Sport plays an essential role in building a better society. But have you ever wondered why is sport so important?  And is it more important to play or to watch?

While some consider sport as nothing more than a competition that you either win or lose, it goes beyond victory and failure. This article will explore some of the many ways that sport benefits society.

Why is sport so important to play?

There are many great reasons for getting involved in sport.  Here are a few.

1. Keeps participants fit

Sport gives us a reason to get fit and become more active.  Here’s why you are more likely to get your exercise from sport than a workout:

• It’s way more fun than a boring workout at the gym.
• The desire to win is more motivating than exercising solely for health reasons. 
• There are certain rules to follow and standards to meet, which keeps your mind occupied and focused on the task at hand.
• You might not even think of sport as exercise because you are so focused on trying to win. 

Sport is a fun activity that you choose to do because you want to, rather than a workout that you force yourself to do because you have to.  Sport becomes a natural way to stay fit and have some fun while you are at it.

2. Teaches discipline

Sport is almost like being in the military, except it’s much more enjoyable. This type of experience makes you more disciplined because you must:

• Follow specific, strict rules.
• Respect authority.
• Practice regularly, even when you don’t feel like it.
• Push yourself to improve fitness and skill levels.
• Stay focused and not get distracted.

3. Builds self-esteem

As you work hard you will begin to notice the rewards of your efforts.  Your skills will improve and your fitness will increase, which builds your self-esteem.

The sense of accomplishment that you gain from mastering new or difficult skills will give you enough confidence to meet other challenges in your life, such as passing a hard class, or getting your first job.

4. Teamwork

Although this can’t be applied to individual sports, team sports teach you many valuable life skills, such as:

• How to work with others towards a common goal.
• Getting along with many different personalities.
• Connecting with individuals from many different backgrounds.
• Striking a balance between trusting in your team to get the job done and playing your own part.
• Sharing the glory of success with others.

As an added bonus, you will also develop strong bonds with your teammates, giving you incredible friendships, you can’t find anywhere else.

5. Can help with paying for college/university

Maybe you don’t know how you will ever afford the super expensive tuition at your preferred college/university.  Sport can help.  Athletic scholarships can cover some of the costs, so if you play a sport this is worth looking into.  

6. Teaches sportsmanship

You can’t win everything.  Defeat is part of life, and the sooner you learn the following lessons, the better:

• Losing is nothing to be embarrassed about, as long as you gave it your best.
• You can’t give up. Come back and play again!  This resilience will serve you well in all areas of your life.
• It’s important to congratulate the winner.  No one likes a sore loser!

Everything that we’ve looked at up to this point should answer your question, “why is sport so important to play?” but it doesn’t stop there.  It might be just as beneficial to watch sport.

Why is sport so important to watch?

Are you wondering why is sport so important to watch?  Here’s why!

1. Brings people together

One of the greatest things about sport is its ability to bring people together. How many scenarios would put you in the middle of a multi-thousand-seater stadium full of people you don’t know, all celebrating because someone you have never met – and likely never will meet – has just scored the point that takes your team to glory?

Or in the middle of a park, field or outdoor area watching a video screen of your favourite sport team playing? Look no further than Jurassic Park.

However, some see sport as a major dividing part of society. They think we can never truly ‘like’ someone if they are on ‘the other side’ – but this is nonsense! Many people have best friends, or even a spouse, who roots for their team’s biggest opponents.

Consider the following ways sport helps to unite us:

• Strangers become close loved ones – Many people meet their closest friends and their most trusted partners through sport. Sitting next to someone at ‘the game’, training alongside teammates, and even competing against others are all great opportunities to meet new friends.
• Strengthens bonds – In many ways sport helps to build bonds with the people who matter most to us. Children and parents have formed lifelong bonds based on their sporting preferences. We often follow the teams, sports, and clubs that our parents love. It becomes part of our lasting relationship; we talk as much about new sporting signings and results as we do about things going on in our own lives.
• Overcomes racism – The racist attitudes of many sports fans have been eradicated as they come to see players of mixed race playing for their teams. They soon realize that these people are no different from themselves. They are just human beings who want to play a sport they love.
• Solves differences – Although sport is competitive, we can use it in place of warfare to solve our differences.  Sure, war does exist today, and it’s still just as horrifying as ever, but hopefully we can continue to move away from settling scores through warfare.

2. Gives a sense of belonging

Even when you aren’t playing on a team, following your favorite team and cheering them on can still give you a place to belong.  Whether it’s in the stadium, in the street, or on social media, you can find common ground with someone based entirely on their team.

Summary

So again, why is sport so important?

• Sport brings us together.
• Keeps us fit.
• Teaches us valuable life skills.
• Builds self-esteem.
• Gives us the chance to succeed.
• Connects us with others in a way that we could never have possibly imagined.

For all of those reasons, sport is an essential part of our modern life.  Sport has been deemed in the past as ‘the most important of the least important things in life’ – and that could not be closer to the truth.