Sports have the power to bring people together and form communities.

If you are on a
sports team, you are constantly surrounded by your teammates. These people become
a new family for you to confide in. If you are a big fan of a certain sports team, you can
find stadiums full of people you share the same interests with. Whether you play a sport
or you root for a sports team, the underlying common theme in these types of
communities is passion. Sports are something to be passionate about and with that
passion comes opportunities. A passionate and talented athlete can become a
professional and play a sport for a living. A passionate and determined fan of a sports
team can become a manager or part owner for an organization.

Some of my most special memories are connected to sports. Once, my dad surprised
my sister and I with tickets to a Golden State Warriors pre-season game in California.
He told us that we would be in the nosebleeds because he purchased the tickets late
and all of the good seats were sold out. When we arrived at the stadium, our seats were
in the third row! My parents knew that my sister and I loved Steph Curry. I connect this
memory at a sporting event with how grateful I am for my parents and my sister. This
brought my family closer and gave me a moment I will never forget.

I have played sports all my life, and so have my siblings. It is something that we all bond
over. I remember growing up and going to every single basketball game of my brothers
and sisters. I am the youngest in my family, so everyone’s student-athlete days are over.
But, we all still gather to watch the NBA, the Super Bowl, or to go to a local high school
basketball/volleyball game. My grandpa is hard of hearing so it is hard to communicate
with him. He loves to watch the Pacers play, so I know if I bring that up, he will have
something to say. Playing or watching sports always makes me think of my family.

I always think that without sports, I probably would not have any friends. I am not a loud
person in any social setting besides a sporting event. In high school, a majority of my
friends came from whatever sports team I was on. I played volleyball, basketball, and I
did unified track. I would get so close with my teammates because I saw them almost
everyday. It was always hard to say goodbye at the end of the season. Now, I am on the
Butler women’s club volleyball team. If I did not join the team in the fall, my college
experience would have looked a lot different. That organization gave me some of my
best friends here at college.

Overall, sports serve as a powerful vehicle for bringing people together, fostering
connections, promoting inclusivity, and celebrating shared values and experiences.