In the month of March, many families find they are spending considerable time at basketball gyms and hockey rinks, fans everywhere are tweaking their March Madness brackets, and the hint of spring sports is in the air. In light of February’s Winter Olympics, Pope Leo recently wrote a beautiful letter titled “Life in Abundance,” on the value of sport. As a coach and athlete, I was thrilled to learn that the Pope has so much to say about the sublime potential of athletics. For those who have ever wondered if all the practices, driving, or time spent at siblings’ games are worth it, have faith that you can, indeed, sanctify sports! The pope’s letter articulates the authentic fruits of sport, and reminds us that our favorite sports are “expressions of our humanity” that actually elevate our souls and glorify God. In his letter, Pope Leo affirms that “the human person is a unity of spirit, soul and body.” He explains to us that our bodies are good because they are created by God, and reminds us that God himself became flesh when he took on a human body in the Incarnation.
When I was younger, I loved sports for the physical outlet they provided, for the thrill of victories and personal records, and for the friendships forged in pursuit of a common goal. When I grew older and began a professional career in college coaching, I found joy and fulfillment in partnering with talented athletes who shared my passion. Several years into this work, when I met my husband and we eventually began our young family, I shifted my professional focus away from the travels of NCAA coaching to classroom teaching in order to be more available for my vocation as a mother. Parenthood eventually inspired me to try my hand at coaching young athletes, and it is in this arena that I rediscovered the beauty of sports at the simplest levels. I have long felt that each child should have the opportunity to participate in a sport, and as I am midway through my third decade of coaching, I can attest that sports have the power to change lives for the better.
I have repeatedly observed the way that sports help young people by providing an outlet for physical energy, by providing a path to grow in confidence and strength, and by providing a healthy release from the anxiety of our hyper-digitized society. From ancient times to the present, sports have played a part in educating children, and philosophers from Aristotle to Saint Thomas Aquinas considered athletics an essential part of the curriculum. Sports and physical education provide the means for us to strengthen our God-given bodies and teach us how to use our bodies in new ways. In competition and training, we learn the virtues of fortitude, perseverance, and humility. Through sports, we grow in our ability to care for our bodies by learning how to perform certain movements, by combining these movements with strategies, by learning how to strengthen and fuel ourselves properly, and by resting strategically in order to recover. Sports teach us the value of delayed gratification and how to make a plan to reach our goals.
Through sports, we can become part of something larger than ourselves when we unite our efforts with those of our teammates, coaches, and competitors. Pope Leo reminds us that historically, “through the voice of the popes, the Catholic Church proposed a vision of sport centered on the dignity of the human person….highlighting its universal value as a means of promoting values such as fraternity, solidarity and peace.” In troubled times, both historically and currently, sports provide a way for people to come together culturally, whether by playing on a team or cheering on their favorite local club. Pope Leo reminds us that “true sport…fosters a peaceful relationship with limits and rules…It does not divide, but brings people together; it does not focus solely on the result, but values the journey; it does not idolize performance, but recognizes the dignity of those who play.”
At Saint Benedict Classical Academy, whether on the basketball court, cross country course, or pickup football game during recess, our students strive to win. A competitive spirit permeates all of our athletic activities. Pope Leo reminds us that the word competition derives from the Latin word cum meaning together, and petere meaning to ask. He tells us that “in competition, therefore, it can be said that two people or two teams strive together for excellence.” Through sport, people can learn to win and learn to lose with grace and humility, which prepares us to meet life’s successes and failures with the same spirit. Pope Leo speaks of respect for “the rhythms of the body and mind [that] can illuminate one’s entire social life.” At Saint Benedict Classical Academy, as we pursue the education of the whole person, our students are reminded to offer the physical joys and challenges of sport to God as part of our daily prayer.
I am so thankful to Pope Leo for giving voice to the noble pursuit of athletics, and I’m reminded that I can use sports as a path to God, whether it’s in practicing with my children, coaching my teams, or cheering on the Celtics.
AUTHOR: Jill Kerr, Grade 7 Teacher
