WHERE DID OUR LOVE FOR SPORT AFTER HIGH SCHOOL GO?

I am a Form 2 student back in High school in my second term of the year. The chemistry class that Friday morning is especially boring but there’s a reason I’m quite up beat; asking questions and even offering to rub the black board. The reason for my suspiciously sudden altruism is the fact that at any moment, the volleyball school team coach will enter that class and call out my name. There is a tournament that will run for the entirety of the weekend and I cannot help but feel excited. As I expertly rub the black board and inhale most of the chalk, he enters the class, quickly calls out the names and moves on to the next class. I am not on the list. My heart sinks to the soles of my feet and I head back to my desk to “enjoy” the rest of the Chemistry class (I passed this subject by the way).

We certainly loved a weekend out in another school or in our own school participating or watching various sports. Was it the fact that we did not need to wear regular school uniform? Was it because it was a shift from normal programming that allowed us to express ourselves better? Was it the cute uniforms the girls got to wear when playing field hockey? Whatever the case, the fact remains that we loved our sports in high school. So what changed?

Individuals certainly have a lot more freedom after they get that Secondary School certificate. They no longer need to escape to just sports, drama or music for that dose of liberty and the chance of self-expression, they can now go to clubs, hang out in each other’s homes and binge watch episodes of scandal. Participation in sport takes a back seat. It is limited to when Arsenal or Manchester United are playing and when the rugby seasons kick off.

Luckily, there is a rise in the fitness lifestyle, more individuals are taking to sport to maintain fitness and as it were; express themselves in a different way. Perhaps there is still hope for the love of sport to be sustained beyond the high school years. Maybe, just maybe I can go out today and play some volleyball and roll back the years. What sport did you participate in as a teenager? Do you still participate in one way or another?