "if you are not cheating, then you are not trying hard enough to win."
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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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