Sports advocacy: How to not let your emotions get the best of you

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Let’s get this straight.

Whoever says that violence through physicality in sports will always be wrong.

For the past years in the local, national, and international scene, flared tempers involving players and coaches in sports always made the headlines that drew a negative image in the field.

Getting back to the previous point, some would often say that altercation between the opposing teams is always normal because of their competitiveness and their will to win.

However, it will always not be normal.

There will always be no room for such actions, and hitting someone in response will never be a solution for a payback.

Through a series of my sports coverages in the past five years, I’ve seen various games where teams would engage in fistfights and other physical altercations and it saddens me because the art of respect will always be lost after the game.

How can we stop this?

Are we just going to accept the notion that these situations will just be normal because of the physical aspect of sports?

I think not.

Well, it all starts with emotions.

Once this thing gets the best of you, it results in different ways: Losing focus, getting too attached to retaliation instead of playing to win, and a change in your character.

Let me share this simple conversation I had with a friend three months ago. We were talking about the successive brawls in basketball, both at the local and national level.

After I said that some of these athletes already had a past of doing such unsportsmanlike behavior, my friend replied: “Indi na ina mabag-o sir. It already ate up his mindset.”

So are we really sure that there will never be a solution for these things to stop? Well, I have a couple.

I think the number one thing that will always have the biggest influence and factor in fixing this is the attitude and the culture that a coach builds to his team.

A coach that is always mindful of his players’ attitude not only inside the court but also off the court and a coach that guides you in straightening your flaws attitude-wise, will always be the best mentor that you will have.

To all coaches, remember, these kids and athletes will never just be sports members to you. They will have to be your second kids.

Embrace them like family.

Teach them what you think is the right way of playing and dealing with people so that you will have this different sense of fulfillment that you became successful in your role as coach.

Last point, I think we have to develop more self-control and just embody what the local sports heads always say when two players bark at each other: “Hampangi nyo lang. Nag kadto kamo d para mg hampang indi para mag sakitay.”

Yes, they have the point. And I think it’s true. Athletes are trained for sports, not for drama. Athletes are honed to develop skills, not for cheap thrills.

Imagine sports without violence.

Pause and close your eyes.

Isn’t it wonderful?