Does Sport Build Character - Essay Example

A true account is that sports are made up of aspects such as accountability, sportsmanship, setting a good example, and acceptable moral behavior. It is, therefore, expected that participation in sports in addition to a conducive environment and coaching strategy will to a significant extent, will modify and thus build someone’s character. This has been the dream of coaches, physical education teachers, and trustees among other relevant stakeholders.

However, the ideals of sports about building an individual’s character are usually degraded by situations of drug use (for enhancement purposes), injuries, fights, and even instances of molestation (Edmundson, 2012).

I believe that sports play a significant role in building someone’s character. Practicing is important in any sporting activity. Practicing is concerned with trying out particular routines to achieve perfection. It is important to note that trials do come with events of failure. It is only after failing that one succeeds. This entire process instills a sense of patience, hope, and resilience among others. These are elements of good character and should be encouraged at all costs.

Sports offer a favorable opportunity for socialization. Sportsmen and women learn to play as a team and communicate in a similar language to achieve a common goal. In other words, sports enhance morality in addition to desirable qualities such as effectiveness to handle tasks, time consciousness, and perseverance. Sports can also result in negative traits such as violence. Farley (2010) reveals that excellence has always been the greatest desire of any athlete. Various types of sports have rules that are supposed to be adhered to. An athlete is therefore expected to train/practice concerning those rules. It should be noted that an individual can succumb to intense pressure to perform. This might lead to unwanted behavior such as enhancement drugs to enhance their performance in the respective sport he or she is involved in. according to Coakley (2009) reveals that this is a form of cheating since it goes against established rules and regulations. In case of failure, an individual should explore another way that will help him/her to compete harder. This particular illustration degrades an individual’s good character.

In conclusion, sports should be conditioned in such a way that an individual’s character is built in three dimensions. All the relevant stakeholders should effectively play their respective parts. The respective sporting principles should be applied with the appropriate focus and a specific objective of value addition. The use of sports as an avenue to build character should be encouraged as long as it is controlled using relevant and effective measures. Sports should incorporate appropriate practice and concentration to develop an individual’s character. Read More