All about the Attitude

If any of you has kept up with tennis, you probably know that Roger Federer is playing like there’s no stopping him! And to those who don’t follow tennis, well he just won the Miami Open last weekend and he’s in the best of his forms. At 35 years of age, he’s playing and defeating 20 somethings. He’s working hard on his game, he’s changing strategies, he’s playing his beautiful shots and he’s having fun on court. I am a huge fan of this person, not just for how beautiful his game is and how much of a treat he is to watch but also for his grace, strength and strong will. But this post is not about Federer, as much as I would like to write about him. This post is about sport as a whole.

My father always used to encourage me to play sports. I did some, others I didn’t. I grew up playing primarily badminton and volleyball. Our school did not promote a strong sporting culture so I picked up interest in books and science and sport diminished in its importance.

I quit playing volleyball – the one sport I am very good at and enjoy loads – when I developed a recurring ganglion cyst on my wrist. I miss the adrenaline rush that a good game can give you. I miss the sweat and cries and fist bumps. I miss the ‘well done’ and the ‘Nooo’. But why is it that one must play sport of some kind?

My father said the greatest thing to me about sport – that “it teaches you how to lose gracefully.” Playing is important. One must always play to win. And one must always enjoy the time spent on court. The techniques, the tricks, the genius of players is meant to be enjoyed and appreciated. But when one is faced with a better opponent, one must know how to give one’s best, admire the skills and talent of the opponent and if loss is the eventual verdict, then accept it with grace and admiration for the opponent. It’s all about the attitude.

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What do you think?

Do you play any sport?

What has your experience been with sport?