Why youth sports are important to me
By Arch Fuston, Board President, Every Kid Sports.
Sport is one of the many constants we can have in our lives. It can be a refuge. It can be a social hub. It can be an outlet. More often than not, it’s all of those and more. Two that I have an affinity for are the boundless nature of sports and the opportunity they provide to train our inner athlete.
Whether it was playing Pop-Warner football, Little League Baseball, swimming, tennis, AAU track, etc, sports was a constant in my life as a kid. As a young adult, it was high school football, basketball, tennis, track, and volleyball. In college, it was volleyball. After college, it’s been volleyball, Cross Fit, IRONMAN triathlon, and now, as a 50-something grown man, mountain biking, trail running, strength training, and whatever I can do to elevate my heart rate, tax my muscular/sekletel system, and sweat.
The point is sports has no end. As we evlove in our lives, so can our sports. As they change, so much remains constant. For example, the joy of a healty, strong, and capable body. Or the feeling of total aliveness after a work day of sitting. Or, my favorite, choosing to put my body and mind through stress in an effort to widen my window of tolerance for when stress chooses me.
“…choosing to put my body and mind through stress in an effort to widen my window of tolerance for when stress chooses me.”
The meaning we make of sports will change over time as we change over time. They’re a wonderful thing to grow up with and an important thing to grow old(er) with. Sports keep us young in body and mind, keep us engaged with others, and provide endless joy as both a participant and spectator.
This is why playing youth sports is important to me.