Social Sports

Sports today are deemed to be a physical activity, yet it is largely overlooked that sports are also very much a social event as well. By this, one would naturally assume that the social gathering is preformed by the audiences and fans, but the athletes are also part of the social activity. Moreover, it is more involving to them than it is to the audience.
The normal situation, in which a group of people enjoy each other’s company, involves the members in communication. They talk, laugh, and probably eat, shop, or watch a movie. However, sports take it to the next level. It is specifically teamwork that engages the players more closely than in other situation. Not only do the athletes have to talk to each other, but they are also working together. The sports require collective action, strategy, and playing as one. In the professional world, each player has to be in the other’s mind as well. They know each other well through the many years of practice together, so they can predict each other’s actions. Signals sometime may be used interchangeably with speech in the case of the players being far from each other. Therefore, being an athlete on a team sport is extremely social. There is a unity that consists of mind, talk, action, and signals that come together to achieve the final goal: victory.
Examples of this exist everywhere. In soccer and basketball, the players shout to each other, notifying of their open position. When it comes time for a break or a time-out, the players huddle and discuss strategy or further action. They are working to achieve success, and they need to work as one team, not as individual players. In football, it’s the same thing. The athlete will call out a play in code before snapping the football and the players run their routes in order to coordinate their offensive play. Another example exists in volleyball. Teamwork and communication become very important when setting up a spike to score the point. First, the team needs to know in which order they will receive the ball and get it close to the net for the spike. Thus, the players call the volleyball if they know they can hit it, so that collisions don’t happen. Beforehand, the tallest players are placed near the net and they are the ones that will execute the spike, so that there is a minimal chance of a return. The action takes place in a matter of seconds, and each player needs to anticipate where the ball is going to be hit.
Because most sports are team sports, they are social and, therefore, more enjoyable to play. However, there are sports that involve a single player, like golf or swimming. I play tennis, and I have a choice. Tennis can be a single player sport, or it can involve a two-person team. It is because of the teamwork and social aspect of doubles play that I choose to play with a partner. The game becomes more complex and involves more creativity. I have to have a set number of plays that I can execute with my partner, and strategies that will change depending on the opponents. On breaks between the games, we have to be quick to come of with new plans in order to stay ahead. Therefore, by only adding one partner to the game, it become a physical activity involving speaking and signaling. The signals, like in other sports, are communicated with one hand behind the back of the player at the net.
Sports are as equally physical as they are social. They are a great benefit to one’s health, and social life. The best part of a team sport is the celebration afterwards from a victory. Therefore, those of you that don’t play, take a look at sports again. Not all sports have to be competitive and playing recreationally is as much fun. So get out there, enjoy the fresh air, and play!