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In the article, Izzy talks about how the feeling of sports has changed over time.
Feelings About Sports
Feelings About Sports
By Izzy Westfall
By Izzy Westfall
Sports have changed tremendously through the years. Modern sports have been defined by many athletes who have played sports for their whole career. These include many legends such as: Serena Williams, a famous tennis player; Michal Jordan, a famous basketball player; Cristiano Ronaldo, a famous soccer player; and Simone Biles, a famous gymnast. There are also plenty of talented athletes who are no longer with us, but their talent will never be forgotten: Reggie Lewis, a famous basketball player; Babe Ruth, a famous Baseball player; and Tori Bowie, a famous track star. Sports today have changed and not for the better. Some people are not playing for the game or for the fun of it. Some are playing for fame, for the money, or even just to be better than everyone else. Most people start playing sports games as kids. They are supposed to be fun but, as time goes on, it can become less fun.
In previous eras, sports like football, baseball, basketball, tennis, swim, track and field, snowboarding, volleyball, gymnastics, soccer, boxing, and so many more were much more about the love for the sport and how players saw the field or court and not about money or fame. Some athletes' talents are just indescribable and they deserve the recognition they get. Recruiters for big-time agencies look at talent and how they can make their team or name better. That is the name of the game when going into a big league. The goal for most athletes is to make it to the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS or even the Olympics. Levi Nelson from Medium wrote, “Top goals and purposes of sports are the enjoyment of being involved. Sports shapes, inspire and bring people together for multiple reasons but mostly I believe sport is a vehicle in which we can teach and learn certain behaviors that shape our character.” Athletes sometimes forget where the love for the sport first came from, whether that may be from watching their favorite athlete score the game-winning touchdown or from the moment they picked up that tennis racket as a little kid.
Simone Biles, image credit to NBC News
Image creds to Ranker
Athletes are often pressured to be great. What really makes an athlete great, though? Is it how many touchdowns they can make in one game or how many points they can rack up on the board? What happens off the field is just as important as what happens on the field. An athlete's life often becomes all about their sport and it causes them to regard their mental health, which is big for major athletes. Many athletes feel the pressure to stay on top, keep working out, and will practice even after practice is over. Sport and exercise scientist Ben Marks of Believe Perform says, “Even though pressure is a concept which is primarily created by our minds it can have both positive and negative effects.” Pressure is scary. Some athletes use it as fuel, while others let it break them. Pressure can cause them to question their ability to deliver what they have been delivering for as long as they can remember. It can cause a lack of motivation or confidence and that's what causes the breakage.
Major athletes play their sports until they decide to retire, when most still stay connected, perhaps by coaching. Their journey begins in high school, where college schools start looking and offer scholarships to those who are lucky. Those who are not lucky have to pay money just to play the sport they love. They sometimes end up going into bankruptcy. The law office of Jack G. Lezman, PLLC states,“10 shocking athletes who found themselves in a financial run. Such as Allen Iverson, Darren McCarty, or Sherly Swoops whose net worth is $200,000 and is an Olympic gold medalist and earned over 50 million Nike, but a series of bad investments led her to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in 2007.” Athletes who gained so much from their lives in their sports can still go broke. The world is a scary place, especially for athletes. There are always eyes on athletes. If they fumble a game-winning pass then their name is going to be in jeopardy, especially on social media.
Athletes work so hard, from childhood to the major leagues. Sometimes, they have to ask themselves, “Why did I fall in love with this sport in the first place?” That answer could shock anyone. Money does not buy happiness, but finding the true meaning of why you follow your passions can only be answered by you. Athletes who play for fun and love and not the fame and money are the ones who really make an impact in the sports world.
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