Opinion: How to enjoy sports (for non-sports people)
Sports play a large role in the culture of the world. The FIFA world cup and the Olympics bring players and viewers from all backgrounds to participate in game-changing events that many people devote their lives to. Sports, and the politics behind them, have not only become a way of life, but its own industry. However, some people, like myself, prefer to stay on the sidelines.
I’m not great at sports and I don’t like playing or even watching them. The motions can get repetitive, matches go on for far too long, and it gets overhyped most of the time. The only reason I watch the Superbowl is for the commercials!
But there are ways to enjoy sports even if we don’t enjoy watching or participating.
According to an article by Eric Simmons for the Columbia Journalism Review, people like sports for the emotional benefit that strengthens their connection to the world and others, as well as building their self-esteem. That is exactly how bookworms might feel about books, theatre majors about theatre and musicians about music. Our interests are not so different when thinking about why we put so much emotional investment into one hobby over another.
Knowing this, people who aren’t into sports can find the appeal that so many others have. Dancers and some actors can empathize with athletes who need to have their bodies in peak physical condition, video gamers can sympathize with the coordination necessary to play, movie-goers can build a narrative and extroverts can express their loud personalities and comardere.
Sometimes, we have personal investments in a sport. For The Odyssey Online, contributor Claire Delaney Piquette, writes, “ I don’t think I’ll ever be an avid player of any sport; my goal is to simply not decide to hate sports because I’m not ‘good’ at them. I have truly begun to enjoy basketball because of only one or two people who believed I could improve in it.”
If you don’t like the sports you’ve seen, it’s probably because you haven’t found the right fit. For example I dislike baseball, football and swimming, but I think running, lacrosse and soccer are fun to watch.
One of my favorite memories is of my friends and I going to a soccer game on the 4th of July: we had a nice dinner, enjoyed delicious treats, joked about the players overreacting to their “injuries” and stayed after for a firework show. While watching the game was nice, I focused on what else made the night unforgettable.
If we really try to engage ourselves in sports and find what sport/activity interests us more, we can start enjoying them. We can get into the spirit, enjoy snacks, and strengthen relationships with the people we’re supporting.
Sport matches can include fun commentary, halftime spectacles, songs, debates and food and drinks! It’s interesting to learn about the players and politics of the sports, gain a new experience and spend time with family and friends.
We have to ask ourselves, “Why am I doing this?” and if the answer is just to try something new, that’s enough. If we end up not enjoying any part of the experience, at least we know now. It’s important to get out of our comfort zone and try things that we’d normally demote. Not everybody likes popular things, but understanding why other people like things can form connections across cultures and different cliques.
Megan Cowdell is a freshman opinion columnist studying for a bachelor’s in Communications. She loves music, reading and wants to write books for a living.
megan.cowdell@usu.edu