The Healthy Way To Engage In Sport

When an athlete engages in sport there are both physical and mental aspects that can effect the way one plays. Part of being in a sport requires the experience of violence. Even though its not always allowed there will always be an incident that leads to this. When athletes get physical it leads to all kinds of sports aggression where both teams now become enemies. This can be an unhealthy way to engage in sport because danger and violence is not suppose to be an outcome of the game. Not only can this type of behavior cause violent playing on the field, it encourages the spectators to burst into rage and start fights among themselves. Through my own experiences I have seen athletes get so built up with anger about a game that they carry this quality with them throughout the rest of the season. This type of behavior is one that carries unsportsmanship qualities which can result in an athletes absence to the game. Being an athlete myself I understand how frustration and anger can come into play but it may have a larger effect on you then imagined. A while back I was reading an article in a sports magazine that talked about the healthy way to engage in sports. This writer was talking about how important it is to go into the game thinking about your passion for sport. Defining the reasons for playing can help build encouragement. She also comments that if you can identify with positive qualities before, during and after competition you may find yourself playing better. Sometimes when people get out of hand and worry about loosing they have a better chance of leaving the game with a disappointment. By not allowing your mind to take over you body is an important aspect during sport because it is likely to happen when your anxiety sets in. Letting anxiety take over your body lowers your confidence which can decrease your performance. Some elite athletes see sports psychologists to face their fears however if you feel as though you are having trouble you should try self-educating your mind on positive aspects.