Sport or not?

[tennispro9911]

Originally Posted by acdcfan259

Really? How many people show up to watch track meets that aren't family?

No value. I can say that I've learned more about myself from XC and Track than from robotics. While the community may not gain anything from sports, almost everyone who participates in a sport has a personal gain.

Sports weren't created for entertainment, they were created as a way to have fun, as a game. Even today you'll hear athletes say, "At the end of the day you just gotta go out there and have fun."

I have a feeling that most people on here haven't actually participated in a sport beyond little league. So we're getting a major bias. Until you actually participate in a sport in high school or wherever else, you don't really fully understand sports.

I agree. I've learned a ton from sports. I have had so many life lessons because of tennis. Robotics has taught me a ton too, but I've only been involved with FIRST for 2 years while I've been around tennis for 18 years, I played soccer starting at 4 years old, I played hockey at 4, and I played baseball for a few years.

Sports (should) teach lessons through a head fake of sorts. I played tennis when I was really young, got mad, and smashed my racket on the court. It became oddly shaped because of that, but my parents forced me to play with that racket for a year or so. Due to that, I gave much more value to my possessions. This is just one example of how someone would learn a lesson through sports. Sports are important for more than just physical activity.

However, I don't think I degrade sports when I say that I think FIRST is better. I understand (mostly) the benefits of sports. I've been a sports person my entire life, and will play Division 3 tennis.