What are athletes? Are they super muscular, with perfect bodies? Or are they in perfect shape but can’t do anything with their bodies? For me, they’re the ones in the middle. They’re in shape, but they’re not all ripped.
For the average person, the words athlete and sport are synonymous. But for many, doing sports is just a hobby or passion. But for others, it is their only source of income. The reason is simple—most athletes know what it takes to be in top condition to perform at the peak of their game. What is important to understand is that to be an athlete, you must be fit. You must be in shape. You must be in peak physical shape to take part in any sporting activity.
We all have our view of what it means to be an athlete. The traditional definition of a sportsperson is a person who competes in a competitive sport at a high level and has a high level of physical, intellectual, and psychological attributes. But the nature of sport is changing. Athletes are not all fit and healthy, and while some believe winning at sport is everything, others see it as a means of personal expression and performance.
Athletes are people who dedicate themselves to their sport, competing against other athletes at events like Olympics, World Championships, or Paralympics. No matter what sport you are involved in, you are an athlete. This includes athletes who are runners, skiers, bowlers, tennis players, golfers, soccer players, swimmers, basketball players, volleyball players, and more.
Professional sports are big business. The game of football has its top-ranked players making tens of millions of dollars every year, while the game of baseball has its top-ranked players making more than $20 million. These star athletes are often treated like gods, but their entire lives are spent preparing for the game. It’s safe to assume that these athletes are also smart, strong, disciplined, and dedicated. Now, why would they be any different than the rest of us?
Athletes understand that their health, performance, and safety are directly related to their education and training. They also know that education and training can be intimidating, which is why a solid education strategy is a vital component of a successful training regimen.
It’s time for this generation of athletes to step up. They’ve won all their titles, they’ve spent countless hours in the gym, and they’ve developed into incredible athletes. Most of them are tied down to their sport for life, and they’ve already given their all. But there’s still one thing they could do to make it even better, and that’s to be educated. Here are four reasons to educate your athletes.
- Education teaches skills, but it also teaches values. It teaches us to live by certain values. Education teaches us to be respectful, to be tolerant, to be good people.
The school curriculum in the U.S. is filled with values. For example, in the United Kingdom, the curriculum is “value-led.” What does this mean? It means that values are important. Values are the beliefs that guide our actions, shape our decisions, and determine the type of people we are. Politicians use values to govern, parents use values to raise children, and teachers use values to teach. - Being an athlete is about being confident. And being confident comes from demonstrating that you are capable of doing something, or being able to do something, especially with the help of others. Teaching, coaching, participating in sports, or whatever it may be, it is all about being able to show someone you can do something. And that’s what being educated can grant you.
- Educating athletes can help them with building character. When we educate for a character, we provide the knowledge and tools needed to build quality character as a foundation for life-long learning and growth. Character education helps students develop life-long skills and habits, and it empowers them to be responsible and thoughtful members of society.
- Lastly, when you are educated, you’ll be able to improve your knowledge. Schools, colleges, and universities all want to help students and athletes develop their knowledge and skills.
