For me sports was, and continues to be an outlet for pent up energy and stress. I remember my Mother telling me that as a child I had seemingly unlimited stores of energy. Such energy that a doctor tried to prescribe some sort of Ritalin-like medicine to essentially tell my brain to "chillax." Well the more I think about this Doctor and the diagnosis I was given the more I wish I could kick him squarely in the balls. I'd like to ask him a few questions based on everyday observations I've seen from interaction with children:
1) Doc, do you have any idea why childhood obesity is on the rise? Is it perhaps because incompetent parents and teachers would rather feed kids a magic pill to relax them than to urge them to enjoy the simple pleasures that may be found in the fresh air? Do the even more incompetent doctors who are responsible for countless misdiagnoses suffer any consequence, or do they see the children as a long-term investment? You must know they'll be back in a few years for a stronger dose and that the cycle is sure to continue right on into adulthood. Good money?
2) What sort of message are we sending our youth when at the ages of 5 and 6 we are already medicating them and instilling within that pills will always be there to fix their problems? Like when you get older and you have trouble sleeping. Don't attempt to exercise, a better diet, or your go-to method of stress relief. Take this pill. Drop another dime into the multi-billion black hole that is America's prescription drug industry.
3) Did you realize that c. 20 years after our only encounter you'd have the power to side-track me from the original intent of this evening's posting?
Well Doc, that's enough questions. You're beginning to distract me.
Instead of writing about each facet of sports that I believe is valuable, I think I'll make a list to save both you and I some time. We both saw how the above became a fictional grilling session of a doctor...
1. Healthy stress release (see above)
2. Sense of camaraderie. This is extremely important in a child's life and may be found in youth leagues across the nation. Sports is one of the BEST ways to make friends.
3. The obvious benefits of continual exercise.
4. Development of respect for elders. Coaches often (I hear, I don't yet know from experience) are the only positive male figures in the lives of some kids. What better way to have a positive influence on a child than by tapping an outlet that is proven to garner attention in his/her life?
5. Having a winner and a loser. Too often as kids we are made to believe that we are all destined for greatness, that we'll never lose, that we CAN'T lose. In sports nobody escapes a loss of some type (even if it's a lack of meeting a personal goal) and so we learn to cope with these feelings and improve. It's good to know that failure is inevitable in life; it is how we react to such failure that comes to define us.
6. Girls love athletic prowess. Guys love it too, just not quite in the same way... unless we are talking about beach volleyball.
Believe me, the list goes on, but this is a solid start. As our citizens as a nation "tighten their belts" and curb their spending, I sincerely hope that somewhere in the bargain section they rediscover sports as the most inexpensive form of therapy available. Word of warning: if you are successful in finding sports you may have some prescription medications to cancel.
(Bonding after Sports)
This guy doesn't play sports.
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