Kaonashi Ga Suki

On my walk to church I pass by a small public park. Yesterday as I was walking by, I saw a father and son playing baseball.

The boy must have been no more than 5 years old. He had a cute little yellow plastic bat that he swung when his father lightly threw at him a small, red plastic ball. The boy actually hit the ball and started running around the bases. His father ambled over to the red ball, giving his son time to run. The father picked up the ball and turned around to see his son heading for 3rd base and straight into home.

“I did it! I did it!” yelled the boy.

“Yeah, wow great job!” said his father.

“I made a home run!” the boy said excitedly.

It was an endearing scene between father and son.

I chuckled to myself when I heard the boy chatter on about getting a home run, then I started thinking: will there come a point when this boy will stop loving baseball for the sheer fun, and instead start playing it competitively?

Most people who take up a sport at a young age do so because they enjoy the game. They’re introduced to the sport by a parent or through the school. They have a great time playing it and can’t get enough of it. It doesn’t matter who wins or loses, it’s just all part of the game.

Those who are more serious about the sport start to play more often; some enter Little League or after school soccer teams. The goal changes from simply having a good time with your friends to winning a game, winning the championship, putting some trophies on the mantleshelf. Still, it’s fun to be with your friends and play with them.

The more exceptional players then continue on to junior high school and high school teams. They make it to the freshman team, then junior varsity, and finally on to varsity sports. The need to win increases tenfold. After all, you’re not just representing yourself anymore- you’re representing the whole school, and your family. The pressure is intense. The coach is in your face everyday telling you that you’ve got to make sacrifices to win the big game.

College is no different; the stakes are simply higher, for now you’re playing for recognition. There’s a scout in the audience, and you’ve got to get his or her attention if you want to play for a professional team someday. Only the best get picked, and if you’re not the best, you are nothing.

Now you’re finally a professional athlete. Your mind reels from the truckloads of money that roll in not just from your regular salary, but from your many endorsement deals. Millions of people watch you play every night, judging your every move. Bets are won and lost because of how you played a particular night, and all you can think of is how to improve on your next game.

What happened to simply playing for fun?

I sometimes wonder if there is a point in which athletes forget the reason they started playing in the first place. Do multimillion dollar NBA and NFL players for example, still play because they love the game? Or have they lost sight so long ago, that they’re mere machines? Do they consider the sport as simply a job, one they need to keep up to maintain their luxurious lifestyle?

And what about non-professional athletes -the college and high school players- what’s it like for them? Are there times when they wish they were back at their local public park playing ball with friends and not have to deal with high expectations from audiences, stressful coaches, intensive training, and pushy parents?

The only time I ever played sports was for PE, so I’ve never experienced the thrill of winning the big game, nor have I ever won a trophy, so I can’t really offer an opinion and am curious about this sort of thing.

What do you guys think? Did you play in organized sports as a kid? What was it like?

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