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MOLDED IN THE IMAGE OF SPORT
written by
John Strong, Niagara
County Community College
 One
of my earliest memories is related to
sport. It takes place in my childhood
neighborhood of Crescent
Town which lies just on the outskirts
of the east side of Toronto, Ontario.
My brother and I used to play with
a couple of his friends after school
most days, and as the seasons would
change so too would the activity. On
this particular autumn afternoon they
had decided to play two-on-two football
and include a wide-eyed little five
year old. In a game of two-on-two football
there has to be some point that a kid
scores his first touchdown. Perhaps
you might think that in a game where
only one person will inevitably catch
the ball thrown by his only other teammate
such a milestone would not logically
be a big deal. But as the story goes,
my brother threw it, the huge official
sized ball hung in the air for what
seemed an eternity, and I caught the
darn thing with my eyes closed.
I can distinctly remember the thud
as it hit my chest and my elation as
I opened my eyes to see it there in
my hot little hands. What a great afternoon!
I learned that 'playing with the big
kids,' although very tough, could result
in success more challenging to earn
yet sweeter to savor.
A few years later, after my parents
had split up, we moved to a new neighborhood
known as the
Beaches. If you know anything about
Toronto you know that Crescent Town
is nothing like the Beaches. Being the
new child, and one of only a handful
of African Canadians, I was hard pressed
to find my place among kids who had
already been together since kindergarten.
Sport came to my rescue in this alien
environment and with the help of basketball,
baseball, and yes football, I was able
to run my way into the comfort zone
of many of my new peers. It's probably
a lot easier to let the new kid onto
your team at recess when he ends up
being a bit of a ringer; we all got
along famously! From this experience,
I took away that if you offer your skills
unselfishly, folks are more likely to
invite you in and potentially befriend
you.
As a male enters high school, especially
on the coattails of a popular older
brother, he may find it difficult to
uncover his own identity, his own voice,
his way. Once again, sport came to my
rescue. I began with football in the
fall as a freshman, and learned early
on that while being part of a team is
a great thing it's not the only thing.
We only had enough players at my high
school to field a varsity team so the
young players were basically there to
learn and get thrown around like rag
dolls!
Believing I had a better opportunity
to play in an area some 30 minutes away,
I chose to travel to Scarborough.
I took a subway and then city bus everyday,
and played with a team that ended up
being undefeated and allowed me to play
a key role in its success. I left the
experience with my self-confidence well
intact, and the belief that I could
make a better situation out of what
was available if I put in a little extra
work and remained flexible. This lesson
would serve me well the following year
when I decided not to try out for varsity
baseball. I decided instead to play
on a team that might actually use me,
the rugby club! I ended up playing at
an elite level for my province, and
later winning a Canadian East Coast
Championship. Not bad, considering I
had only played for two years. I guess
I just had a knack for it.
I now make my living teaching physical
educators of tomorrow. I'm blessed with
a vocation that I can go to everyday
that keeps me excited for what is to
come, and passionate about what I do.
I emphasize the importance of the process
versus the product, the growth
versus the goal.
While it's clear I've had successes
in my life, I will always stay true
to the fact that the greatest gifts
I received from sport came not in the
form of medals or trophies, but in the
memories of the friends I've played
with, places I've gone, and character
that I derived.
This month during National
Sport and Physical Education week,
May 1st - 7th, think about what sport
and/or physical education has meant
to your life. Remember the things that
have compelled you to keep sport an
important part of your life and perhaps
the life of your family. Volunteer,
if you don't already, in youth sport
and help spread one of the last standardized
traditions that is worth perpetuating
in our society. By keeping the spirit
of the game around we ensure that each
generation has the chance to understand
and believe that life can be fair, hard
work can pay off, and maybe it really
isn't whether you win or lose but how
you play the game.
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