At first when I read question 3A, I began to contemplate how much I would be able to contribute to the class. I rode horses in high school but in terms of the major sports that we have discussed in class, I have almost zero connection to them. However, I realized although it may not be considered a "sport", the most important connection I have is backpacking. It is a sport in the sense that it creates a unifying and dividing affect. There is an element of teamwork, trust, costs, physicality, motivation, determination, identity, competitiveness, etc. All of these characteristics can be attributed to a sport such as football; and although no one pays to watch people hike, it is a spectacle that is all enveloped in the experience.
Backpacking and the outdoors plays a huge role in my life. I never thought about in this way but it has dictated a lot of my decision. I grew up on and island off Georgia, but I came to Boulder to be surrounded by those who also felt a desire to close to the mountains. It also is the root of all of my biggest accomplishments. In high school I did three week backpacking trips every summer and successfully climbed the Grand Teton and Mount Rainer. When I got to the top of the Grand Teton, there was a photo taken of me which ended up being on the cover of the magazine for the company I was a student for. This developed a deep sense of positivity and fearlessness for me. I now work for this company and try my hardest every trip to give my students the motivation and positivity I felt from my own leaders.
Being on a mountain is not only a personal struggle but a group struggle. Everyone has to be aware of the dangers and outdoor ethics just as every sport in society has to be cautious of. I remember on Mount Rainer there were multiple moments when I had to check in with myself and my group about going back down. Getting to the top is not nearly as important as making it back down. The outdoor ethics behind backpacking is called "Leave No Trace". This contains seven long written out guidelines for how to behave in the outdoors in order for others to be able to have the same experience and keep the wilderness clean. In a sense, one must leave the places they go as if they have never been there before.
I developed this connection from my leaders. They were fantastic role models and I owe all my achievements and my ability to accept my own failures to them.
I believe the roles of sports in US society are of course positive and negative. They are only negative if they are taught and drawn out in the wrong way. Sport teaches us how to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Going off of that, it also teaches other group members this as well because behaviors of the group affect the individual. It also teaches extreme discipline on and off the field. I have noticed that when I become more sporty, I am able to recognize other areas that I need to work on personally.
Sports in American Society are extremely important. Like I said at the beginning of this blog, I was intimidated by this question at first because I did not think I played a "sport". When I think about United States, sports is one of the first things that comes to mind and something I do not feel apart of. Athletes are role models. Since I do not know much about sports, in my mind they are very much valued. I would be really interested to hear about what others think about the value of althletes.
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