Whenever you see someone succeed, the person who achieved a great placement or feat consistently thanks those who supported them. Still, sometimes, they also include their motivation for why they achieved within their respective sport. Some cite family and friend support, the sport being their passion, representation for a group, or for their own personal goals. A significant thought that never really comes to mind for spectators and people on the sidelines is, “Did that desire stem from their own volition or from others living passing on what they want to that person?” Many have to endure this realization, especially within contact sports. When having that success while enduring physical hardship, parents usually use that sport to instill lessons in their children for the betterment of their children. There can be both positives and negatives that can stem from using contact sports as a way to instill values within their child. Even within my own experiences, my parents wanted me to engage in contact sports, and I was happily excited to participate. Still, within my own experiences, I’ve met many people who felt like they had to join because of parental obligation, instead of feeling like a supplement for their development. A big issue I see early on is a highly early burnout for these players. Still, some stay strong and accept that this is part of their life and let that experience mold them, basically becoming numb to what they experience. Outside of physical contact sports, another aspect is the amount of pressure kids face, either directly or indirectly. From personal experience, there were people I knew who couldn’t allow any type of failure. If they did, they would have these moments of frustration where they would just be emotional, frustrated, or completely shut down due to not performing to their standards. A lot of fingers can be pointed towards a multitude of reasons. Still, to put it simply, sports should be foremost used as a tool for fun and the betterment of our children and community, and have a healthy system where competition can thrive, while allowing space for people to develop both on and off the field.
