How Sports Greatly Impacts Communities

Sports is more than just supporting a team, winning a game, carrying a trophy, or even keeping fit. In many ways, it has a unique way of positively impacting a community. It contributes to the development of communities, increases employment opportunities, and creates an atmosphere for people to come and work together peacefully and with respect. Still not convinced on why you should encourage sports and recreation in your community? Consider these few ways sports can impact your community.

1. The creation of role models

One of the unique ways sports positively impact a community is by creating role models and heroes. Many successful athletes such as Manny Pacquiao, Muhammad Ali, David Beckham, the William sister, the late Kobe Byrant, and so on; are revered because of their incredible success in their career in sports and because they represent hope. They have had to overcome challenges many communities face.

This creates more relatable heroes many in the community can look up to. Other figures such as Jorge Hank and local community sports and recreational coaches, who aren’t athletes but have contributed to sports’ thrill and excitement, also give the community role models to admire and aspire to. Sharing a common hero serves as a developmental tool as it strengthens a community’s unity and gives its individuals hope and a purpose.

2. Keeps kids active

Children that enjoy watching sports or look up to athletes are more likely to play sports themselves. Studies have shown that physically active children tend to do better academically. This is because constant physical activity tends to enhance a child’s cognitive functions, which causes them to have better memory and improved concentration. Health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases are prevented in the community amongst children through sports engagement. Children who play sports are also kept away from other activities that may get them in trouble as a lot of their time is spent practicing and indulging in their preferred sport.

3. Improves relations within the community

Have you walked into a bar to catch a game but ended up sparking up a friendship with a stranger over your shared interest in a team? That’s the beauty of sports! Sport is a universal language spoken and understood by many. In this sense, it can connect several people within a community, regardless of an individual’s ethnicity, culture, language, religion, or team of preference.

It creates a conversation amongst people, building relationships and creating a common ground for them to connect over various local and international sporting events. This shared ground and universal language breaks down barriers and encourages unity. A perfect example of this is South Africa’s win in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, which helped communities across the country heal after years of Apartheid.

As you can see, sports bring several effective and positive impacts to your community’s well-being. It is time to acknowledge this and encourage the implementation of an atmosphere of sports for your community to grow in peace and unity.