Invest In Sports

One of the ways to keep a nation physically healthy is to invest in sports. We all have exciting memories of the numerous sports events in our younger days from grade school to college. We also remember how healthy, even muscular, fast, flexible, and agile we were. For varsity players, whether in badminton, table tennis, basketball or volleyball, the desire to be competitive is carried over to their professions. Studies have indicated that athletes bounce back more easily from setbacks in contrast to non-athletes.

The private sector realizes the economic benefits of sports. We do not need to be inspired by the top seed players in the international competitions nor the NBA hall of fame highest pointers. We only need to watch, for example, the UAAP Women’s Volleyball. Sponsors would vie to support the competing teams just for their products to be noticed. International companies like Nike and Adidas equip the players with sets of playing shoes and jerseys per season. The logos of telecoms like Smart and Globe command prominently the ad space near the court. All these not even counting the revenues from ticket sales.

What about us? Perhaps a simple prize in kind or monetary will go a long way to keep the youth busy in the barangay league level. Organizing long hikes for the benefit of an orphanage generates new friendships and bonding among hikers. We see senior citizens biking in groups, even beating the younger ones in a long-distance challenge. Clearly, engaging in sports activities enhances team building and the constant drive for excellence in performance, and in the process, some in the audience start dreaming of emulating their favorite players. Lastly, Sports is not just for physical wellbeing, but also for mental wellness. Since space is a premium in this paper, we’ll end it by asking everyone, “What are you waiting for? Let’s do it!” (Johnny Sulit)