Sports attract

I competed in an essay-writing contest during my college days as a favor to my professor. I didn't exactly understood her reason for asking me but I did it anyway. I won and still didn't exactly knew why. Here is the short version of that essay.

Sports attract. They attract young and old, educated or unschooled, rich and poor, white and black and even people with colored skins. Sports become objects of interest by almost everybody, though with varied motives. Many are into sports in groups. We can see sports fests and sports tournaments being held here and there. We even envy their beautiful uniforms as they parade or motorcade with pride in streets.

But, why? Some got interested in sports for good health, some for pay, few for leisure, and for so many other reasons.

Do you believe that sports are attracting not only individuals or persons but also juridical entities as well? Sports nowadays have attracted even big corporations like San Miguel, Smart, Air 21, Purefoods, etc. You can see how they venture into sports to advertise their products. Sports are channels of promotion and advertisement.

But there are noble benefits that sports have gifted society. Sports build and develop friendship among peoples, thus eliminating the walls that divide them because of difference in principles, beliefs, languages and cultures.

When the seed of friendship is planted, constant contact leads to cooperation in future endeavors, not only in sports, but in other fields as well.

The Blacks or non-Caucasians used to be discriminated, but when Muhammad Ali rose to become a world heavy weight champion, the Blacks and the Whites cheered for him. When Bata Reyes, an Asian, started playing billiards, many Filipinos and foreigners alike were skeptical that he would hit it big in the international arena. When he surprised the Whites by his skillful plays, they admiringly call him the “magician.” Sports equalize.

Sports can unite a nation, even one divided by political conflict. When Manny Pacquiao fought Erik Morales in their first and second encounters, the Filipino people, friends and foes alike, rally behind the boxing hero, win or lose.

Sports is not always about winning. Freddie Roach, the coach of Manny Paquiao, did not even become a great boxing champion in his time, but he is one of the most popular and highly paid boxing coach in the world today. As Grantland Rice once said, “It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.”

Therefore, indulge in sports and advance plurality, diversity and equality among peoples!

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Learning to be still.