The Human Need for Speed

            Running around on a grass field trying to kick a ball into a net does not seem like something one should risk their lives for. So why do people continually do this to themselves? It could not be for the entertainment factor because it is not entertaining to run around until the point of exhaustion for over an hour trying to score a few points. It cannot be for the endorphins released because people are not always in a positive mindset after they play because they could have lost or played poorly. So then why is it that athletes sacrifice their bodies, mental health, relationships, and free time to play a game? Attachment and emotion take control of logic.

            I have suffered from three concussions in one year due to sports. Logically, I should quit because of the possible long-term affects it could have on my brain. However, I cannot come to terms with quitting. I cannot pin point what is holding me back from quitting my career as a competitive athlete, but I know I cannot live without playing. When I do not play, my body feels wrong. I feel as though something is missing physically, because I am not exercising. I also feel as though something is spiritually missing as though there is a hole in my life that is being fulfilled. I have a constant urgency to get back on the field. But what is causing this urgency? Soccer causes me stress in school and in my life. It also causes me a lot of physical pain. My life would be simplified without it, and I have the perfect excuse to quit. But why can’t I?

            Attachment and emotion; the two words that rule out logic. Playing sports becomes an addiction. It is something that becomes part of you, and without it one’s body becomes physically and mentally affected. The same endorphins are not being released, and also the body is changing due to the loss in muscle mass.  Plus, people become emotionally attached to their team, the game, and the lifestyle that comes with playing the sport. Also, the human urge for competition must be factored in. It is in human nature to always try to be the best you can be, whether that means sacrificing your body or not. People do not settle for average, they want to see the best athlete’s in the world play. The tallest men are playing in the NBA, and the fastest runners are sprinting in the Olympics. Even gold medalists do not settle for anything less than the best. Once they have won a gold medal, they keep training to win more.

            Human beings are willing to sacrifice their bodies, and relationships for sports. The human race lets attachment and emotion overrule what is logical. Does this mean the human race is selfish, or unselfish? If I am putting my brain on the line for a sport, am I being brave or irresponsible? How does this urgency affect our society?