The Power of Sports
One of the things I have observed during my time in South Africa so far is the incredible power of sports. This power takes many forms and has both forged connections amongst people and driven change throughout history. This observation has come through my experience within South Africa, though I believe the statement that sports have incredible power rings true throughout the world.
Sports are very unique in the way they are a sort of universal language amongst people. Sports have the power to unite people from entirely different backgrounds who seemingly have very little in common. This was put on display when we visited a school in a black township as part of our service. After serving meals and distributing shoes, there was some time where our group interacted with the kids. I ended up talking to two young boys who happened to be cousins, one 10 years old and one who was 11. The 10 year old was an aspiring rugby player and the 11 year old, to my surprise, enjoyed hockey. Given that I have a history playing both sports, an immediate connection was made between me and the boys. It was then that I saw how sports often bridge the gap between cultures and could even bring a 20 year old college student from the United States and 2 young South Africans together, two groups of people that could not be more different. After a long conversation that even included the 10 year old giving me some tips to improve my tackling, we parted ways. It was through this interaction that I was first awestruck by the power of sports.
Additionally, our group attended a soccer match within Cape Town and once again I was struck by the power of sports. This time, it was in the power of sport to unite a local community and generate happiness. The atmosphere at the soccer game was surreal and overwhelming, with passionate fans for the home Cape Town squad pouring out their hearts in support of the cause. The way in which these fans interacted with one another was inspiring, an example of how sports can fortify and strengthen a community.
Finally, as part of my group’s (Xhosa) research, we decided to attend Cape Town’s Rugby Museum to further look at how black and white athletes are portrayed in South Africa, especially given rugby’s prominent place in the nation’s culture. During our visit to the museum, I was taken back by rugby’s roll in the end of apartheid. It served as a key arena for social change to occur, as it was historically a “white mans” sport. But through success on the field and activism in the community, the Springbok teams certainly served an important roll in bringing down the apartheid regime and strengthening the nation once it had fallen. This way in which sports can impact society as a whole has been on display throughout history, with athletes like Jackie Robinson transcending their sport and impacting the greater world.
In conclusion, my time in South Africa has made especially clear the power of sports. My time with the school children showed how sports can bridge cultures and unite. The soccer match displayed the power of sport to bring people together in support of a common cause. Lastly, my time at the rugby museum showed how sports can impact society in meaningful ways off the field. The readings from class have supplemented and confirmed these observations, especially with regard to rugby’s role following the end of apartheid and the success of the 1995 World Cup team.
