Fighting for athletics
It was my first time to witness a live basketball game after so long. Well, it was not an ordinary basketball game. I was watching the UAAP 2014 champions National University play against our very own CESAFI 2014 Champion Southwestern University Cobras. Wow, what an honor!
But the New Cebu Coliseum was not as crowded as expected. It seems like nobody understood the value of these two teams.
The game was intense as expected; both teams are champions. But more than the thrilling game that seemed to get the most of me was the fact that these players were still in school. They were young men dressed in uniforms with girls swooned over them. With their popularity, I'm quite sure a lot of youngsters will listen to them, if only they knew how big their impact is to the lives of many aspirants.
That's what makes sports beautiful. An athlete does his/her job in the field with all might. The game may be won or lost but in the sidelines a lot of people are inspired and eager to follow their footsteps being celebrities. Basically, it is not just about the game being played. Sure, you can play the game with your eyes closed but what matters most is why you play the game.
I do not know a lot of athletes in the world of sports but with the very few that I could count with my fingers, Jeremy Lin has stood out in my line of choices. He is a rare gem in the National Basketball Association. Having graduated with two degrees, his color and race never bothered him as he made his way up the ladder of success in the world of basketball. Many look up to him as his authenticity spreads out real to those he comes in contact with. He maintains an ordinary life with best pals that boost his confidence but apart from all that fuzz, he never fails to give honor to the most Holy One. He understands why he plays on the field – not for fame or glory, but to give back to the one who gave him his talents.
That's just how it goes. More than playing with the ball is the purpose and the motive of being on court. Remember that there are those who want to follow your footsteps. Athletes must be careful of the path that they are taking. It is very crucial that as a youth under the limelight, you must be keen on what you do and where you go. Well, that's if you want to make a difference in the world. Athletes are like celebrities, they are posts in the world of sports where fans believe in their ability to bring victory and inspiration.
Setting basketball aside, another sport has also boosted the youth in the City of Lapu-Lapu as it opened its first skate park. It is a huge facility which skaters and bikers could openly use for free. Unlike playing in the streets where they are subject to apprehension by the traffic management, they are open and free to do their skate tricks here. A skater pointed out that the skate park will divert the youth's attention into the hobby itself far from illegal drugs.
I'm glad for the world of sports even if I am not an athlete myself. I know how the game play works and how it could discipline a person. The proper training that an athlete undergoes is a preparatory to the real world that lies ahead.
That is, if only there would be enough support system for athletics in our city or in this province; if only we could make children train day and night to bring honor to our country.
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