With socio-economic problems drowning many Filipino families, it’s no wonder that sports become relegated into a “hobby” or “just a game” for some.
Perhaps nothing brings the country together better than sports.
Think prime Manny Pacquiao, who can empty the streets because Filipinos are glued to their TV sets to see him fight.
Think Hidilyn Diaz, who made “tough” guys “sweat” in their eyes when she brought home the country’s first Olympic gold.
Think Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, whose fans can pack the humongous Philippine Arena in a game against a formidable foreign squad in the Bay Area Dragons.
Sports is fun, yes. It’s one of the greatest forms of entertainment. But it’s also a source of pride. It’s the lifeblood of communities and friendships. It’s life.
That life extends to children, and sports is not just another game to play, but it’s one of the tried and tested ways to instill values. Sometimes parents send their kids to sports camps to fulfill their own dreams (who’s guilty?) but most of the time, they send them because playing sports can help a child develop.
It also brings a whole new level of fulfillment for a parent to see your kid—who’s rowdy and unruly at home—suddenly think straight, and then proceed to outsmart and outmaneuver an opponent to win a match. Like, where did that come from?
As much as the young ones can be headaches who sometimes baffle their parents and teachers, kids are capable. The fact that grownups are surprised or amazed with their “little” milestones, like when toddlers say a complete sentence or when an 8-year-old beats an older person in an argument, only speaks of how adults might be thinking too small of them.
And sports is one way of funneling all that wit, ability, and talent into a tangible and more organized way. (We’ll take that instead of seeing them climb just about any ledge or tinker with appliances. Those kinds of play DO display their creativity, it’s just that they are too risky.)
In a developing country like the Philippines, however, the average child is not the one who can afford sports clinics. Sad fact.
This author had a two-year teaching stint in a public school, and whew, do kids love to play sports. A sports-inspired lesson plan has good potential to command the classroom.
What this writer witnessed, though, is that sports paved the way to inject motivation and activate multiple intelligences of some kids. Some students might not like to write, but they’re good in Math, and best in sports. Others seem like playing sports is their only interest, but once in action you see their leadership and critical thinking that you never saw before inside the classroom. Some honor students even impress further, as they show more of their intellect when they’re out on the court.
Without those courts and those playgrounds, and the chance to learn a sport or just play, those talents may have been left raw, or worse, untapped. For some kids, play is even absent as they need to act above their age going through the challenges of living this life.
While this article can be a way to enumerate what can be done for the millions of Filipino children, and more importantly, what government can do better, things are complex. That is a talk for another day.
Most especially because sports is never going to be a cure-all. It can only be a part of the solution. It is one heck of a bright spot, though.
For now, start with awareness, and if you are compelled to act, maybe even start with inner circles. For whom can you open a door of opportunity? For whom can you lower a ladder to lift them up to greater heights?
A lot of people are already doing it. Bet you can, too.