Looking Back:
The Joy of Sports
The Chiefs’ Super Bowl win in 2022 was pure joy for the Kingdom. The big parade was something else also. I bet many of you made the trip to the city to watch the parade or watched it on TV, as I did. Remember Kelce’s, “You’ve got to fight, for your right, to party!” Personally, I can’t remember the last time someone tried to stop me from partying. But, I also can’t remember the last time I ‘partied’. Sad, huh? The Chiefs winning was a joyous occasion, that is for sure. Joyous is more than happy. Joyous finds grown men skipping and old people dancing. It finds fans giving high-fives to total strangers. As KC fans we have been there.
A review of KC sports celebrations: The big celebrations have been the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victories in 1969, 2019, and 2022. Add the Royals winning the World Series in 1985 and 2015. But also add, Sporting KC winning titles in 2000 and 2013. In the real old days, the Monarchs won the Negro League title in 1924 and ‘42. Maybe a forgotten team, the FC Kansas City, won the NWSL title in 2014 and ‘15. This soccer team became the KC Current in 2020 and they got close to a title in ‘22. A hockey note, the KC Mavericks (the longest-continuous professional hockey team in KC) won the Brabham Cup in 2015. So, there have been many KC celebrations, big and small.
Let’s pause and think of a few non-sports joyous moments. Such as: getting your first car, first kiss, graduating from HS or college. The birth of your children, paying off a big loan, right?
Back to sports: If you played sports, or your children did, you probably have more sport-related joyous moments beyond the Chiefs or Royals. Such as, a game-winning hit, making a winning shot, scoring the winning goal, or making a game-saving tackle. You know, when the moment lifted you up. More than just happy, but joyful. You were ‘big’ happy and you were willing to let it show. You didn’t care who was watching. We usually think of sports’ joyful moments being connected to winning. But, let me be philosophical for a minute, joyful moments do not have to be connected to winning. Examples: The smile on your child’s face after they made varsity for the first time. Such memories may still touch your heart, even if you do not jump or skip. The son that would spend hours in their room shaping their ballcap, or glove. A child practicing their post-score celebrations in the living room. Your daughter’s smiling face the first time she made a ‘real’ slide into second base. Playing a fun game in the rain or snow, sliding in the mud. When your T-baller was all smiles waiting for the post-game treat (not even knowing who won the game). The day your child came home and told you the coach gave them a special compliment.
My kiddos had many joyous celebrations from winning, but the very special ones for me were the ‘For the Love of the Game’ kind. Please think of some of your own.
Don't get me wrong winning is fun and clearly a very important goal to strive for, but not at the expense of joy. I still remember the fun I had when I was picked for a baseball All-Star team. (I have no memory of how we did. It was the joy of being there. For the Love of the game.) It’s the feeling of doing your best, being a part of a team. The pride and joy of winning the ‘Most Improve Award’ (not the MVP award). Walking off the field knowing you did your best. Loving the process, including practices. Loving the small moments.
I have asked many student-athletes what they remember most about their high school sports career. The answer is seldom about a game-winning shot or a walk-off hit. Many reply: “The goofiness on the bus coming back home from an away game. -“The music we played in the locker room before the games, we would sing and dance like rock stars.” - “The time we played a prank on the coach.” - “When a senior took the time to help me after practice.”
So, cherish the moments that bring pure joy to sports and your life. If you are still jumping up and down over the Chiefs’ win you may want to take a break, and sit in your easy chair, but keep the smile on your face and dream about 2023. The Chiefs just might repeat, but the Royals seem to be taking another year off (humor).
Until next time.
