YOUTH| Sports and Society

by: Christopher Cohen

Sports in the United States ranks among the top forms of entertainment not only nationwide, but also worldwide. All over the world young basketball, baseball, and hockey players train day and night hoping for the improbable opportunity of playing for a professional sports team in the renowned NBA, MLB, and NHL leagues that are viewed by millions across the world. 

Here in the U.S. millions of children grow up participating in local youth and travel leagues. Many can attest to being former amateur athletes participating in youth baseball or basketball alongside many of our friends and classmates. Now more than ever it seems that such a large percentage of people begin playing at a young age and continue onto play into early adulthood. A good many people retain their athletic prowess throughout their lives, yet most retire from that consistent exercise at some point earlier in their lives. Sports provide an excellent means of socializing with others, sharing similar interests (minimum the sport) on top of providing a great way to stay in shape and establish personal discipline. Sports allow an enjoyable way to socialize and progress smoothly into the competitive adult world. Athletes learn earlier than most the structure of a dog eat dog world. The atmosphere fashioned in youth sports carries over for most into their adult lives thus inflicting many unseen consequences. 

Youth sports are possibly the most common form of interaction besides public education here in the United States. Who doesn’t remember at one time or another learning to throw a baseball or football, kick a soccer ball or kickball, or shoot a basketball alongside countless others who would become your greatest friends and teammates or grow to become your fiercest rivals? Although sports are very competitive physically and emotionally they do provide the friendliest of means by which to conduct healthy competition in a social atmosphere. Yet ultimately we all want to be the best, to make the game winning shot, to win the MVP award, and win the glorifying championship. Early on we learn that if we work hard we will be the best. This is when a different element of sports comes into play. 

On the road to immortality amongst the greats most lose sight of the game they’ve come to love and instead focus on the accolades to be earned. The object of playing turns into competing for the trophies, awards, and medals to be shown off for recognizing certain accomplishments. In the process competitive lust is flourished as youths battle it out to be the star of the team. This is an brilliant means by which to get children to work hard and strive for excellence, yet what goes on inside one’s head is as important is what’s exhibited on the field. 

Chasing after greatness is a tough and gritty game. One must wear a thick skin in order to go after being on top. The most important part of sports involves the mental component specifically attributable to each player. Playing, practicing, and resting interchange on a daily basis, yet the mental component is always active. How we approach our chosen sport(s) is just as important as how we play. Most people go and play sports only to complain about how tired they’ve gotten from playing. Others discuss what they worked on and what they contributed to the team in the practice or game. Fewer continue to play alone long after everyone else has left the field and the lights have gone out. The ones who stay later are more often than not the stars. It is unquestionable that practice makes perfect. I believe it is equally important to be prepared mentally, both for the physicality competitive sports requires as well as being prepared for the competition, competition that very well could outperform you. You can believe that you are the best and that there is no one like you, or you can believe there will always be someone better. I believe too many fall under the category of believing that someone else is better rather than believe in themselves. I believe that this angry and jealous feeling transitions for many people from youth sports to adult society. 

We must remember that every world champion started as a beginner somewhere. David Ortiz didn’t always hit home runs out of the park. Lebron James wasn’t always known as the king of the court. Even Tiger Woods had his fair share of losses, as he and the others I just name have and will continue to suffer throughout their careers. Nobody can start off as a master. Years and years of training and practice go into perfecting and mastering any craft or sport. So when we see the professionals on TV hitting home runs, scoring touchdowns, and winning championships we don’t see the hours they put in before stepping on the field. What we see growing up involves only the accomplishments and awards. We see our idols do it, and so then we want to do it. But we can’t always win. We don’t always receive the trophy we wanted. We don’t always have the best teammates. And we certainly are not always going to perform better than before. We always hit slumps just as we do in real life. When most people hit the slumps they get discouraged, pout, or complain because things aren’t working out. Many begin to give less and less effort along the way and begin to settle into the positional roles of those that assist the superstar which is just as victorious, yet majorly dissatisfying to the many. So now I ask to the many, what is there to do after years and years of sports games and practices don’t work out with the million dollar deal playing for your dream team? 

After all those years we’re programmed to focus on only one thing: find a job and be the very best. We begin to look into jobs and careers that stick out and interest us, or more often listen to what others believe we would be good at or should do. Advice can be good in certain situations, but I believe that deciding the path one follows should be a personal decision free from the influence of the outside world of opinion. Who really knows ourselves better than ourselves? But after all the years of listening to this person and that person tell you to play this and that and see others win the trophies and championships you wanted what else is there to do besides just sit, watch, and listen as life continuously passes by. After a life of following the structure of sports programs many fail to see anything besides the scheduled definitive order of society’s perception of life. Many don’t discover what their passion is, what they were truly meant to do at the most important time of their life when their supposed to know after completing high school. Most people have no idea what college major they wish to declare, and even more choose one they don’t necessarily like because of the promise of more money or because someone told them that’s what they believe they should do. Similar to youth sports many people simply settle into position in everyday society because there told do so rather than choosing for themselves. I believe it’s sad that most people don’t discover their passion for life, but I find it sadder that many never find it at all. 

I’m not blaming the youth sports programs or sports industry for anything. I believe that sports are an excellent social creation for means of interaction and healthy competition. I do place blame on how we as a society view the sports world as a lifestyle and the ultimate path to success. If people believe this they will not approach their own lives and professions with nearly the same zest that propelled them in their younger days. And if that zest was absent long before due to too many defeats on the playground then what is there to keep us pushing on to find pleasure and happiness in the world around us. I believe many find life dark and dissatisfying because they’re weren’t able to accomplish the goals they sought after in youth sports, and that those resenting feelings transition into their approach to the real world of adult life. I believe that a large percentage of our population has fallen victim to the worst creation of youth sports: the talent myth. The belief that someone is better than you or another due to their genetic makeup or natural ability is the most atrocious excuse constructed. Steve Jobs said it best when he stated, “Everything you know of as life was constructed by no one more or less smarter than you” and once you truly believe this you see how true it really is. Youth sports is for many the initial introduction to this excuse, as many succumb to its philosophy that envelopes their life. 

We must acknowledge how youth sports have shaped our society and its individuals developmentally and socially in order to correct the imperfections with the system. Sports should absolutely be an element of the youthful experience and social interaction, but we mustn’t forget that bones and muscles whither and weaken someday. For a time sports may consume our lives, yet our brain must always be on its a-game to get us through day by day. If our brain is sending us mixed and conflicting messages how are we to determine what is and is not the best route for each of us. The sports world clouds our focus of who and what we want to become. Maybe if we take a step back from the ‘me first’ mentality we will rediscover our love for the games, and perhaps discover a hidden part of ourselves that makes us whole and fulfilled.