Some Like Football, some like cricket and some others are mad about Basketball. Sports have a special place in our lives and they have become more than just a medium of keeping us entertained in the past few decades. Sports keep the competitive spirit alive in us and help in keeping our body and minds healthy at the same time. Everyone has their favourite sport but their benefits in our lives are almost the same. There’s more to sports than the on-field brawls, heated exchanges, intimidating stares, heroic instances, victories and defeats. Sports are a way of life and we learn to play by rules and play fair when we indulge in playing or watching different sports activities.
The sports industry is a full-fledged industry worth billions today and it gives hope to millions of people across the globe. At the end of any sporting event, we are left with some glimpses including the off-field scandals, on-field blunders and defining moments. But there’s always more to see than what meets the eye. The hard work of the athletes, the dedication of the ground workers and the support of the team management.
Sports always give you an opportunity to start again no matter how many times you have been grounded. Never-ending spirit is integral to a sportsman’s character. There’s a lot more positivity with sports around. It impacts our lives positively in a lot of ways and we are keen to share some of those ways with you.
Positive Impact Of Sports
Generating Employment
There’s no bigger service than feeding the hungry. Well, the sports industry feeds millions of families. The sports industry is one of the highest revenue making industries and it employs millions of people apart from the athletes themselves. The sports industry employs nearly 5 lakh people in America alone. It employs more than 5 lakh people in India. One can imagine the scale of employment produced by the sports industry globally. This translates into at least 3-4 million people earning their bread with the help of the sports industry if the global figures are taken into account.
National Unity
A nation is a big entity in itself and it is normal to have differences over certain issues. But if these differences are not balanced, the unity and peace of a nation can be hampered. Sports provides a platform for people from different classes, caste, religion and ideologies to come together and support the team playing under their country’s flag. There is no bigger uniter than sports as it brings people together cheering for the same cause.
Role Models
For children to grow up into successful individuals, a country needs role models. Sports fulfil this requirement as the legends of any game act as great influencers for the younger generation. The Youth looks up to them and want to be like them. Any good thing a legend of the game does, they try to copy or emulate. This helps immensely in the character building of the younger generation. This is why athletes are always advised to behave in the best possible way and lead by example.
Upliftment
South Africa Cricket board provides reservation to the oppressed Black community in the team. Similar practices are followed by several other teams in different sports. Sports play a proactive role in eliminating discriminatory practices in society. Every individual irrespective of origin, colour, financial status or religion, is given equal opportunities. This is great for the upliftment of the oppressed class and helps in building strong relations between different communities.
Never Give Up Attitude
When Sachin Tendulkar underwent several surgeries, many thought his career was over, but the master overcame all the challenges and went on to score 100 centuries. Roman Reigns battled leukaemia and yet fought like a star inside the ring. All this was possible because of the never give up attitude. Sports teaches us all an important life lesson and it is that you should always have the courage to get up and start again no matter how many times and how hard you fall.
Team Spirit
Whether it is football, cricket or hockey, all these are team games. Only good team players can form a good team and take it on the path of victory. Selfishness and team games can’t go hand in hand. What matters is putting the team above personal interests and working for a collective goal. A goalkeeper can’t go and hit the goal just for the sake of getting the limelight. When you watch or play a sport you understand that everyone has a certain role and they must stick to it for success.
Boosting The Economy
Sports not only create jobs. Wherever a sporting event goes money follows. In this globalised world, organising international sports events means welcoming spectators from different parts of the world. This means a boost for the tourism and hospitality industry. In addition, the government or respective authorities earn huge money in taxes from the organisers. This means profit for everyone. The sports industry is a major economic booster in today’s world.
Learning Continues
No one is perfect and sports prove it right everytime. No matter how great a player one is, there will be always someone better than them wanting to take their place. This is why one needs to keep learning from their mistakes and their opponents’. It is the only way to sustain for a long time when you are up against so many competitors. Sports teach us that learning is an endless cycle and no amount of skills are enough.
Emotions
Whether it is the Premier League, the Cricket World Cup or the Davis Cup, all these big events bring a lot of emotion with themselves. Excitement, happiness, disappointment, frustration, satisfaction, nervousness and fear. When we continue to watch or play a game, we encounter these feelings regularly and we learn to deal with them over time. Sports teach us to keep our emotions under control and prevent them from dictating the terms.
