Love is not a word that is used a lot in sports, unless it is relating to how much you love a sport or how much you love to play. We don’t use the terms compassion or gratitude or appreciate much when in sports arenas. In fact, it is more about beating the other team, play your best or else, or how dare that official make THAT call against our team.
This week alone, there where two reports on social media that highlight how far we have to go to bring love, compassion, gratitude or appreciation into the sporting community. A lacrosse referee was beat up after a Midget game at a tournament this past weekend in Ontario by one of the coaches. In Colorado there was a full on fight of adults during a little league baseball game of 7 years, where a 13 year old was officiating the game.
Our first instinct is to think…”holy crap, what are these people thinking?? Who does that??” Or “That is absolutely disgusting, they need to be kicked out and banded from ever coaching or watching their kids games again.”
When what this world really needs is more L.O.V.E. Who knew the Beatles were so right when they sang “All you Need Is Love”. Leave Out Violence Everywhere. Easier said then done. Or is it.
If our strongest muscle was compassion, however, it wouldn’t be that hard. Think about the coach who beat up the referee. Take the actions he displayed to the world, and point them inward. Just think about how he is beating up himself inside. What may have happened to him in his life, that could cause such anger, negativity or even hate for himself. What people project on the outside is typically what is happening on the inside.
When you think about it this way, I hope it causes you to pause….take a note of your own negative behaviours and see how they are showing up internally for you.
- How are you yelling at yourself? (How could have been so stupid?)
- How are you beating yourself up? (you know that little voice of self loathing that stops us from pursing our dreams, and tells you that you can’t do it)
If we really want to stop the unconscious behaviours that were demonstrated earlier this week, we all need to become more conscious of our own behaviours. To do that you need to be aware of your thoughts. Mindfulness is just that, being mindful, not full of mind. Its time to get out of our heads and into our hearts.
If you are really curious about what is going on with your thoughts, take 30 minutes by yourself and write down every thought that is in your head. Don’t stop to read it, or edit, or even think about what you are going to write. Just write. It is very telling. It will help you see how much negativity you are telling yourself that you don’t even realize.
To leave out violence everywhere, we need to first, get it out of our own heads. Change The Game Project out of the USA advocates this tag line, for parents to say “I Love To Watch You Play”.
Now when you say it, remember what L.O.V.E. stands for, and lets bring love into youth sports, as much as we bring in the need to win….which evidently seems to be at any cost.
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