Sports is one of the most influential physical activity in society to date. In a significant percentage, sports have affected how people socialize. Games have affected individuals differently. Many people have made sports part of their lives and others don’t care much about sports or physical activities. Sports have positive impacts on their lives. People make a living out of games, sports have been used as a therapeutical mode of treatment to those that need therapy of sports kind.
On the other hand, sports have had some negative impact—for instance; they are causing injuries to participants. Different sporting activities have evolved over the years in our way that they have become modernized and have impacted a lot in society.
Personal sportographies
I have played different sports in my life. While in second grade, i played both table tennis and badminton. I would say the two games have made me who i am today because they require an active and focused body and mind. Which is what i adopted to having. I remember it all started when i visited the indoor games arena in our school. Saw how much fun the players were having, and there it hit me, i had an interest in the indoor games. So wherever i got a break, i started training. I was able to learn table tennis first, which i settled to as my main game of playing, and then, later on, i learned badminton, which was even more fun. At first, i played for fun. We got along so well with my teammates, and i loved playing with them. My coaches were the best. They were so supportive and helpful. And we would even play with them as we learned more about the games and this made us better players. Over the weekend, on Saturday, we had seasons. We would play against other teams, and it was all an experience of another level. I was one of the major players in our school table tennis team. I remember how tense it was while playing not wanting to let my team down and, above all, my mom and dad, who were always at my games. I gave it my best, and in most seasons, our team won. My best part during the seasons was time for team pictures. The joy of getting to show off my games uniform. I even made sure i took pictures alone after we had taken the team pictures, and then later we took some with my mom and dad. These were all joyful moments and especially if we had a win on our team. I interacted with so many people and made so many new friends i different schools. Sports impacted positivity in me. I got so good at socializing and improved on my self-confidence young as i was.
In seventh grade, before i joined the middle school, i tried to play handball. It wasn’t a game i was sure about, i did not know if i would enjoy it, but to my surprise, it turned out to be so fun. It became a necessity for me to survive. i started so weakly in the game in my first years, but over the time i got better. I made a lot of new friends whom we even exchanged contacts and would check up on each other while not in school. I was playing for a club team, and we were like a family. I considered my handball teammates, my second family. We were so close.
My family was supportive all the way and encouraged me to be the best i could. They were there to cheer me up while i was playing. My dad was always on the sidelines, pushing me to the limits. He wanted me to be the best. I remember hearing him in every game critiquing every move i made and yelling. His scrutiny got old with time and affected my performance because i each time i listened to my dad’s voice during the games i felt discouraged an thought to myself i was never going to be the best he wanted. To him, everything i did was wrong.
I didn’t try out for the school team until i was in eighth grade. Because i was so attached to my younger teammates who were still in sixth grade and so i waited till they reached seventh grade while i was in eighth grade so that we could try out for the school team together.
Tryouts came, i participated. Once they were over, i was cut out. I didn’t make it for the school team. I was not as good as the rest. It was heartbreaking because deep down, i knew i was a good player. I knew all the years, practice, and patience i had put into handball should have rewarded me. It felt like no one had seen my efforts, and everyone was just unfair to me. Before i left for home after tryouts, feeling so devastated, i heard the couch call out my name, with my anger i ran to him, and he told me that there had been a mistake. I had made it to the school handball team, and so henceforth i would play for the leading side. It was unbelievable. My efforts were noticed, henceforth, played for the school team throughout my eighth grade.
In ninth grade, that was my first year in high school. I also tried out for the school’s handball team. I figured it would be a smooth join since i had become such a good player. Practice during these games was robust. We ran several laps around the field before the games even started. I participated in the tryouts but did make it to the list. It was so discouraging. I just walked to pick my bag and go home. I remember meeting my teammates as i was going to pick my bag, and they asked whether i had made it to the team and feeling so sad, i just said no. I even cried when i thought of it. Imagine all my friends had made it to the team, but i didn’t.
With time, i had to move on from my disappointment. I hang on to the belief that i was good at handball. I still loved the sport and the impact it had created in me. I even continued attending handball games and also played the game for fun. At some point, not making it to the team did not matter. One time i attended handball practice, and the coach asked if i could be their be equipment manager, and i refused. I had utterly dispatched myself from the team and wanted to find and have fun in it. I just didn’t want any more heartbreak from not being part of the team. It wasn’t a give up for me sports has remained a part of me even though for fun.
Other Personal Sportographies
I managed to talk to my grandparents and asked them their experience with sports back in the days when they were young. I wanted to find out whether they had the opportunity to participate in any competitions and which sports were there back in the days. My grandfather, with a huge smile, talked of how much soccer was a popular game back in their school days. It was his favorite sport. That was back in the 1960s. Together with his friends, they would improvise balls and play all day long during the weekend. At school, they had the opportunity to play after their lessons. He talked of how they had interschool soccer competitions with neighboring schools, how they were able to socialize and make new friends. Unfortunately, back in those days, sports were only for the male gender.
My grandmother didn’t have much to say concerning sports. Even as much as she enjoyed watching the boys play soccer and wanted to be a part of the game, girls were not allowed to participate. Anyhow, she played some games with her family in the compound. She added that gender inequality was much common back in those days and so females didn’t have many opportunities as males.
I also talked to my mom about her experience with sports back in her school days. She played volleyball. MY mom getting to play is a clear indication of sports evolvement. My grandmother didn’t get to play any sport at all, but my mother had n opportunity to play. She also added that they played for fun and a way of forgetting any stress one might have. Winning wasn’t the plan. Gender inequality was also a concern during my mom’s time.
Nevertheless, not so many women had an interest in sports. Sports enabled my mom to understand their positive social effects. It wasn’t just a matter of winning and having so many trophies but a way of just having fun and being happy.
There are notable changes when i get to compare my experiences in sports to that of my grandparents and my mom’s. Games have become more engaging and renowned not only in schools but all over. Playing fields have been built across the globe so that people can play or rather participate in one way or the other. Technology has also played a significant impact on sports by mobilizing people even to participate more, get engaged, and get informed on how different games are played. Times have changed, and gender inequality is no longer an issue. Any gender can participate in any game. Sports are the key most of our social life. They help in instilling discipline in children and help them grow to great people. Including professional athletes.
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