Each different week in The Coach’s Field, Timothy Thomas explores the assorted classes that may be realized from the world of sports activities.
I believe I’m a hockey fan, although “fan” may be too unfastened of a phrase right here. Whereas I take pleasure in watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs this time of yr, I don’t have a favourite staff. I root for the house staff (Dallas Stars), my household roots staff (Washington Capitals), and the staff with the arguably greatest coloration scheme, jersey, and mascot title (Seattle Kraken). The Dallas Stars are at present within the Western Convention Finals, so like a pure truthful climate fan, I’ve the lights exterior my home lit inexperienced in assist.
However severely, hockey doesn’t get the widespread respect in American sports activities it most likely deserves. Or perhaps it does, and I’m solely now publicly recognizing the sports activities’ awesomeness. So for those who’re like me, a skeptic of hockey or somebody who figures the sport isn’t actually for “us” (traditionally, the game has lacked various superstars), let me encourage you to offer it a attempt. There’s no higher time to take action than through the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In addition to, sitting with one thing totally different and outdoors of our familiarity may help us admire the sweetness and nuance of every little thing else.
Partaking in hockey (or any sport we’re unfamiliar with) is a incredible train in practising submission and humility.
Hockey combines all the weather of the sports activities we already love in America: the depth of American soccer; the nonstop tempo of basketball; the spacing parts of soccer; and the technique and historical past of baseball and golf. (The Stanley Cup is the oldest trophy in American skilled sports activities.) It even has preventing in the identical vein as boxing and gentle MMA matches.
So why doesn’t hockey garner extra widespread consideration? Some have speculated that the immense value of participation in youth hockey (in comparison with basketball or soccer) prevents the game from experiencing fast youth progress in America. Others have highlighted hockey’s lack of range. Lastly, some blame the advertising and marketing methods. Or perhaps it’s simply because the Stanley Cup Playoffs happen concurrently the NBA Playoffs.
No matter your cause for not watching or caring, I urge you to take a seat by a complete recreation. After all, you most likely received’t know the foundations, positions, or superstars. However sit, watch, and be taught, anyway.
God has given us authority over all of creation (Genesis 1:26-28). However after we overemphasize our jurisdiction, we are able to overlook that all energy belongs to him. So sitting and watching a sport we don’t know a lot about could be an act of submission and humility in a tradition the place we’re alleged to know every little thing and management our time and leisure (Matthew 23:12; 1 Peter 5:5). Submitting to hockey (for non-hockey followers, anyway) is a somewhat trivial process, however it might nonetheless be a technique to observe humility within the totally different areas of life the place God calls us to be submissive (Philippians 2:3; Proverbs 18:12).
Maybe there isn’t any straightforward answer to growing hockey’s fandom. Possibly all the aforementioned elements (e.g., value of participation, lack of range, failed advertising and marketing) are what makes hockey so pleasurable within the first place for its present area of interest viewers. However don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
So right here’s some teaching recommendation for the curious fan: Choose a staff to root for or towards through the playoffs. Sit again and benefit from the fantastically organized chaos unfolding on the ice. You would possibly be taught to find it irresistible. Or a minimum of you’ll have one thing else to take pleasure in throughout halftime within the NBA Finals.
In any case, participating in hockey (or any sport we’re unfamiliar with) is a incredible train in practising submission and humility—two traits we may all use to be taught from and love each other.
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