The Impact of Professional Sports

 

 Professional sports impact and influence societies in various ways. Many ways are great and attract people together in a common connection of likes and dislikes. People can find ways to oversee racial tension and discrimination. Although, sports can also have a negative impact on a community of people. Violence can occur with bad calls and poor sportsmanship. Once players and viewers are invested into a specific game, there is no turning back. Whether an individual allows them self to be impacted in a positive or negative way is their own choice. However, once the decision is chosen, it is very hard to change thoughts. It is important to make the right selection in which way one is effected by a sport.

  Sports can be life changing. They can be an outlet of stress, anxiety, and really support athletes and viewers in a time of need. Neighbors and individuals that would not normally ally together can do so over a specific team or athlete. Just one team can have a tremendous influence on thousands of others. For example, right after the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings, The Boston Red Sox won The World Series with strength and courage. With the city of Boston left in loss after such a tragedy, a championship win would surely lift spirits. The team united with morale,  many people truly reconstructed back into their old happy ways and life was almost effortless again.

  Sports can also be destructive and cause harm. It has occurred that after a team allows a loss, intoxicated and even just angry fans have gone out on to the streets of their beloved town or city and started violence. Cars have been flipped, buildings burned, and people seriously hurt and even killed. Athletes have received threats for not preforming at their best to win. In Superbowl XLIX, The Seattle Seahawks had an opportunity to win the whole game with just one run. Instead, the team attempted a pass and the throw was intercepted. The game ended in triumph and the New England Patriots won. Since then, the coach and players of Seahawks have been mocked, threatened, and even bullied by opposing fans and even their very own.

  Fortunately, I have personally decided to be impacted and influenced by sports in a positive way. I used to use gymnastics as an escape. When tensions would rise in my life and I felt as though everything was crashing down on top of me, I would go to my gym and work on my routines and skills. I was fortunately able to do this whenever needed. One may believe that without gymnastics, I would not be the person I am today. I also to this day use soccer and track in a positive way to impact my life. Track keeps me in shape and motivated to be a better person. I look up to my captains and teammates for advice and encouragement. There has always been a runner better than me. I'm always in second place, but I use this placement to show myself that I have more to improve on and there is always potential. Because I have had to stop competing in gymnastics, I now use soccer as an escape. I can kick around a ball whenever I need. So many less fortunate kids use the same strategies as I do to keep themselves going. The struggles may not be the same, but I can connect to many others with my interests and abilities in sports.