As we know, there is a lot of anger and hate in the world right now, with plenty of serious issues causing problems to plenty of people.
The political situation in the USA has divided the nation and the news that keeps coming to light involving the President suggests that it will continue to run for a long time yet. Whilst we don’t know how that will play out or how to solve some of the issues facing us as a society right now, there are ways in which people can come together – one of the most obvious ones being through the power of sport.
The beauty of the game, whether you are actively playing at an amateur level or watching the latest high-profile fixtures on TV is, for that hour or two, that it blocks out the problems that exist in your world. Nobody cares about the colour of your skin or your stance on political issues, there’s just a focus on the sport and the team you are playing in. It unites people from different backgrounds and communities and helps build bridges between those that you may not have normally associated with because of these cultural barriers that exist for whatever reason.
That’s not to say getting involved in sport is going to instantly make any issues that you have go away; it’s not. But it can show you different viewpoints and ensure you develop an understanding of where other people are coming from on certain topics.
And, what makes it better is that sport is inclusive in so many different ways. You don’t need to be the star player to get into a local team to play baseball, and you don’t need to be the tallest to play basketball, it’s accessible to all abilities and age ranges if you want to get involved.
Additionally, the positivity of sport isn’t restricted to just playing. You can search for the latest American football odds before a game to place a bet and create some healthy competition between you and your friends. A good, or bad, bet always creates great conversation, and can even help you find a fellow fan of the same club.
Again, that will not be restricted to the same sort of folk you interact with on a daily basis, as the power of sport means that it attracts interest from every community and it generates a passion from all who are involved, in whatever capacity that may be. The health benefits of playing sport are already well-known, and that is why we are encouraged to participate as often as possible.
However, the social benefits are sometimes overlooked. Yet, they are extremely valuable in a time of division and animosity across the country and around the globe. Sport can have a positive impact – even if it might be a small one in the grand scheme of things.
