If we want to educate our children with universal values and create global citizens with selfless, proactive collaborative behavior that helps overcome societal biases and enforced hierarchy then indulging in sports is a must.
There is significant research available today which points to the important and positive impact that sport and physical activities can have on educational outcomes.
This includes encouraging better academic performance, ensuring greater inclusivity and participation in the classroom, as well as improvements to student health and preparedness for the future.
It is important to recognise, however, that not all sport automatically delivers wider gains.
In order to deliver on educational outcomes, sport and physical activities need to be intentionally designed and effectively implemented.
Frequent participation in sport and physical activity at a young age encourages positive cognitive development in youth – developing and learning to use the core skills of the brain to think, read, learn, remember, reason and problem solve.
Sport and physical activity positively impacts academic performance as it encourages the enhancement of brain function and cognition through increasing blood flow to the brain.
If I were to highlight factors or attributes through sports which help build citizens of tomorrow then the following variables come to mind such as determination, persistence and character molding which are essential building blocks including
Giving your best
Respecting others
Overcoming adversity
Dealing with winning & losing
Second set of factors which focuses on team work, & cooperation includes
Discipline & hard work
Helping each other
Working together
Third factor focusing on internal and self-developmental processes includes variables such as
Openness to people from varied background
Respecting the rules
Upholding the societal norms
Building self esteem
What I’ve seen over the years is that we as sports person help develop competitive spirit and a sense of fair play, we shun discrimination as winning on ground is what defines our progress.
My sense of judgement says that sports develop mental robustness - it’s never the physical ability but the mental ability which is the biggest asset we should help develop this in our Gen Nxt. When we talk about people who have more talent than we must remember that there is no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.
Most people give up just when they were about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game when they were so close to winning, so stop preaching and start practicing. Why I’m asking on practice before preaching is because practice develops character.
The 5 S’s of Sports are -
Stamina
Speed
Strength
Skill
Spirit
You know the most important trait amongst these is the Spirit.
I always tell students that rather than having a will to win have a will to prepare to win which matters most. One thing that current social media savvy generation must learn is that persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement.
Sports teach us a very important aspect
That is to deal with failures. Most people fear failure, but failure does not prevent success. Actually, failure can lead to success as long we learn from it. Failure is one of the keys to success because it teaches us more. Thomas Edison, one the greatest inventor of the modern era, said the following while on his journey to create the long-lasting electric light bulb through 10,000 failed attempts, “I’ve not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Once you are able to treat failure as a learning opportunity you can put it in the past and be able to move forward. The disappointments you experienced in the past is over and can no longer hold you back. Remember, All our past failures are actually laying the foundation for our future successes. Every adversity, disappointment, and failure carries with it the seeds of success. It just takes a little positive mental attitude and a commitment to keep trying.
Failures are but stepping stones on the road to success. You have the confidence to move ahead. You understand that your desire for success has to be greater than your fear of disappointment and failure. This is what sports teaches us that life is not fair but for those with dogged determination it makes way for success. Take the steps that will take you where you need to be. It’s up to you. Choose wisely
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