PHED 19901 - Why Sports Matter

Course Credit: .50
Have you ever wondered, why do we love sports?
Our participation in sports provides a context for
many life lessons: the thrill of competition, the
building of life-long friendships that endure
through victory and defeat, and the dedication and
commitment to excellence. Sports also provide a
framework to discuss complicated issues of race,
social injustices, gender, culture, and class.
But recently, every student-athlete’s experience
at Wooster has been affected during the pandemic.
Let us come together to reflect on issues
impacting us, wrestle with the challenges the loss
of sport brings, and to support healing our
community. We also will discuss the role that
sports plays in preparing leaders of tomorrow,
because-as the NCAA says—“99% of us won’t go
pro.” By offering essential training in time
management, organization, mentoring, motivation,
and relationship building, sports build a mindset
to be our best selves through the learning
experiences in adaptability, dependably, and
mutual respect. It is important to reflect on
those skills learned through sport that ultimately
shape and define individuals after collegiate
competition. This course is for those Fighting
Scots who are “more than just an athlete.”