WHEN SPORTS AND LIFE COLLIDE

Amilcar Xayiya

@melkardascribe

 

While sports are often seen only through the lens of competition, they offer lessons that echo far beyond the field. These experiences include the principles of practice, lessons from loss, and the triumphs of victory.

 

Former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela once said, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire and unite people in a way that little does.” The South African journey out of apartheid is a perfect example of this quote in real-life practice, as in a nation once divided by race, sport became a lasting bridge between communities. This can be seen in how the South African national rugby team was once a symbol of division, but today the Springboks are a symbol of unity for millions of citizens. 

 

For students such as Akhanyile Johnson, a Bcom student at North West University (NWU) as well as a soccer player, the metaphor ‘sports represent’ becomes personal as he states, “Academic life in varsity mirrors sports with its constant demand for discipline and resilience as well as its ability to force connection with different people through competition.” While athletes train for competition and durability, students prepare for academic tasks and mental fortitude. Training/preparation methodologies may differ, but the overall goal of wanting to reach personal betterment is the same.

 

When Kwezi Dwenga, a second-year student and basketball player at NWU, was asked what sports taught him, he said ‘purpose’. Dwenga also noted, “Watching basketball proves no matter how easy something looks, it is not necessarily so, and you must work hard to make it so.” Ringing back to Dwengas words Kobe Bryant once said, “Everything negative (pressure and challenges) is all an opportunity for me to rise.”

 

What students can take from this quote is that academic pressure and the obstacles that come with it are not roadblocks but rather moments presented to people in order to shape themselves into the people they have the potential to become. Similarly, success in university is not instant or effortless. It is an ordeal filled with long hours of studying, setbacks and stress.

 

However, as sport teaches, the lesson remains the same on the court or in the classroom. Nothing worth achieving comes easy, but with persistence, practice and patience, progress is always possible.

 

South African national rugby team captain Francois Pienaar being presented with the Rugby World Cup by Nelson Mandela, symbolising unity and perseverance in the team and the country (Source: Getty Images).

 

Edited by Isabel Burgers