Melanie Oudin, the Super Bowl and lofty goals

Melanie Oudin turned eighteen years old last year days before she beat three of the world’s best tennis players at the 2009 US Open.  It was any young athlete’s dream.  Her excitement and passion reminded much of the tennis world what it means to be living the dream.  She was only eight years old when Serena Williams won her first US Open.  I remember watching Oudin play the top ranked players and cheering for the underdog.  Her excitement and passion reminded me made me think about the reason sports and athletics are central to US culture and the American lifestyle. 

Baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, American football, tennis, lacrosse, hockey, swimming, water polo, I could go on.  A lot of school budgets, young people’s time, and parents driving is dedicated to sports—practices, coaches, games, uniforms.  Why are sports so important?  I know that being active was a huge part of my teenage years.  In high school I played volleyball, tennis, water polo, swam and skied.  Many of these sports have enabled me to stay active as I grow into adulthood and develop a healthy lifestyle. 

Athletics teach students to be healthy, but they also teach young people important life lessons of dedication and team work.  They act as a reward for students who do well in school and motivate students to keep up their grades so that they can play in Friday’s big game.  It also acts as a lesson in school spirit and in some ways patriotism.  Students can be part of the team even if they don’t suit up by cheering on the sidelines.

The Super Bowl is this upcoming weekend and many Americans will watch as two teams compete for the NFL championship.  Young quarterbacks, tight ends and linesmen will imagine themselves playing on that field.  Although most young people will not have that opportunity, striving to be the best in sports often translates to striving to do well in other areas of life.  

I think that is important to talk to young people about what their dreams are.  There is a quote that says, “Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” Most of our students won’t play in the Super Bowl or win matches on centre court at Arthur Ashe Stadium, encouraging them to pursue their dreams will help them to be successful in life.   As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”