The Benefits of Being on a Sports Team

Sports consume much time, energy, money, and attention. To this point in my career, no adult has offered to pay to come observe my class as I teach. However, people pay to watch a game! We understand the value of supporting the players, and we enjoy watching a good game, but how does basketball, for instance, help the players?

Allow me to suggest two main reasons for why we have a basketball team. First, our basketball program creates more opportunities for discipleship. The coach can challenge the boys on the basketball court in ways that a teacher cannot do so in the classroom, all while building relationships with them throughout the season. 

Second, young people need to learn healthy ways to enjoy life while glorifying God. Too easily, we can start to view fun as something we have that is separate from our responsibility to glorify God--or, we don't know how to do glorify God with what we enjoy. Team sports, like basketball, can be enjoyable--but hard work is necessary. Practice might not be enjoyable every day, but the results of hard practices can help players see the value of hard work while giving them opportunities to praise God for their abilities.