Personal Development Journey: Lessons from Sports

Introduction

As a sports enthusiast and talented football player, I have always been inspired to hone my skills for better performance. However, in order to achieve this fete, I realized that a successful athlete needs to be fully equipped with prerequisite knowledge and skills in their areas of specializations. This fact set me on a zealous quest to search for the most ideal institution of higher learning that could offer a range of value and skills as far as sports and relevant knowledge development is concerned. After several inquiries and consultations with reputable sources, I opted for Syracuse University which is not only renowned for its academic excellence but prides itself in being affiliated with some of the greatest football players in the history of NFL. In the course of my personal development journey, I decided that Syracuse University was the best fit due to its exceptional reputation and extensive resources in the field of sports education. In this respect, the paper seeks to account for the learning experiences I have had throughout the course of my study in the university with a particular bias in personal and social responsibility development; and how the knowledge gained in this area has proven to be a great Launchpad for my career.

Development of Sportsmanship in Sports

It is without any doubt that sports exerts profound influence across different social fabrics and has the potential to shape the values and morals accordingly. In this context, I understand how critical the aspects are not only among the involved parties but also to the society in general. A lot of emphasis was placed on how individual action may have consequential implications on perceptions of the intended audience. In this case, I aligned the concept with my role as a football player and how it influences my personality in the field.

Sportsmanship is all about gaining achievement through honor. This goes without saying that athletes should strive to harness ethical virtues such as fairness, respect, integrity and responsibility. Moreover, in order to inculcate good sportsmanship ideals, the course outlines fundamental elements that promote favorable competitive environment which include ways of developing personal character, virtues and honor. I learnt that when it comes to fairness, the athletes, coaches and referee have a significant role to play. For instance, it is important for the three parties to observe the established sport guidelines and rules. Also, any form of athletes and coach segregation only promotes unfairness if not yielding animosity among the parties thus undermining the role of sports as a unifying factor.

Personal Integrity in Development Journey

When it comes to integrity, it may manifest in various ways. However in my own case, I believe lack of personal integrity may be demonstrated where an athlete decides to employ tactics that do not uphold the objectives of the sports. This can be exemplified in cases where athletes fake injuries or exercise foul play in a bid to gain unfair advantage over their opponents. Intentional deception is therefore an act that violates the spirit of sportsmanship since it undermines the credibility of authorized game officials as well as the sports in general. One lesson gained in particular about integrity is that it is not aimed at evaluating the athlete’s ability to win or lose but to encourage fair and just practices both in and outside the field. Also, it enhances the virtue of discipline which is an important aspect that determines the trajectory of self-development.

Responsibility was another virtue gained along the topics learnt in this course. I realized that to thrive as an athlete, one needs to be accountable for their actions; in this case performance. It encompasses controlling emotions and observing discipline and dedication. A great example is when athletes come up with excuses to justify their actions and this is especially common when asked to explain why they lost a game. I learnt that emotions may get in the way of logical thinking and it helps if one learns how to act according to the set standards despite the situation. The responsibility, therefore, calls for one to be abreast with the revised rules and regulations, techniques and standards demanded in a particular field, role, or jurisdiction. It also implores the parties involved to carry themselves in an honorable and noble manner both outside and within their interactive areas. Similarly, respect is yet another essential trait that must be honed for ethical culture to gain ground. It is a virtue that cuts across the entire divide and should be mutually exhibited among athletes, opponents, officials, and fans.

Conclusion

During my coursework, I was privileged enough to engage in projects that impact the community around the university. This experience really transformed my perception of how personal character is an integral component of a prosperous community. My community service entailed working with a team of professional football players to train, equip and inspire high school students in various schools around the region. Since the targeted beneficiaries were mainly teenagers, I had a first-hand opportunity to witness how sports impact the community and why it can be a strong weapon to fight social vices such as drug abuse, domestic violence and crime by infusing acceptable sociocultural practices. I further realized that there are certain common misconceptions held about how morality in sports differs from the moral values in life. One particular myth that drew my attention was that sport and competition occupy a realm where ethics and moral codes do not apply and that they are set apart from real life. However, I believe how we each compete in sports can have an effect on our personal moral and ethical behavior outside of the competition. sports serves as an outlet for our primal aggression and a selfish need for recognition and respect gained through the conquering of an opponent. In this view, aggression and victory are the only virtues. For example, a football player may be described as mean and nasty on the field, but kind and gentle in everyday life. His violent disposition on the field is not wrong because when he is playing the game he is part of an amoral reality that is dictated only by the principle of winning.

Works Cited

1. Association for Applied Sport Psychology. (2020). Ethical Considerations in Sport and Exercise Psychology. Retrieved from https://appliedsportpsych.org/resources/ethical-considerations-in-sport-and-exercise-psychology/

2. Lauer, L., Wallin, P., & Wrench, J. (2007). The Importance of Sportsmanship. Retrieved from https://www.k-state.edu/wwparent/education/sportsmanship.pdf

3. Mayo Clinic. (2021). Positive thinking: Stop negative self-talk to reduce stress. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950

4. NCAA. (2021). The value of college sports. Retrieved from https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/the-value-of-college-sports

5. Syracuse University. (2021). Athletics at Syracuse. Retrieved from https://cuse.com/

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6. Washington State University. (2021). Self-Reflection. Retrieved from https://ip.wsu.edu/self-reflection/