I enjoy sports…most of the time. Team work is an important lesson growing up, as well as remembering those lessons as an adult. I grew up with playing lacrosse for 6 years, which taught me teamwork. I swam competitively for 10 years, 6 of those years, winter & summer. That sport taught me the importance of believing in myself, and working towards personal goals. With my children I certainly do not want to push them into competition if they have no desire, but we have had them play a variety of sports, both team based as well as individual. Soccer has seemed to be the best for both kids, they enjoy it as well as learned to importance of teamwork. There are so many positives to athletic activities, whether for health, teaching confidence or just for the camaraderie. Promote the positive!
On a grander and sometimes negative scale are the sports stories you hear on the news, typically having to do with professional sports. Huge money makers for many athletes (depending on the sport) and the media. I enjoy football season, as well as hockey and soccer. Honestly not a huge baseball fan, but on occasion I enjoy attending a game and can get caught up in the excitement. But right now I am completely turned off by the lying, cheating, anger & violence that seems to be more common in sports news of late. I am not generalizing, there are plenty of great, talented, honest athletes. This whole thing with Barry Bonds and doping scandals rocking multiple sports, is infuriating. Those who are found guilty should have to give up their medals, their championship rings, trophies and forgo the breaking of records. UGH its annoying…Here are some examples of the negative overtaking the positive focus of sports…(courtesy of the Huffington Post)
Athletics should cause inspiration, not anger.
Let’s focus on the positive enjoyment of sports, and not give credence to those who give sports a bad name. Let’s enjoy rivalry and fun without riots and cheating. Here is a video that I thought was enjoyable…
I enjoy sports…most of the time. Team work is an important lesson growing up, as well as remembering those lessons as an adult. I grew up with playing lacrosse for 6 years, which taught me teamwork. I swam competitively for 10 years, 6 of those years, winter & summer. That sport taught me the importance of believing in myself, and working towards personal goals. With my children I certainly do not want to push them into competition if they have no desire, but we have had them play a variety of sports, both team based as well as individual. Soccer has seemed to be the best for both kids, they enjoy it as well as learned to importance of teamwork. There are so many positives to athletic activities, whether for health, teaching confidence or just for the camaraderie. Promote the positive! 
