Why we need Youth Sports

Two former Jr. Olympic champions, Frazier & Ali

Dear friends,

There’s an African proverb that goes, " To live together is to have a common fate." In other words, as a community, in the grand scheme of things as it were, we need each other, regardless of either physical or social differences.

But if people, in any specific community, share a common fate, then it only seems fair that all parties involved should have a voice in their destiny. Unfortunately, for all of the brave words of " freedom and democracy", when do Our children ever experience these lofty ideals, particularly democracy?

 [Note: I am not ignoring the fact that the energy and courage of Our youth (both male and female) should, actually, serve the purpose of moving society forward - but only under the guidance of that part of society (parents and other elders) that has both the experience and understanding to recognize the values that maintain both Our humanity and spirituality.] 

Still. what young people actually feel is that they are controlled, having little or no input, regarding decisions that directly affect their existence. They feel powerless. As a consequence, they become angry and frustrated. Moreover, in their feeling of powerlessness, quite intelligently, they rebel. 

 Yet, the problem with much of the rebellion of Our youth, especially in the inner city, is that young people often protest in ways that are self-destructive, largely due to the types of options available to them. Even worse, Our responses to anti-social behavior by Our youth are themselves often destructive, counter-productive, and mean-spirited. For example, " zero tolerance" in schools and harsher sentences for youthful offenders, by the courts, may feel good to some, but not even those punishments or " more jobs" will change the situation, if We ignore the anger and frustration that Our youth must necessarily express in a negative way, if We don’t afford them options/opportunities to make good choices. 

 Consequently, it seems that our efforts need to be concentrated on building Our communities better from their most basic unit: the non-adult human being. Clearly, if there is one thing that We humans need in the world today, it is community-building skills. Youth sports, more than anything else, is about community building. After all, Our youth have a great deal to learn in order to competently replace Us and, in turn, pass adequate knowledge and ability on to those who will follow them – that is, the yet-to-be born. 

 Sports participation allows young people to resolve the anger, fear, sadness, and frustration which results from their feeling of powerlessness, through the personal strength of positive energy and group support, instead of various expressions of anti-social behavior. It also familiarizes them with experiences of either having success, or, at least, trying to succeed. To be sure, mastering skills in most activities, whether for business or pleasure, requires using energy in a positive way, relying upon patience, concentration, and creativity. Doing a sport is no exception.< 

 Finally, Our youth, aren’t alien creatures. Rather, they came from Us. Their language, and, therefore, their thoughts, along with their actions are all based upon behavior inherited from Us. They are part of Our communities. To paraphrase the great philosopher Kahlil Gibran: Before one is willing to get rid of an oppressor, s/he must first get rid of the oppressor from within. Cheers! 

 G. Djata Bumpus