The Endearing Benefits of Sport

The Endearing Benefits of Sport September 20, 2011

I had a recent encounter with an uninspiring co-worker and wondered: what creates such imbalance? Each day in our daily professional lives, we strive to treat employees fairly, we recognize and respect the diversity of our workforce and the individualism of each person while maintaining a dominant market position and continued profitable growth. We are committed to filling each position with the most capable person available. Individual initiative, willingness and the ability to take responsibility, performance, and maintaining a strong communication link between all levels of the organization are criteria for success. But why is it that some people are so good at taking personal responsibility, have a charismatic, shining outlook on life, while others are dull and boring?

I’ve recently come to believe the answer is sport. Our social world is made up of many interconnected systems; it is a stream of behaviors embedded in other systems – a collection of interrelated components involved in unique contexts with unique people. It is through these social experiences that people evolve interpersonally. One of the great motivations in the study of behaviorism is the interpretation of meaning, thus creating a notion that communication is the essence of life…not only the digital forms of social media today, but the tried and true relationships that evolve from childhood.

An article in Parents cited the following benefits of sport:

  • Enjoyment sustained into adulthood
  • Physical fitness
  • Enhanced motor skills
  • Positive self image
  • Balanced perspective in relation to school and community
  • Commitment to the values of teamwork, fair play, and sportsmanship

While this is not at all surprising, I believe the benefit of sport in children extends so much further than what we have come to imagine. It is in the context of this interaction with sports that actually creates meaning for children, building their self image, coloring their experiences with positive emotions and giving them something to look forward to. These actions and behaviors assimilate and then disappear only to preserve such pragmatism in memory. Essentially, the overlap in these interconnections is what forms the basis of sports related values that extend the reach of discipline, dedication, ingenuity, perseverance, and patience into the academic world, the community, and into adulthood, shaping the future, yet revolving around the complexities of interpretation from the primary years.

As parents, we must understand the importance of interpretation and instill positive values of respect and teamwork in our children. That includes stepping back and allowing a coach to do their job without adding your two cents as a spectator. If you think you know more about coaching your son or daughter’s team than the coach does then why don’t you apply for the job? Do your credentials mirror that of the coach? Do you even know what the coaches credentials are? Did you graduate from college while participating in a collegiate level sports training program, or further, a professional athletic program and carry a high grade point average at the same time? If you didn’t, then you should stick to your day job and remain a spectator. The world is full of choices, and a coach has made that career choice. You could have made that choice too. Remember, parents, that individuals are socialized into the world by direct experience and sociobiological (or genetic) factors. So although it appears there is a link between attitude and behavior, what is it that you believe drives perception? The answer is how you model behavior to your children. How long must we wallow in a confused and angry sea of observation with no prospect of navigating a more peaceful and serene context? Get with the program, parents. It is you who is ultimately responsible for the way your children act. If you shout profanities at the individuals who commit their time and effort to the betterment of your children, what message does that send to your children?

The discipline of any sport can be cathartic, rejuvenative, almost harmonizing in the utilitarian system of unregulated egoistic capitalism that we live in today. What we parents need to remember is that the values learned through the involvement with sport create the basis not only for endurance, collaboration, and synergy on the field, but for altruism, fortitude, and tenacity in society. If we all use those endorphins to give a little more without expectation, to encourage balance instead of adversarialism, I think there would be more children who grow up as vibrant, sophisticated, ethical professionals instead of drab, lifeless haters like that co-worker.

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Kate Murray is a web & graphic designer, creator of Vogue Media & Managing Partner of Triumph Virtual Media, an e-marketing strategy firm in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Her dynamic style is influenced mostly by her family, but also by her travels, 10+ years in the corporate financial services industry, and by her ability to genuinely connect with people. Kate has the unique ability to introduce aesthetically pleasing design alongside innovative programing to create a user interface that is both beautiful and functional. She received her Master's of Business Administration in 2003 and her Bachelor of Science in Communication in 1996.